Selling online can quickly turn from a part-time interest into a full-time job. Whether you're starting new or expanding to include competing platforms, there are lots of places to sell online.
We'll be showing you the best platforms to sell or dropship. Some even let you promote affiliate products. Every expanding business will eventually want to have a presence on each platform listed.
Managing all of your marketing channels efficiently is essential to peak productivity. Consider using a trusted platform like Systeme.io to correlate and analyze the performance of all the platforms that you use to sell online. Here’s a closer look at your options.
eBay
eBay has been around since the beginning. It is very easy to get started and the auction interface is quite intuitive. There are over a billion listings for marketers to promote and the sheer number of people browsing auctions also makes this a prime place to sell. Curating products using the eBay Partner Programs delivers a trusted sales channel with a familiar feel.
After all, who doesn't know eBay. Promoting eBay listings awards you with commissions ranging between 50-70% and payments are made monthly. Marketers who refer new customers or those who haven't made a purchase in the last year can expect even higher commissions.
Amazon
No one can question the massive impact Amazon has made; online retail will never be the same again. Finding your place on Amazon can be tricky for manufacturers and sole proprietors with new products but there are few busier places to sell online. Amazon reselling is so lucrative that countless people have turned running an online store into a full-time job with someone else's products.
Commissions are competitive and you can find just about anything you can imagine on Amazon. There is no better time to set up an online store and no better place to find an endless range of products without needing to fork over a cent for production.
Etsy
Etsy is the No. 1 marketplace for artists and creative souls. If your product relates to the arts in any way or is handmade or vintage, you need to list it on Etsy. The exposure from this site is great and you'll notice that most of the people browsing actually have intentions to buy. In a world ruled by window-shoppers, this makes for a much-welcomed change.
Unlike other online stores, each listing is billed at $0.20 USD. PayPal processing also carries a 5% transaction fee. These are the only charges associated and are well-worth the active buyer intent and exposure. There is also EtsyPlus giving a broader range of marketing features at a monthly fee and an even more robust subscription for premium sellers on the way.
Shopify
Shopify is an e-commerce platform which removes the need for having your own website. Its hosted services give eager online sellers everything needed to succeed. There are few platforms which are as comprehensive as Shopify. However, this premium feature set comes at a fixed monthly cost. It costs a bit more than standard WordPress hosting and a domain, but the charge may be well worth it especially if you're new to selling online.
Five membership plans are offered. Everything from a standard membership upward delivers a fantastic set of features and all packages let you list an unlimited number of products. Shopify is one of the best options for beginners thanks to its diverse selection of features and extreme ease-of-use.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an awesome eCommerce platform which works from within the WordPress content management system. It is an open source eCommerce platform which is almost as popular is WordPress itself. Your entire online store and all of its integral metrics will be monitored and measured by WooCommerce.
From product listings to freight charges, multiple payment gateways, and even multi-language support and themes, WooCommerce has is all. Even paid products struggle to compete with its complete range of practical features and plugins. It isn't the easiest to set up and may require technical help, but you will struggle to find a matching platform for self-management of your online sales.
Weebly
Weebly is a website builder that will have your online store up and running in no time. It compares with WooCommerce and WordPress in terms of advanced functionality, while setup and ease of use can be compared to Spotify. You can either run Weebly on your own or you can use it for free off a subdomain (i.e. www.weebly.com/mysite). There are few platforms which compare to Weebly's extreme ease of use.
All of their subscription models are competitively priced. Even at its highest price, you're looking at half the cost of Shopify. The only drawback to a Weebly site is that once you outgrow its facilities, transporting your site will require it to be developed. Porting to other platforms like WordPress are plagued by issues.
Bonanza
Bonanza is a relatively small marketplace with a bright future. Named marketplace of the year by Entrepreneur magazine, this is a good place to get yourself started early. It works in pretty much the same as other leading marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy but the focus is on technology.
You'll find all sorts of merchandise for sale but high tech is the busiest area of Bonanza. Setting up your store couldn't be easier and the rates are highly competitive. The only downside to this outstanding platform is its relatively low user base but given the great functionality, that is sure to change.
Wish
Wish has a massive audience across the United States and Europe. It is a fantastic place to interact with all types of buyers. The audience spans over 300 million customers in total and the way that you go about getting your products listed couldn’t be easier. Wish users are the type of people who love shopping so listing your products here has a high chance of turning over a sale. Selling on Wish is straightforward and you’ll be quite surprised by how broad their global coverage is.
Sears
Sears.com allows smaller retailers access to their audience for a nominal fee. If you’re a marketer who knows that your products will resonate with Sears customers, this subscription can be gold. Your products will appear on Sears.com and their mobile app, as well as Sears kiosks throughout their retail coverage areas.
Polished, high-end fashion performs well. There are also commissions charged which range between 5.5% and 17.5%. You need to have a high volume of sales to make these commissions worth it but if you approach this market right, success could be guaranteed.
eBid
eBid is an online auction site that offers an alternative to eBay for international users. The number of auctions is among the highest other than eBay. Listings are free and the only fee is a 3% charge when your auction sells. eBid lets you create a listing or an entire online store.
The interface is extremely clean and multiple payment methods are supported, ensuring that no matter how your customers are paying, they will be able to be processed. If you are looking for a free place to set up an online store then give eBid a try. It is well worth the extra exposure, while who knows what time will bring for this great upcoming auction site.
Newegg
Newegg.com is one of the world’s most established technology marketplaces. Competition is high but global coverage is offered. There are three levels of membership ranging from a free package for sellers to enterprise membership. A free package lets you list a massive 5,000 products with advanced features such as bulk uploading readily available.
