Inventory: The world's top 14 e-commerce platforms in 2019. Don't crowd into Amazon anymore

Top 14 platforms in 2019

Café Press’s revenue has dropped significantly (from 89.19 million to 41.8 million), which is undoubtedly related to the popularity of the Amazon platform. Many alternative platforms have emerged in the e-commerce market that can replace Amazon, and this article will also cover some of them.

Advantages:

1. The page design is good and the layout is neatly planned;

2. The navigation function is clear and the help steps are detailed;

3. Allow sellers to sell specific inventory items provided by the platform;

4. Provide CaféPress e-commerce store, where users can design and display their own products;

5. Provide customizable products that are friendly to individual businesses and small enterprises.

The following is a screenshot of the store page designed by the user:

Here are some of the products available at Café Press:

• T-shirts and other clothing;

• Water bottle;

• Wine glasses;

• poster;

• Oil painting.

cost:

CaféPress does not charge any fees for opening a store, there is no need to invest any money in the early stages, and there is no additional fee for listing products;

Café Press makes money by taking 10% of the monthly royalties (not sales) and then giving the remaining amount to the seller. Sellers can choose to pay the royalties monthly or quarterly in advance.

CaféPress takes care of product shipping, customer service, and traffic generation tools. It has different types of products for buyers to choose from, and the website navigation is convenient and simple. It is a good choice for individuals or small businesses specializing in creative design, but it may not be suitable for large e-commerce companies.

Advantages:

1. The platform currently sells more than 350 basic products;

2. Provide customizable e-commerce stores where sellers can sell unlimited products;

3. Merchants can set the copyright royalty rate (10%-99%) to adjust the final price;

4. Provide free promotion advice and strategies;

5. Zazzle's Affiliate/Associate program pays 15% of sales as commission, and pays referral fees to customers who refer the site. Payment can be made by check or PayPal.

Sellers can sell the following products on Zazzle:

• Customized T-shirts;

• iPhone cases;

• Laptop cases;

• Notepad.

Note:

Like Café Press, Zazzle is free to use, but is only suitable for graphic designers and people who want to sell their designs online. It is not very suitable for e-commerce sellers.

Bonanza is widely known as the "best eBay alternative". In 2010, Bonanza changed its name from "Bonanzla" to "Bonanza". Like Amazon, Bonanza is headquartered in Seattle and has gone through two rounds of financing.

Advantages:

1. The website is well designed and easy to navigate.

2. It is an upgraded version of Café Press and Zazzle, allowing merchants to sell their own products;

3. Convenient account registration and product sales;

4. You can quickly list products, import them from other websites such as eBay and Etsy, or import them from folders to the website.

cost:

It is free to open a store and list products on Bonanza, but when the seller sells the product, the website will charge a certain percentage of the agency fee.

The platform lists “7 Reasons to Open a Store on Bonanza”:

1. Create a listing for free;

2. Low cost;

3. Free product listing;

4. Free sales consultation;

5. Multiple payment options;

6. Bonanza’s unique features;

7. Very simple.

Bonanza provides users with the ability to create profiles, upload pictures, and post comments. There are also sections for Faved Sellers and Faved Items at the top of the homepage. Bonanza has it all: individuals and e-commerce sellers can sell their own personal products, as well as create homepages and stores.

Advantages:

The commission rate ranges from 8% to 15%, and there are many categories of products available for sale. Anyone can sell on Newegg, and the number of buyers on the platform has exceeded 18 million.

cost:

It is very simple for sellers to register. Just go to https://www.newegg.com/sellers/ and follow the steps to register. The platform requires a monthly fee, which is free for standard sellers, $29.95/month for professional sellers, and $99.95/month for enterprise sellers.

1. The platform is not overly decorated and is mainly based on text;

2. You can sell almost any product;

3. The website is categorized by country, state, and region, and product listings come from various countries, from the United States to Africa. Click on a specific state or region, and merchants can post products for sale in the "For Sale" and "Services" sections;

4. Registered merchants can create posts on Craigslist and upload pictures and descriptions;

5. Sellers can remain anonymous to individuals who want to purchase goods or services.

Note:

Craigslist looks like an old-school online forum; there are no product limits. It's a great place to sell products, but not a great place to drive a business marketing strategy.

Advantages :

If you sell home decor, furniture, mattresses, or other household goods, WayFair is the e-commerce platform for you. Founded in 2002, the site has over 11 million active users and boasts a very high average transaction value (nearly $230 per transaction!).

