Do you believe your product or service will be successful in online sales, considering that the Internet is currently a highly effective platform for reaching a broad audience and millions of people use it daily to explore various products and services?
After conducting thorough research on how to effectively sell online, the subsequent step involves determining the specific location and method of selling. Within this article, we have undertaken the research and gathered a compilation of the finest online selling platforms to consider, accompanied by advice and tips for each one.
Best platforms for selling online
1. Facebook marketplace
Launched in October 2016, the Facebook Marketplace is a popular online selling platform designed to connect communities and facilitate the buying and selling of items.
Facebook Marketplace has made a fascinating move by offering support to online sellers. It is worth noting that Facebook has collaborated with platforms like Shopify to enhance visibility for online merchants on the Marketplace.
To be a successful merchant in the Marketplace, it is imperative to adhere to specific rules and guidelines, despite the absence of any listing costs.
2. Etsy
Etsy is promoted as a leading platform for sales, and numerous artisans have utilized it to successfully establish online stores where they sell their handmade products and vintage collectibles.
The website asserts that it unites numerous merchants and buyers. Additionally, Etsy necessitates a minimal initial investment as sellers are able to list their products for just 20 cents per listing, leading to minimal start-up expenses.
Once an item is purchased on Etsy, the purchase price is reduced by a credit card processing fee and a commission charge. Furthermore, sellers on Etsy can promote their products on external websites at no cost, offering an additional benefit. In the event that a sale occurs through one of these off-site advertisements, a portion of the sale price will be allocated to you.
Additionally, when selling on Etsy, it is crucial to keep in mind the four-month rule, which states that if your products remain unsold for that duration, you must either renew your listing or face the possibility of it being removed.
3. eBay
eBay, which initially focused on auction-style listings, has emerged as one of the top online selling platforms. To cater to sellers who prefer not to wait for an auction to finish, eBay now provides buy-it-now options. Additionally, customers have the opportunity to make best offers on certain items, which sellers have the discretion to accept or decline based on their personal preferences.
If you’re new to marketing an item, starting by putting it on eBay is a good idea. Consider eBay as the world’s largest garage sale where bargaining is still happening and customers can find both new and secondhand items.
Listing fees are not required for most categories. This makes it a great platform to test the market response to your products. Individual sellers can post their products without any charges, but they have to pay a commission when an item is sold. On the other hand, companies selling in bulk can choose to subscribe to premium programs.
Maintaining high standards for product quality, accurate descriptions, shipment schedules, and other factors is essential for sellers on eBay, as it is for other top eCommerce sites. Therefore, to achieve success on eBay, sellers must maintain outstanding feedback ratings, as negative ratings can be detrimental to new businesses.
4. Amazon
It is undeniable that Amazon is a more popular selling platform than eBay, as it draws in over 20.6 million people monthly.
You can sell almost anything on this top-rated online selling platform, though certain specialized categories require Amazon’s approval and an upgraded selling plan. The fees charged by Amazon for items sold vary according to the type of selling plan you possess.
If you opt for the regular Individual selling plan, Amazon will charge you 99 cents for each item sold, in addition to a referral fee. The referral fee is a percentage of the total selling price of the item, which includes shipping charges but excludes taxes. Generally, the referral fee ranges from 8% to 20%. Additionally, if you are selling media products like books, movies, or video games, there will be an additional closing charge of $1.80.
The Professional selling plan is priced at $39.99 per month, unlike the Individual plan where you are charged 99 cents for each item. Therefore, it is only worthwhile to opt for the professional plan if you consistently sell over 40 items each month.
5. Handshake
Handshake is a marketplace created for the purpose of facilitating easy connections between suppliers and retailers. Within Handshake, you can discover distinctive products that are not mass-produced, which can be sold in various categories such as fitness and yoga, jewelry, pets, and food and beverage. The Handshake team carefully selects each supplier to ensure their quality and suitability.
If you are an online store owner or a brick-and-mortar shop, you can purchase items on Handshake. Therefore, if your business specializes in selling bulk quantities of distinctive products (or you have a desire to engage in wholesale), you should consider applying to become a seller on Handshake.
What’s even better is that Handshake is compatible with Shopify. By using this integration, wholesale creators can conveniently handle inventory, monitor sales, and process orders all from a single platform. This is a significant improvement in comparison to traditional wholesale marketplaces, where manual maintenance and multiple CSV uploads and excel sheets are necessary.
6. Bonanza
Bonanza, located in Seattle, Washington, is an online marketplace that is experiencing rapid growth. Although it is a relatively new platform for buying and selling, it is quickly gaining popularity as a viable alternative to eBay. SimilarWeb reports that the website attracts over 5.1 million visitors on a monthly basis, and it offers the opportunity to sell a wide range of items.
Bonanza can be seen as a balance between Amazon and eBay, offering a greater selection of one-of-a-kind and handmade items compared to eBay, but a smaller assortment of branded products compared to Amazon.
