By Erin Wawok

Feb

26

Beyond Amazon: 5 Platforms Every e-Commerce Store Should be Using

There’s no denying that Amazon is a giant in the world of ecommerce, currently situated at the very top of the online-shopping food chain. But even behemoths like Amazon don’t have a monopoly on the ecommerce market, and it’s in the best interest of your business to have a presence on as many different platforms as possible.

Although there are dozens upon dozens of ecommerce sites out there, let’s take a look at five key players in the space. Some of them you may have heard of before, while others are up-and-comers that you’re going to want to get an early start with before they really take off. We willl also take a look at how you can leverage multi channel listing software to maximize your ecommerce presence without having to break a sweat.

eBay

First up is eBay, a tiny little ecommerce engine that could, slowly making its way up the hill of the market. eBay is huge, and for good reason, but many sellers think of it as merely an auction site, where you can sell that old baseball card that was signed back in 1977.

As you probably know, eBay’s “Buy It Now” function is plenty popular, and the site recently overhauled its product listing system to become more organized and modern. It’s one of the best ecommerce sites out there. If you have not yet familiarized yourself with this gem, it’s not too late to take advantage of eBay’s sizable and international customer base.

Walmart

Known as the king of brick-and-mortar shopping, Walmart also features a Marketplace on its website that’s steadily rising in popularity. While the Walmart brand doesn’t resonate with young people as much as some other brands do, there are a lot of good reasons to start selling on Walmart Marketplace.

For one, setting up your store is an easy process that doesn’t include any setup fees or monthly fees (overall, the fees you’ll encounter on Walmart Marketplace are much lower than Amazon’s). If you’ve already hit it big with young people and want to broaden your customer base, you can’t go wrong getting your products in front of Walmart.com’s 110 million visitors.

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Woocommerce

Let’s step back a moment from talking about sites where you can list your items and instead look at how you can create your very own online store. Or, if you already have one, make it even better!

Woocommerce is a WordPress plugin that supports online stores, and since WordPress is a long-popular platform that shows no sign of slowing down, it might be just what you need to upgrade your own online store. Woocommerce is one of the most-downloaded plugin in all of WordPress because it’s easy to use and can help you establish an online store that looks incredible and functions even better.

While your own store won’t necessarily have the built-in traffic of an Amazon, eBay, or Walmart Marketplace, it will give your store an air of authenticity that really resonates with certain customers who prefer a more independent vibe.

Etsy

Etsy is a popular ecommerce platform that’s a bit more expensive than most from a seller’s perspective — it costs 20 cents per item to create a listing. However, Etsy is an incredibly popular place to sell jewelry, clothing, and craft-related merchandise. If you’ve got any of those on offer, selling on Etsy is going to be a good bet for you. It bills itself as a haven for crafters and artisans, and you’ve got to get on Etsy if you have that demographic in mind.

Jet

If you’re in the business of selling new products (as opposed to used or refurbished ones), Jet could be a great place for you. Jet is a relatively new platform (it launched in 2015) that’s taking off fast because of its reputation for listing high-quality products, fast shipping, and exceptional customer service.

Jet got off the ground fast and was acquired by Walmart in 2016, but make no mistake: they are separate platforms, and you’re going to want your products listed on both for maximum results. Jet’s real-time pricing algorithm tracks supply and demand up to the minute, so buyers and sellers can get mutually great deals.

The Common Thread

What do all of these great ecommerce platforms have in common? You can list your products on all of them with the help of Listing Mirror, a multi channel listing service that helps you get your products on all of the best ecommerce platforms around. Listing Mirror is in the business of maximizing your potential online, and as you can see from the variety of options available for sellers, it’s never a bad idea to get a little help in expanding your reach!

Sell More. Work Less.

Erin Wawok

Erin is the Co-Founder of Listing Mirror.