There are even product promotions offered free to users and tons more deals for those who are willing to invest in the promotion of their store. If you’re delivering innovation in the tech space and want to reach the broadest audience, get yourself going on Newegg.
osCommerce
osCommerce is a pioneering platform which requires your own server to run. It is one of the most robust platforms for selling online and has components to cover even the largest distribution chains. There is quite a learning curve to this software but thanks to its long-standing popularity, there are tons of resources available to help you learn how to use it. Free and packed with features, this is the best package for technical users and also preferred by those with large volumes of sales to manage.
Volusion
Volusion gives you a cloud-based shopping cart which perfectly suits small to medium businesses. It is very similar to Shopify but has done away with credit card transaction fees. Overall, pricing is very competitive and those using Volusion swear by it. Abandoned cart support, 24/7 customer service, and extreme ease of use make Volusion a fantastic option for the less technically inclined.
Wayfair
Wayfair is a marketplace that carries home goods and furnishings. If you are a manufacturer who makes their own homeware products, then Wayfair is one of the best places to sell online. All sales via Wayfair work on a drop shipping policy, meaning that you receive your profit after fulfilling the order on their behalf.
The business model works well for high-value purchases and the reach of this site is astonishing. Research shows that Wayfair receives roughly 21 million visitors each month. Don’t miss the chance to list your premier items but remember that this will take a dedicated devotion of time and resources.
Artfire
Artfire is another art marketplace with an excellent following. The site only allows handmade goods, carrying a similar approach to Etsy. The community is smaller but certain niches will perform better. Fine art seems to perform well, as does highly artistic goods and traditional arts and crafts. Every artist needs as many marketing channels at their disposal as possible to give Artfire a try. The only time you pay a fee is when a sale is finalized.
Zibbet
Zibbet is another marketplace that specializes in handmade goods. The best part about this relatively small site is that it’s completely free to use and you’ll find a lot of enthusiasts here. If you’re really new to selling online then you may want to set up a store using Zibbet to get a feel for the industry. Once you’re better established, you can always port to a solution like Shopify or WooCommerce.
Selz
Selz is a small marketplace with services which are extremely easy to use. There are no costs associated and you only pay a transaction fee when you close a sale. Everything is managed by Selz, making it another place to sell online for those who are in their early stages of marketing. Selz lets you build landing pages and product pages with a professional look in little time and with no technical skill needed.
5Miles
If you’re the type of seller who stocks items of local interest, then 5Miles is the best place for you to create your listings. The app helps you find buyers within a five-mile radius and also assists in the settings up of a safe meeting place to carry out the exchange.
Decluttr
Decluttr is the ideal marketplace for those who sell eBooks and tech items. Launched as a site which gives you an easy way to make some money from your DVD’s, books, Blu-ray media, and other technology, Decluttr has become quite popular. Those who specialize in technology should definitely establish a presence on this innovative but small market.
Alibaba
If you are a business to business marketer, then Alibaba is a must for your marketing. It connects manufacturers, suppliers, exporters, importers, and buyers from around the world. Many marketers have even leveraged Alibaba’s import potential and starting dropshipping. You liaise directly with the individual or company supplying the merchandise so setting up custom agreements and rates are fairly commonplace.
There is a lot of room to make money from the bulk deals on Alibaba and not all products will need an import license. In actual fact, reasonable numbers of almost anything will arrive for collection. The only drawback is that the waiting period is significantly longer for most sales but you do get your goods.
OfferUp
If you’re looking for an innovative spin on local ads, then give OfferUp a look. It presents a platform which has crossed eBay with Craigslist, surpassing the ease-of-use of both. It is not necessarily the best place to sell large volumes of merchandise, but you can maintain a successful profile without any fees being charged to shoppers or sellers.
There are no ads and communication between seller and buyer is done through the OfferUp app. Marketers may not like the personal nature of the sales but if you’re catering to a local market, OfferUp is a huge asset.
Forums and Message Boards
Interacting with the community is one of the best ways to drum up business. Staying active on message boards and forums related to your products or services opens up a huge opportunity for subtle self-promotion. Establishing yourself on boards like Reddit may take time and devoted content creation but the exposure is well worth it.
Never bombard a community with sales messages and direct promotion but instead post relevant, interesting comments and info that addresses current issues and problems. Once established, customers will come looking for you.
Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Craigslist
Facebook Marketplace is a fantastic feature which enables anyone with a Facebook account to start selling immediately. The collection is arranged in person so if you're looking to sell things to local clientele, then this is one of your best options.
Never underestimate the power of classified ads. Explore Facebook Marketplace's buy/sell groups while placing ads on Craigslist, Gumtree, and any other local listing sites applicable to your area. All businesses should capitalize on the immense value of local listing and classified advertisements.
Your Own Online Store
Ultimately, the best place to sell online is your own online store. Every business needs a website with a full list of products, feature articles, and all connected information. You also need a presence on other leading marketplaces but the core of your leads need to come from your own site. Other models work, but running your own online store puts you in full control.
The platform that you use to sell online is largely determined by the product you are trying to sell. Determine what areas of your site are best developed and which products you are focusing on. Evaluate the marketplaces that need your brand presence the most. Determine this by means of looking at who commonly shops there.
Certain markets are broad enough for all items while others actually perform better when using niche specific channels. Forum posts and message boards are a great example of self-promotion using free methods that can actually do better for items like fishing gear and survival equipment than large marketing methods and marketplaces can ever reach.
Getting the Best Results
The best turnover and profitability will be reached by reaching out to potential buyers through as many marketing channels as possible. All-inclusive marketing platforms like Systeme.io give you everything that you need to optimize and streamline sales funnels and site design.
From setting up mailing campaigns and autoresponders to helping you build landing pages for your products, no matter what type of online store you use, it’ll support you at every step of the way. You need to keep expanding your presence will working on the channels that work best for you.