You can sell either the newest Nike Air Max model or a unique handmade copper necklace, and there are active buyers for both types of products. Buyers have the option to add items to their cart at a fixed price or engage in negotiation through the platform.
Bonanza does not charge you for listing your products on its site. It only deducts a small percentage from the final sale price once you make a sale. Additionally, Bonanza can be seamlessly integrated with platforms like Shopify, allowing sellers who have their own online stores to efficiently manage and sell their products.
7. Ruby lane
Ruby Lane is a recent addition to the online marketplace for vintage and antiques, and it is competing strongly against established platforms like Etsy. In an EcommerceBytes survey, Ruby Lane was elected as the top recommended selling site for 2019. By selling on Ruby Lane, you can connect with a specific and interested group of buyers who are seeking categories such as antiques and collectibles, vintage and art, dolls, and jewelry.
Fees and payments are also easy to understand. There is no cost to establish and list your products. However, a monthly upkeep fee of $54 is required for up to 50 items. This fee varies as you list more items on the platform. Furthermore, Ruby Lane applies a service fee of 6.7% on the total purchase order amount, with a maximum limit of $250.
If you own an antiques and collectibles store or simply want to sell items online, Ruby Lane is a great platform to connect with enthusiastic buyers.
8. Chairish
Chairish is an online consignment shop designed for high-quality home decor and furniture. It only takes a few minutes to list an item on Chairish without any charges, and the amount you receive from the selling price ranges between 70% and 80% depending on your seller plan.
Chairish is completely free, unless you choose to purchase its Elite plan, which costs $149 per month.
First, you make a list of your items. Afterwards, the curatorial team at Chairish reviews your listings to ensure they meet the standards of the marketplace. They then edit your product photos and publish them on your behalf. Additionally, Chairish takes care of shipping, relieving you of any worries about logistics when selling on their platform.
If you have furniture or home decor with a design focus that you want to sell online, this marketplace is a great option for you. It can efficiently connect your business with the perfect collectors and buyers, leading to increased online sales.
9. Swappa
Do you have an old iPhone X that you want to dispose of? Or a Ninthendo Switch that you no longer use frequently? You can convert your technology into cash on Swappa, a reliable website where you can buy and sell phones, laptops, cameras, and other devices.
Swappa is considered legitimate as it effectively verifies the products sold on its marketplace. No low-quality items are permitted, ensuring that everything being sold is in proper working condition, and PayPal provides protection for each payment made.
Creating a listing on Swappa is free of charge, although you have the option to pay a $5 fee to have your items featured like an advertisement. Swappa’s fees are included in the listing price and are not separate. When a sale is made, the buyer is responsible for paying the fee along with their purchase. Swappa has competitively low fees, such that if you sell a $350 phone, the buyer only pays $15 in fees.
10. Craigslist
Craigslist, which was founded by Craig Newmark in 1995, started off as an email distribution list among friends. Its primary focus was to highlight local events in the San Francisco Bay Area. Later, it transformed into an internet-based marketplace and gradually expanded its reach to encompass 700 cities in 70 countries. Although Craigslist is uncomplicated and free to use, it serves as a substantial platform for local discussions and diverse item listings.
Due to its “hands-off” buying and selling approach, Craigslist is an online marketplace with a higher risk factor, making scams easy to occur without any support from the company. Nonetheless, Craigslist remains a favored selling platform for local buyers and sellers, especially for those who prefer face-to-face transactions to finalize a deal.
11. VarageSale
VarageSale, an app for buying and selling, functions as a virtual garage sale. Its establishment in Toronto was motivated by the frustrations of scams and false advertisements found on other classified websites, by a former elementary school teacher. To ensure authenticity, VarageSale requires all users to undergo a manual review process before engaging in any buying or selling activities, and their profiles are based on real identities.
On VarageSale, buyers have the ability to explore seller ratings and communicate with sellers before finalizing a purchase. They can inquire about products or directly purchase them and arrange for a pickup within the application. VarageSale offers a platform for individuals to sell a variety of items, such as furniture, clothing, shoes, and more. Additionally, using the app for buying and selling is free for members.
12. Shopify
At present, Shopify is recognized as one of the most reliable and easy-to-use platforms for selling products online. According to the latest data, over 2,000,000 merchants are currently utilizing Shopify.
Starting with this excellent online sales platform as a foundation for your eCommerce website is a wise decision due to its user-friendly nature and simplicity, along with its outstanding customer service. Moreover, you will find various Shopify applications like Handshake, which serve as wholesale marketplaces, that enable you to customize and tailor your business accordingly.
Shopify offers its own app store, which is a valuable asset for finding and integrating third-party plugins to enhance various aspects of your business such as email marketing, inventory management, and more. Utilizing apps like PickyStory, which boosts average order value through upselling and enables the sale of product bundles, can significantly impact your store’s success.
Shopify offers a basic plan for $29 per month, which includes various features such as a personal website and blog, SSL certificates, abandoned shopping cart recovery, and social media sales channels.
