Online marketplaces are undeniably one of the most effective sales channels for merchants. With top online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, or Walmart, online sellers can reach millions of potential buyers and take their businesses to the next level.
But with so many options out there, which is the suitable online marketplace for your business? Fear not; we’ve got you covered! In this article, we will review the 18 best online marketplaces to sell your products in 2024:
- #1. Amazon
- #2. eBay
- #3. Rakuten
- #4. Shopee
- #5. AliExpress
- #6. Etsy
- #7. Walmart
- #8. Mercado Libre
- And 10 other best-selling sites.
Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
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Online Marketplaces: At A Quick Glance
Before we jump into the Top online marketplaces to sell, let’s discover the definition of an online marketplace and the advantages and potential disadvantages of selling these best eCommerce sites first.
What is an online marketplace?
An online marketplace is an eCommerce site that connects sellers and buyers, regardless of geographical limitations. It contains two main features:
- Multiple third-party sellers provide goods and services across the platform.
- Buyers make the purchase without leaving the site.
In an online marketplace, all consumer transactions are processed by the marketplace operator, then fulfilled and delivered by sellers or logistics companies. While buyers can register an account for free, sellers are usually charged a fee to sell on the marketplace.
In general, there are three types of online marketplaces:
- Global marketplaces, such as Amazon or eBay, sell almost anything from electronic goods to everyday kinds of stuff;
- Vertical marketplaces only specialize in one kind of product. TrueFacet.com, for example, sells only jewelry and related items;
- Horizontal marketplaces offer a range of products sharing the same characteristics. Dote.com is an online retail marketplace where women always come to update their wardrobes.
Pros & cons of selling on online marketplaces
In general, top online marketplaces offer many benefits.
Selling on these marketplaces is the fastest way to reach a large number of customers. With low upfront costs and built-in eCommerce features, you can quickly launch your store and access millions of customers who are ready to buy your products. Moreover, reputed eCommerce marketplaces make your stores look more legitimate based on ready-made trust with platform buyers.
Some other advantages of selling on the best online marketplaces are:
- Protection against unpaid bills, fraud, or disputes
- Possibility to utilize platforms’ storage and delivery services
- Opportunities to sell globally
- Great testing grounds for new products.
However, some potential drawbacks of online marketplaces may also need to be considered.
- Fees: Online selling sites charge specific selling fees. Commission fees for each sale may range from 5 to 20 %. Sellers’ fee structures might also be complicated.
- Limited branding options: You may not brand your online presence as you must follow strict rules such as brand name form, product descriptions, or photo size.
- High competition: Many other sellers might offer similar products or services to yours, which could lead to price wars.
- Other potential concerns include the risk of suspension or banning from the platform, as well as a lack of control over customer data.
Top Online Marketplaces: 18 Giants and Utmost Features
So, among various online marketplaces worldwide, “What are the best online marketplaces?”. In this section, we will discover the top 18 online marketplaces around the world based on their monthly visits in 2023. Each marketplace will come with its own set of selling features and best-selling items. Ultimately, we hope you can find the right marketplace for your business.
Here are 10 top online marketplaces around the world:
# | Marketplace | Region/Country | Product | Monthly Visits |
1 | Amazon | Global | General | 4.79B |
2 | eBay | Global | General | 1.21B |
3 | Rakuten | Global | General | 563.37M |
4 | Shopee | Southeast Asia | General | 559.59M |
5 | AliExpress | Global | General | 525.45M |
6 | Etsy | Global | Arts, Crafts & Gifts | 447.31M |
7 | Walmart | North America | General | 407.61M |
8 | Mercado Libre | Latin America | General | 362.90M |
9 | Taobao | China | General | 303.43M |
10 | Allegro | Polland | General | 198.8M |
Let’s head to the detailed analysis!
#1. Amazon – Top 1 online marketplace on Earth
- Monthly visits: 4.79 billion
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
First, there is no surprise here. Amazon is the world’s largest eCommerce marketplace, with 4.97 billion visits to all Amazon marketplace domains.
Amazon.com is the most visited online marketplace in the US, with around 2.2 billion monthly visits (source: Statista). Moreover, Amazon also leads the eCommerce market in many European countries, with Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, and Amazon.fr.
