The arrival of multi-vendor marketplaces has brought changes in the global market. Many of the brands get global exposure along with huge competition. Today most of us buy things from online marketplaces. We depend on many multi-vendor marketplaces to buy products for our personal use, for home, business, as gifts, and many more.
An online marketplace is a digital marketplace platform with a website and app for better service. This is the place where several sellers and buyers connect with each other. Sellers offer numerous products and services. Buyers can purchase the products and can leave reviews. This is nothing that no one knows. More than that, online marketplaces are a dream come true for dealers and shoppers. This is the only place where you can find anything.
The key features that define a multi-vendor marketplace are:
- Sellers and buyers can trade through the same marketplace
- Buyers can purchase without leaving the website
There are many online marketplaces that act as advertising channels more than an online marketplace. From some marketplaces, users cannot make a purchase without leaving the website, while some marketplaces let users sell directly to the company.
In this article, I have focused on the marketplaces that consider buyers as consumers, not businesses. And the marketplaces that sell products, not services.
What types of online marketplaces are in the market?
Each online marketplaces are unique and offer different types of services to both buyers and sellers. In total there are 5 types of marketplaces on the market.
- On-demand: On-demand marketplaces are the most common marketplace for all services. It provides an instant response to customers. Some on-demand services include Uber, Grab, Handy, Postmates, Deliveroo.
- Managed: Online Managed Marketplaces are potentially the next great leap for the global job market and it is helpful in establishing user trust. For B2B and B2C eCommerce, a managed marketplace is the most important type of marketplace. The manufacturers and distributors offer their products on a platform that is managed by third parties. From Amazon to Rakuken are the major online marketplaces used by retailers and customers.
- Community-driven: Community-building marketplaces are Etsy like platforms with sellers who manage sales, deliveries, customer service, etc.
- SAAS: It’s an open-source platform where businesses and sellers can build their website. To use open-source software more technical knowledge is required.
- Decentralized: Such kind of online marketplaces use a peer-to-peer(P2P) system. It’s an online marketplace that lets anyone buy and sell anything.
15 Top Online Marketplaces
Here are the world’s top online marketplaces
- Amazon
Amazon is the leading online marketplace and the largest Internet-based retailer in the United States. It is one of the most competitive platforms. Amazon is selling from books to furniture, food products, consumer electronics, multimedia products, software, and so on. The brand has grown over expectations and still is in the upfront of providing the best e-commerce facilities across the globe. This has led Amazon to be one of the Big Four technology companies in the world sharing the position with the technology giants, Google, Apple, and Facebook.
Check: How to start an online marketplace like Amazon?
2. Etsy
Etsy is an eCommerce website that is designed to sell handmade products, crafts, jewelry, arts, and unique items. Etsy is a peer to peer marketplace for handmade items. The uniqueness made the platform different from other online marketplaces. Etsy platforms become the best option for crafters, artists, vintage shops, and people who sell unique pieces, etc. The platform has become popular among individuals who got a chance to sell their products and make money. Etsy was created so that all artisans will have a single place to buy and sell their products.
Check: How to build an online marketplace like Etsy?
3. Bonanza
Bonanza gives opportunities to small businesses and entrepreneurs to start an online marketplace business. In this online marketplace, the items are included like jewelry, videos, books, stamps, sports, etc. The sellers can list their products on the online platform without any payments. Buyers and sellers can create a free account and sellers can upload pictures of their products. Buyers can do an advanced search to find the product they are looking for and place orders. Sellers can make more money using this platform because Bonanza offers a higher share for sellers.
Check: Advantages and Importance of Niche Online Marketplaces
4. Ruby Lane
Ruby Lane is the largest curated marketplace for vintage collectibles. The products included in this online marketplace are Vintage Fashion, Antiques, Jewelry, Furniture, etc. Independent sellers can post and sell items on the platform after meeting their predetermined standards. Ruby Lane is ideal for new users because of its advanced facility to search items and also offers painless processing of transactions. Ruby Lane also offers referral programs and cost lowering opportunities for shop owners.
Check: Examples of online marketplace websites
5. eBay
eBay is the World’s Best online Marketplace with an extensive and wide array of items for sale. Sellers list products on eBay that they have not purchased yet. It is the biggest online retailer with millions of collectibles, apparel, vehicles, electronics, instruments, business and industrial, home appliances, sporting goods, and every category of product you can imagine. eBay has 182 million worldwide buyers in over 190 countries. eBay offers sellers to grow their business and buyers can experience highly personalized selection at a great value. While sellers are charged with various fees, buyers are not charged to browse items on the marketplace.
6. Walmart
Walmart Marketplace is the fastest-growing marketplace that allows third party sellers to list their products. Walmart is the second most popular online retailer in the world and the best-curated platform for sellers. It provides features that make it easier for sellers and brands. People can easily do searches and find products from sellers. Walmart brings 127 million unique visitors in a month. Due to the lack of competition, Walmart is the best marketplace to sell. Walmart’s formula is simple, they are looking for the lowest possible price, lower your price, and claim your box.
7. Kroger
Kroger is the largest eCommerce platform for grocery items in the US. Kroger expands Kroger ship by launching an online marketplace to enable third-party sellers. Kroger sells products from other companies through the Kroger website. The items include international foods, special foods, natural and organic products, household items, and many more. To become Kroger suppliers or vendors, the retailers should apply online through the Kroger website. When customers order items with Kroger they can see items that are sold directly from Kroger and other third-party company notations.