Note:

The platform is a great option for affordable luxury products that are not as popular on Amazon or other platforms.

Advantages:

Wish is the world’s most downloaded shopping app, a great way to expand mobile sales while also gaining widespread attention for your products; the platform reportedly has over 100 million active users and comes with built-in tools for promotion and marketing.

Note:

There are no listing fees. This platform is ideal for sellers targeting a younger audience.

Advantages:

Overstock works with businesses and entrepreneurs who join its "Supply Network" so that consumers can see their products on the Overstock website. For these businesses, selling their products on the platform can also expand their online business.

Note:

There is no service fee for small businesses interested in joining Main Street Revolution, but they will need to fill out an online application form if they want to sell their products on the platform.

Advantages:

Alibaba's market value recently surpassed $400 billion and it currently accounts for 80% of China's online sales.

The biggest e-commerce shopping festival of the year, besides Amazon’s Prime Day, is Alibaba’s Double Eleven.

AliExpress, an e-commerce platform under Alibaba, is called the "international version of Taobao" by many sellers. It is aimed at overseas buyers, conducts guaranteed transactions through Alipay international accounts, and uses international express delivery. It is the world's third largest English online shopping website.

cost:

Each AliExpress account is only allowed to select one business scope, and can operate one or more business categories under the business scope; the annual fee is charged according to the business category, and the annual fee must be paid separately for entering different business categories. Under the same business category, only one annual fee is paid.

Jet.com has been acquired by Walmart, but its platform is completely different from Walmart's main platform. It is a good site for buyers who need to buy items in bulk frequently because the more items consumers add to their shopping carts, the more discounts and free gifts it offers.

Note:

Like Walmart, Jet.com has high standards for sellers, so make sure you’re prepared for a lengthy approval process. Recently, Wells Fargo analyzed that Jet.com’s product prices are nearly 9% lower than Amazon’s.

While that might pique the interest of online shoppers, Jet.com only has about 10 million products — a fraction of the hundreds of millions that Amazon currently offers in the U.S.

Advantages:

Etsy is aimed at craftsmen, artists, and collectors, and is designed to sell sellers' handmade products, except for items classified as "Vintage" or "Supplies."

Etsy's Community page shows that it is not only a sales platform, but also a community communication platform. Therefore, Etsy does not seem to be a good choice for all e-commerce sellers.

cost

Etsy seller fees include:

• Transaction fee (5%);

• Subscription fees (varies by tier);

• Shipping costs (Etsy shipping label, USPS label, FedEx label, or Canada Post label);

• In-person transaction fee (optional if you sell products in person using Square);

• Advertising and promotion fees (optional, such as ads with promoted items, Google Shopping ads, and targeted products).

For businesses new to the platform, Etsy offers the first 40 products for free.

After that, Etsy's fee standard was precisely $0.2 per listing, valid for 4 months, and a 5% commission for each transaction, which was 3.5% before July 2018. In July 2018, Etsy also provided sellers with 3 different subscription plans.

Advantages:

1. eBay is one of the most well-known e-commerce platforms in the world;

2. Provide "Quick Start" guidance, you can open a store in just 4 steps;

3. Sellers can list 50 items for free each month;

4. Merchants can create a "My eBay" page to answer buyer questions and view sales information;

5. Create a listing for your product through eBay’s catalog;

6. Provide free business consulting, business efficiency guides and seller development resources to help merchants successfully sell their products.

Pros: Walmart is a great platform if you want the most reach with the least investment. However, the platform is picky about sellers, so make sure you meet Walmart's standards before investing too much. Walmart generally prefers sellers with well-known brands, based in the United States, and with a wide range of products.

cost:

Seller fees on Walmart are similar to those on Amazon, and there is a logistics model similar to FBA available for sellers. Walmart will charge a certain percentage of the seller's commission for each transaction, and the commission will also vary depending on the category.

Advantages:

Amazon is the most well-known e-commerce platform and the preferred marketplace for e-commerce businesses and individuals who want to expand their online sales position. Amazon provides online tools that allow sellers to upload product inventory by creating an "Amazon Web Store".

cost:

Businesses that want to sell on Amazon need to register an account with a business name, contact information, credit card, and phone number, in addition to understanding costs, FBA, and Amazon advertising.

Amazon and other platforms have one thing in common: they cannot be taken care of at the same time. Based on experience, it is difficult to take care of these platforms at the same time, so it is better for sellers to do well on one platform at a time.