Regarding the sales volume, Amazon also holds the highest gross merchandise value (GMV) in the global eCommerce market, with around US $729 billion generated across all its domains in 2023, making it a wonderland for any online seller.
One key advantage for Amazon sellers is its order fulfillment service, Amazon FBA. With this service, you only have to list your products and focus on marketing tasks; Amazon will take care of the rest, from managing inventory to packaging and shipping the orders to the customer’s door.
This best online marketplace also offers almost every product category. Some of the best product categories to sell on Amazon that you can consider are home and kitchen, clothes, beauty and personal care, electronics, shoes and jewelry, and toys and games.
However, with a wide customer base and a variety of products, high competition can be a big challenge when it comes to selling on Amazon.
Are you looking for more reviews about Amazon? Check out our article Is selling on Amazon worth it for more detailed reviews about its pros and cons.
#2. eBay – Top 2 online marketplace in the world
- Monthly visits: 1.21 billion
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
- Category focus: All categories
That said, Amazon is not the only show in the town; eBay is the second most-visited shopping site among the top online marketplaces, with over 1.2 billion visits each month. According to eBay statistics, this platform hosted 135 million active shoppers worldwide across 190 markets as of 2023, which earned this online retail marketplace more than $73 billion in GMV last year.
Starting with a listing of broken laser pointers in 1995, eBay now lets individuals and businesses buy and sell various new and used items, from electronics and collectibles to fashion. This means that whether you want to start a business with eBay or use it as an online garage sale, this top marketplace is worth considering.
Furthermore, unlike other online marketplaces for sellers, eBay stands out by offering two different selling styles: auction and Buy-It-Now (Fixed Prices). With the auction-style listing models, you can get the most for your item by allowing buyers to bid on it.
You might want to read: Is Selling on eBay Worth it? – Insights and Real Truth.
#3. Rakuten – Top 3 online marketplace
- Month visits: 563.37 million
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
Regarding monthly visits, Rakuten is the third-largest global eCommerce marketplace, with 563.37 million, just after Amazon (4.79B) and eBay (1.21B).
In fiscal year 2023, Rakuten’s domestic eCommerce gross merchandise sales reached around 6 trillion yen, equivalent to US$38.8 million, continuing the upward trend of the last decade.
This Japan-based marketplace is now available in Japan, the U.S., Taiwan, China, France, South Korea, Germany, the U.K., Canada, Hong Kong, and Australia. Rakuten is a great choice for businesses looking to expand their online reach and sales worldwide, especially in Japan.
The best products to sell in Rakuten, Japan, include clothing, home & kitchen appliances, toys, shoes, beverages, furniture, gifts, accessories, beauty, sports goods, and auto parts.
#4. Shopee – Top 1 online marketplace in Southeast Asia
- Monthly visits: 559.59 million
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Southeast Asia
Founded in 2015, Shopee is currently the leading online marketplace in Southeast Asia.
As the top and promising mobile-centric marketplace in Southeast and East Asia, as well as several countries in Latin America, Shopee has been growing steadily. In 2017, Shopee had only 245 million orders. 6 years later, in 2023, the total gross orders skyrocketed to 8,2 billion with $78.5 billion, reflecting an increase of 6.8% YoY.
Shopee is currently active in multiple countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. The overseas seller program allows cross-border sellers from China, Hong Kong, and South Korea to tap into this vast Southeast Asian and Taiwanese customer base.
Wanna expand your market to Southeast Asia? Check out our Shopee review for sellers for the best tips of selling on this marketplace.
#5. AliExpress – Top 1 online B2B marketplace
- Monthly visits: 525.45 million
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
AliExpress ranked fifth among the top online marketplaces in the world, with 525.45 million visits per month. Owned by Alibaba Group and based in China, AliExpress focuses on the international market, primarily generating GMV in the US, Brazil, and France. In 2023, the GMV of this eCommerce marketplace reached US$19.60 billion.
Starting in 2010, AliExpress became more well-known as a B2B platform even though it still enables businesses to sell directly to consumers. Particularly for US businesses, AliExpress serves as a valuable resource for finding suppliers, with a wide variety of products available, from fashion and electronics to hobby & leisure items. If you want to become a wholesaler, AliExpress is a platform worth considering.