8. Wayfair
Wayfair is the internet’s massive online furniture store. Wayfair sells more than 14 million products from more than 11,000 global suppliers. Wayfair is the right place to buy and sell home goods and it is the most affordable online store. Wayfair is not manufacturing any of the products they sell when customers place an order, Wayfair purchases the item among its 11,000 suppliers.
9. Target
Target is new in the world of marketplaces. It became the retail giant both in brick-and-mortar stores and online within five years. Users can build a brand association with Target and it gives confidence to buyers. Target allows users to set up their own storefront and to add products. Sellers can build a website inside Target’s website and this gives a better brand presence.
10. Newegg
Newegg is an online retailer store with items including computer hardware, software, accessories, gaming products, and consumer electronics. Newegg is one of the best online shopping destinations and a leading tech-focused e-retailer in North America. If you are selling in Newegg, you have to ship your items within 72 hours. Newegg is not only for a tech enthusiast, it has a B2B marketplace for bulk purchases. Newegg also has an Amazon Prime-like service with great benefits.
11. Costco
Costco has transformed the way Americans do their grocery shopping. Costco is one of the largest wholesale brands in the world with 782 locations globally. The customers of Costco aren’t subscribing for goods, mostly they are subscribing for a service, and thus it’s different from other subscription-based businesses. Costco provides the ability to buy large quantities of goods at low prices, to sell them cheaper.
12. Alibaba
Alibaba is an eCommerce and the largest business to business platform for small businesses. Alibaba website possesses 3 major marketplaces – domestic business-to-business trade in China, small buys for wholesale prices, and one for importers and exporters from more than 240 regions.
Check: Alibaba Clone Script
13. Overstock
Overstock is a tech-driven online home products retailer that sells furniture, rugs, kitchen appliances, and bathroom accessories. Overstock eCommerce marketplace is known for its affordable prices and huge selection. Overstock works with entrepreneurs and businesses to boost their online presence and list merchant’s products in online stores.
14. Houzz
Houzz is where you can find everything you need to know about the home improvement solutions developed using materials in hand. With 40 million users and 1.5 million professionals, this platform is a cut above.
15. Rakuten
Rakuten is the largest e-commerce and online retailing company in Japan. It is one of the largest internet marketing companies in the world. Rakuten is a cashback site that gives money for making purchases online or when using the browser extension. Consumers can earn 1% to 40% cashback through the Rakuten website.
Here are some of the online marketplaces that trying to become the giants.
16. Wish
Wish is an online marketplace in America that is known to facilitate transactions between the buyers & sellers. The company was founded by Piotr Szulczewski –the CEO of the company, in 2010. The platform delivers access to browsing technologies for personalizing the overall experience of the customers.
17. Poshmark
Poshmark serves to be a social eCommerce marketplace wherein people from the United States of America can buy or sell new as well as used clothing, accessories, and shoes. The company has its headquarters in Redwood City, California.
18. Dafiti
Dafiti is a leading fashion company featuring a team of non-conformists breathing technology into the all-new world of fashion. It also serves to be a leading eCommerce marketplace delivering access to curated fashion solutions and items of all categories. The eCommerce portal is known for its speedy delivery and a hassle-free exchange & return policy.
19. Bandcamp
Bandcamp is the online music marketplace that was founded in the year 2008. The marketplace allows music-lovers to discover their favorite music while also supporting the artists who compose such music. When a user buys something on Bandcamp, it can be digital music, vinyl, or a t-shirt, ticket, or cassette, 80-85% of users money goes to the artist.
20. ASOS
ASOS is a leading online fashion as well as a cosmetic retailer from Britain. The company was established in the year 2000 in London and its products & services are primarily aimed at young adults. The website is known to sell over 850 brands while also featuring its own range of accessories and clothing.
21. Manomano
ManoMano is a leading online marketplace for home improvement, DIY, and gardening items. It is a famous website of a community featuring DIY and home improvement enthusiasts. The company has its headquarters at Paris. In addition to providing an e-commerce portal, the company also people to achieve the respective DIY goals.
22. Farfetch
Farfetch is a famous British-Portuguese online retail platform for luxury fashion. The online portal is known to sell products from more than 700 brands and boutiques from all corners of the world. The company has its headquarters in London, United Kingdom.
23. Reverb
Reverb is a famous online marketplace for buying & selling new as well used and vintage musical instruments. The website for the marketplace was launched in the year 2013 by David Kalt. The website is known to allow anyone –from manufacturers to dealers to carry out transactions on the portal.
24. Joom
Joom is yet another interactive online marketplace for both customers as well as merchants. The marketplace was launched in the year 2006 and has served to be one of the fastest-growing eCommerce marketplaces in the world. Featuring a huge social aspect, selling on Joom enables merchants to target global customers easily.
25. Gunbroker
Gunbroker serves to be a leading marketplace for firearms and shooting gear. The website was set up in the year 1999 and has since then, served to be America’s topmost choice for buying & selling firearms and shooting accessories.
Check: The benefits of multi-store shopping cart software
iScripts MultiCart Enterprise Edition is one of the premium e-commerce solutions. It is used to instantly form and manage your business operations within your vertical market by adding suppliers or products of your own into the system. This script is a great match for customers who are looking forward to starting a distributed e-commerce platform with the least amount of money and time.
Ready to create your own multi-vendor marketplace?
Try it out for yourself right now. See the Free Live Demo: iScripts Multicart. Experiment with the demo to get a better feel for the site you could own and market. You control the backend of the site and choose the way it will function for your users.
Have questions about our web software and mobile apps and how it can work with your existing business or online business idea?
Call us at (312) 423-6728 with any questions you may have. We’d be happy to explain how our software works, including any additional business, needs you may have.
