Last year online retail sales were up 12.1% on average year-on-year, but it can be difficult for buyers and sellers to know where to begin in the huge online marketplace that includes vast ecommerce businesses like Amazon, Alibaba and eBay. To help inform and inspire where to begin, Journalistic.org recommends some online marketplace alternatives.
To this indepth selection Gifts & Greetings Review would like to add that Trouva has worked well for a number of our independent retail correspondents. The set-up can appear pricey but the product categories and style are great for contemporary home and gifting and there is help available for low cost packaging solutions. We know of local Hertfordshire retailers who’ve stayed afloat through difficult periods of low footfall by selling online via Trouva, described by Rue as “an online home for independent shops.” It is the one of the best online marketplaces for unique products and lovely independent stores.
OnBuy – best for fair pricing.
A new but rapidly growing marketplace, OnBuy.com presents itself as a better-value alternative to Amazon and is based in the UK. The site offers low fees for vendors but unlike eBay, it represents professional sellers only. Consumers therefore buy from an established company or registered sole trader, rather than an individual. OnBuy also holds marketplaces across Europe.
Why try OnBuy?
- Eclectic. Extensive variety of goods and deals and sellers.
- Comprehensive. You can read genuine reviews for sellers and products to make informed purchases.
- Huge Savings. By charging sellers a low commission, OnBuy can offer consumers the best deal and fairest price.
- Secure. All payments are processed through a secure payment gateway.
- Best of British. OnBuy is a UK company and all employees work from the UK headquarters.
Etsy – best for gifting.
Launched in 2005, Etsy has become one of the most popular e-commerce websites thanks to its unique, handcrafted products. Establishing its popularity through platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, the online site has grown to include everything from jewellery, clothing, toys, art and craft supplies.
Why try Etsy?
- It’s Unique. Large listings include handmade products, hard-to-find items and vintage goods.
- Custom-Made. Offers an opportunity to personalise a wide-range of items; perfect for gifts.
- Curated Recommendations. This includes personalised email notifications, based on buyers’ browsing/shopping history.
- User-Friendly. The site has previously been voted the “easiest” online marketplace to use.
- Fixed Pricing. Unlike Amazon and eBay, Etsy uses a fixed pricing model. This makes it easy for sellers to keep track of overheads and makes things generally cheaper.
Rakuten – best for rare finds.
Coined the “Amazon of Japan”, Rakuten’s B2B2C (business-to-many) e-commerce platform, Rakuten Global Market, is the largest e-commerce site in Japan and among the world’s largest by sales. Other than selling goods and services to other businesses as well as consumers, Rakuten operates Japan’s biggest internet bank.
Why try Rakuten?
- Rare Goods. Offers an enormous range of interesting, Japanese-inspired products direct from Japan.
- Amenable. The site allows an extensive range of global payment options, such as Union Pay.
- Worldwide Shipping. Rakuten Global Market has shipped to more than 200 countries and regions to date.
- Rewarding. Earn Rakuten Super Points whenever you shop and redeem those points to save.
- Exposure. Rakuten has over 91 million members in Japan alone. Overseas sellers can tap into one of the largest pools of consumers there is.
Mercari – best for speed.
The Mercari app is the world’s biggest and fastest growing community-powered mobile marketplace. After launching in 2013, Mercari became Japan’s number one mobile marketplace, garnering over 60 million downloads in Japan and the US. Mercari is now moving into Europe, starting with the UK.
Why try Mercari?
- Protected. All purchases are made through secure, in-app payments. Unlike eBay, funds are not released to the seller until the item has been confirmed as received by the buyer.
- User-Friendly. It’s simple. Consumers can search by item type or category and can save items for later.
- Accessible. The app presents an easy way to buy and sell unwanted items, from homewares to kids’ gear.
- It’s Fast. To start selling, just snap a picture on your phone, list it and wait for the buyers.
- Fee-Free. Not only is Mercari free to download, it’s also completely fee-free, meaning sellers take 100% of the money they make from selling.