#6. Etsy – Top 1 online marketplace for arts, crafts & gifts
- Monthly visits: 447.31 million
- Regions/ Countries covered: Worldwide
- Category focus: Arts, Crafts & Gifts
With 93.7 million active buyers worldwide and 447.31 million monthly visits, Etsy is one of the leading online marketplaces in the world. This shopping platform is especially popular for selling and buying handmade, vintage, and creative items with a high degree of originality and uniqueness. As a result, if you are a craft, artist, or collector and wondering, “Is selling on Etsy worth it?” Etsy might be one of the most suitable places for you to show your work to the world.
Etsy also sets itself apart from the other top online marketplaces by letting its sellers offer digital downloads, such as templates and photography. This ‘Make once, sell forever’ model can be a great way to generate a source of passive income.
Another advantage of selling on Etsy is the platform’s simple and user-friendly interface. With just a few steps, your Etsy shop is ready to go live and start selling.
Regarding the selling fees, unlike other eCommerce selling sites, Etsy does not offer a monthly subscription. Instead, Etsy sellers will need to pay $0.40 for each listing, which will last for four months.
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#7. Walmart – Top 3 largest online marketplace in the US
- Monthly visits: 407.61 million
- Regions/ Countries covered: North America
- Category focus: All categories
Besides Amazon and eBay, Walmart is one of the best online marketplaces in the US. Research conducted by Tinuiti shows that there’s a huge overlap between Amazon.com and Walmart.com shoppers. In particular, more than 57% of Amazon shoppers also make purchases on Walmart’s website.
This marketplace receives nearly 470 million monthly visits, giving Walmart sellers access to millions of customers. Walmart’s net sales (including Walmart US, Walmart International, and Sam’s Club) hit US$82.1 billion in fiscal 2023, an increase of about 12% compared to fiscal 2022.
Unlike the largest eCommerce marketplaces, such as eBay or Amazon, Walmart Online Marketplace fees do not include any setup, monthly, or hidden fees. Instead, eCommerce merchants pay a referral fee for each item they sell. This fee ranges from 6% to 15%, making Walmart an ideal marketplace to sell online if one doesn’t want to spend a dime on upfront costs.
If you decide to sell at Walmart, you’ve likely got questions about the top-selling items on this best online marketplace. Widely known for having some of the best deals and savings, Walmart has finally revealed its high-performing items, including groceries (56.3%), health and fitness (10.4%), toys, and household utilities.
#8. Mercado Libre – Top 1 online marketplace in Latin America
- Monthly visits: 362.90 million
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Latin America
Mercado Libre is a leading online marketplace in Latin America, being present in 18 countries spanning from Argentina to Venezuela. But the 4 strongest markets of this marketplace are Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia.
This eCommerce site receives over 362 million visits each month and has over 100 million active buyers. In 2023, Mercado Libre’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) surged to approximately 44.75 billion U.S. dollars, marking a remarkable 30 percent increase from the previous year’s 34.4 billion-dollar GMV, as reported by Statista.
Since its founding in 1999, Mercado Libre has sold a wide range of products but has remained a pure-play online marketplace with no sales of its own. Notably, it assigns seller scores based on performance metrics like successful sales, customer satisfaction, and cancellation rates.
#9. Taobao – Top 1 online marketplace in China
- Monthly visits: 303.43 million
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: China
Being the most popular eCommerce site in China, Taobao is also a name in the list of best marketplaces to sell online in the world. With over 500 million registered buyers and sellers, this marketplace boats an impressive 50,000 sales per minute. So, Taobao is a marketplace you should definitely consider if you want to sell your items in the vast Chinese market.
However, please notice that this eCommerce marketplace currently is limited to customers residing in China who speak mainly Mandarin or Cantonese. Moreover, while setting up a store on Taobao is pretty easy, you must have a registered company to sell on this website marketplace.
#10. Allegro – Top 1 online marketplace in Poland
- Monthly visits: 198.62M
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Poland
Allegro is the Poland’s most love marketplace and number three on the list of Europe’s largest online marketplaces. With 14.1 million active buyers, Allegro is a good opportunity for B2C brands and professional re-sellers to expand into Poland’s thriving €10 billion online market.
The only obstacle is language – Allegro operates only in Polish, so product listings and customer support must be localized. Allegro describes itself as the biggest shopping mall in Poland. It has a significant market share in electronics (62%), home and garden (74%) and fashion (46%).
According to Statista, Walmart Marketplace has surpassed 150,000 eCommerce sellers as of May 2022. During the pandemic, this eCommerce marketplace added close to 5,000 new sellers each month. Though we have seen a downward trend recently, it is otherwise a perk for those who have just started to learn how to sell on Walmart. With less competition you have to face up, you will have more chances to reach potential buyers and convert sales.
#11. Facebook – Top 1 social online marketplace
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
Social shopping is an indispensable part of eCommerce. 59% of social sellers say that social media helped them increase their sales in 2023 compared to 2022. So, we can not miss social platforms in the list of online marketplaces.
Known as the most used social media platform with about 3 billion active users, Facebook is one of the best places in the world to reach your customers and sell your products to them. Launched in 2016, Facebook Marketplace has evolved from a peer-to-peer shopping platform to include merchant selling, allowing sellers to show their products with prices, images, and product descriptions like other top online marketplaces.
Sellers can list their products by going to the left-hand side of the Facebook feeds and simply clicking on the Facebook Marketplace tab. Then, through the help of an intelligent algorithm, this eCommerce marketplace surfaces products relevant to customers’ search patterns and helps businesses find the right customers.
Have you never heard about Facebook Marketplace? Discover it with our Facebook Marketplace Reviews.
#12. TikTok Shop – Top 2 social online marketplace
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
As an emerging social platform, TikTok has gained around 2 billion users, making it the third-most used social platform. TikTok took advantage of this wide range of users and launched the TikTok shop. A recent TikTok study revealed that 2 out of 3 users are likely to buy something while on the platform, making it one of the top marketplaces to sell online in 2024.
What is TikTok Shop? This short-form video platform seamlessly fuses entertainment and shopping, allowing users to explore and buy products featured in TikTok videos. Moreover, the TikTok marketplace showcases a diverse range of products, from fashion and beauty items to tech gadgets, all riding the wave of the latest viral trends, making TikTok Shop a refreshing and engaging addition to the world of online marketplaces.
#13. Google Shopping – Top 1 search-based marketplace
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
According to Jungle Scout research, 42% of US consumers start their product searches using Google, just behind Amazon. Moreover, with about 3.5 billion searches per day, Google Shopping has always been a good option for merchants seeking best-selling sites for selling their products.
So, what is Google Shopping? Powered by Google Merchant Center, this promising online marketplace offers eCommerce merchants 3 services to showcase their products to the searchers:
- Google Shopping App: When a customer searches for a keyword on Google, the related product listings will appear naturally in the search results without any paid advertising.
- Google Shopping Ads: Moreover, retailers can promote their listings with the most budget flexibility when selling products online on this platform. There are no fixed limits for bids or daily budgets, and it’s even possible to start a campaign at as little as $0.01 per click.
- Google Shopping Action: Also known as “Buy on Google” in the US, this shopping program allows online retailers to sell their products across different Google platforms. There’s no need for commission rates, so businesses of all sizes can list their products, attract potential buyers, and increase sales.
Google Shopping is often considered the go-to marketplace for almost every kind of product. Some of the most popular items across trending categories are pet beds, fashionable backpacks, baby carriers, shapewear, and smartwatches.
#14. Cdiscount – Top 2 online marketplace in France
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: France
Cdiscount is the best marketplace to sell online in the French market. It has roughly 8.6 million active customers and 19 million unique visitors per month. It sells products across 40 categories and has over €1 billion in annual sales.
Since 2018, Cdiscount has started delivering some items to Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Spain, which began its international expansion. The growing cross-border presence of Cdiscount results from its 15 percent year-on-year growth in net sales.
Some popular product categories on this marketplace are home decor, clothing, and accessories. They also offer other services such as booking flights, accommodations, mobile subscription plans, health insurance, and tickets to various shows.
#15. Flipkart – Top 2 online marketplace in India
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: India
Founded in 2007, Flipkart is now the runner-up of the top online marketplace competition in the Indian market.
In May 2023, this leading Indian eCommerce marketplace had more than 167 million visitors per month, just behind Amazon India, with more than 295 million visitors. None of the other Indian marketplaces crossed the hundred million mark. Last year, in 2023, Flipkart’s online GMV amounted to $29 million.
However, currently, Flipkart operates primarily in the Indian market and does not offer international shipping. As a result, this eCommerce platform offers great opportunities for sellers whose targeted market is India.
If you plan to sell on Flipkart, these top 10 most profitable items on Flipkart might get you some product ideas: decoration lights, wall decor, curtains and bedsheets, locks & latches, bottles&containers, clothes, bicycles and cycle accessories, inverter batteries, air coolers and fans, and hand blenders.
#16. Wish – Top 16 online marketplace
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
Wish Marketplace is one of the digital marketplaces, mostly selling things from Chinese manufacturers and merchants at meager prices.
The nicest part is that eCommerce merchants can locate vast quantities of apparently valuable things at inexpensive prices. Wish reviews reveal that this is one of the top marketplaces for mobile commerce. Wish had a total GMV of US$610 million in 2023, and this ideal marketplace for selling online has been the top downloaded shopping app in the United States since 2017.
On this marketplace, you can sell anything you can imagine, from hair extensions to selfie lighting and laptops; its inventory seems endless.
#17. Reverb – Top 1 online marketplace for musical instruments
- Category focus: Musical instrument
- Regions/ Countries covered: Global
Reverb appears in this online marketplace list because it attracts millions of visitors each month. Its commitment to musicians and enthusiasts sets it apart, offering a platform rich in features tailored to their needs. The “Make an Offer” function ensures transparent and equitable pricing, and a wealth of educational resources empowers informed decisions.
The Reverb community thrives, connecting musicians worldwide. Among the diverse range of products, vintage guitars, pedals and effects, synthesizers, and recording equipment are the best-sellers, making Reverb the go-to destination for music gear enthusiasts everywhere.
#18. OnBuy – Top 2 online marketplace in the UK
- Category focus: All categories
- Regions/ Countries covered: UK
The last piece of the “What are the top online marketplaces?” puzzle that we should not miss is OnBuy. Launched in November 2016, in the UK and for the UK, OnBuy is now the fastest-growing marketplace in the world, with over 600% year-on-year growth over the past 3 years. There are already over 8 million buyers active and more than 35 million items for sale in various categories like books, toys, cosmetics, or musical instruments on this eCommerce site.
Similar to Mercado Libre, OnBuy is committed to providing a fair and transparent marketplace without selling anything themselves. Moreover, an other advantage of selling on OnBuy is that it’s easy to create a store. You just need to fill in the form for their website and they will connect you within a working day.
No matter which marketplaces you choose to sell on, in a sales context, understanding eCommerce fraud is also essential. You don’t want your bottom line to be hurt by common payment card scams and chargeback issues, so consider the security of any platform you pick for this reason.
Wanna know more about this rising marketplace? Check out this OnBuy review.
Best Online Marketplaces in 2024: FAQs
Amazon ranks #1 among the top online marketplaces worldwide in terms of both monthly visits and GMV across all its domains. In 2023, all of its domains received over 5 billion visits monthly, with a total GMV of US$728.8 billion for the year. The top five domains of Amazon include Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, and Amazon.ca. In March 2024, Amazon.com was the most visited marketplace website in the United States, with over 2,200 billion monthly visits. 3 main types of E-marketplaces include: C2C – Customer-to-customer. C2C marketplace models are sometimes called P2P, which stands for peer-to-peer or person-to-person. This means there are no entrepreneurs, and all the participants are equal.
Start Selling on Top Online Markeplaces Today!
So, we have walked through all 18 top online marketplaces around the world. However, what is the best online marketplace to sell on? The answer lies in your target audience, your product niche, marketplace requirements, and top categories as well.
There are plenty of marketplaces where you can sell on multiple channels, which can potentially increase brand awareness and sales. According to Shopify, businesses selling through marketplaces, websites, social media, and mobile earn 190% more revenue than the ones selling only through one single channel.
Should you be interested in multichannel selling, give LitCommerce a try then. LitCommerce tool allows multichannel sellers to synchronize data between marketplaces and web stores and simplify the process of publishing new listings and managing orders from different sales channels – with only one single hub.
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