As a small business owner, your goals are to put your product in front of as many people as you can and do everything in your capacity to sell it. Relying solely on Amazon to make sales may not be the best strategy. Instead, there are selling websites like Amazon, which are also marketplaces, where sellers can find lower and more competitive commission rates.
For this article, we compare Amazon alternatives from the perspective of a seller.
What is covered in this article
Let us dive right in and get you acquainted with everything that you need to know about alternatives to selling on Amazon.
6 Amazon alternatives with no commission fees
One of the biggest obstacles to face as an online seller is commission fees. In this section, we will be looking at online marketplaces that do not charge any commission to sellers.
It’s important to remember that these services are not exempt from payment processing fees. This is a separate fee that is charged by the payment processor (PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, etc.). While these fees are still charged, the Amazon alternatives below all feature no commission fees on the sale price of your item – which means more money in your pocket!
1. Bonanza
(Image credit: Bonanza)
Commission Structure: 3.5% per sale
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Garden | Collectibles
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: One-click product import from Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, eBay, or an inventory file.
Has Subscription No
Bonanza is an online marketplace designed for entrepreneurs with no tech experience, so that they can focus on what they are good at. Since it is a seller-centric platform, they earn a commission only once a sale has been made.
2. Poshmark
(Image credit: Poshmark)
Commission Structure: None
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories
Ships To: USA | Canada | Australia
Best Feature: Hassle-free shipping with prepaid and pre-addressed labels ready to be put on the box.
Has Subscription: No
Poshmark is an online community connecting users to people whose style they adore and can shop from. With over 70 million members and 200 million items for sale, users can attend Posh Parties which are virtual events on the app where they can buy and sell products.
3. Freecycle
(Image credit: Freecycle)
Commission Structure: None
What They Sell: New or used household items | Apparel | Accessories
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Everything is free.
Has Subscription: No
Freecycle is a worldwide community of people who are looking to donate things that they no longer need to someone who can use them. There are more than 5000 groups on Freecycle based on city and location, making it easy for people living in the same location to connect and de-clutter.
4. eCRATER
(Image credit: eCRATER)
Commission Structure: None
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Collectables | Books | Consumer electronics
Ships To: USA | Australia | UK
Best Feature: Sellers can integrate their store with eBay.
Has Subscription: No
eCRATER is a free web store builder and an online marketplace. Using the free web store builder feature, sellers can create their online store within minutes, with no technical experience. While there is no listing fee, commission, or monthly fee that eCRATER charges, if a seller wishes to list their product on the platform’s marketplace, then they pay a 2.9% marketplace fee on a sale.
5. BriskSale
(Image credit: BriskSale)
Commission Structure: None
What They Sell: Books | Collectibles | Sporting goods | Apparel | Consumer electronics
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Get a BriskSeller to sell your product.
Has Subscription: No
BriskSale is a seller-centric online marketplace, allowing sellers to set up their shop and sell for free. One can also become a BriskSeller on the platform if they have good digital marketing skills, enabling them to earn commission finding buyers for products on BriskSale.
6. Swappa
(Image credit: Swappa)
Commission Structure: None
What They Sell: Consumer electronics
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Sellers get paid even before the product is shipped.
Has Subscription: No
Swappa, which was founded in 2010, directly connects users who are looking to buy and sell gently-used technology. This cuts out the middleman, allowing sellers to keep 100% of what they sell. On Swappa, buyers may have to pay a small fee that is included in the sale price.
4 Amazon alternatives for selling books
Most people think of Amazon, rather than independent bookstores, when they think of buying books. Worldwide, there is a growing anti-Amazon movement that is proud to shop locally to keep the economy going. If you are looking for alternatives to sell your books, whether you are a casual seller or a bookstore owner, you can keep these alternatives in mind:
1. Alibris
(Image credit: Alibris)
Commission Structure: 20% per sale | $60 flat-rate for items over $400
What They Sell: Books | Movies | Music
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Sellers can use the free listing tools on Alibris to manage their listings.
Has Subscription: $19.99/year for 1000 books
Alibris is one of the largest online marketplaces for books, movies, and music, where sellers from all over the world can list their items. Sellers have the option to sign up for the basic plan, which lets them list over 1000 items on Alibris and their partner websites. Or they can choose the gold plan, which lets users list an unlimited number of items, set up their own store, and earn rewards.
2. Biblio
(Image credit: Biblio)
Commission Structure: 12% per sale + 5% payment processing fee + $0.35 per transaction | 8% + monthly listing fee + 3.5% – 5.5% payment processing fee
What They Sell: Books | Textbooks | Rare books
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Sellers can try Biblio risk-free by selecting their zero-listing fees commission plan, and won’t pay any fee unless they make a sale.
Has Subscription: $15 to $25/month
Biblio is a one-stop destination for book lovers looking to find rare books, special signed copies, or first editions. Biblio works with independent bookstores around the world to carry the collection of over 100 million books that they sell on their platform.
3. Bookshop
(Image credit: Bookshop)
Commission Structure: 30% per sale
What They Sell: Books
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Bookshop supports bookstores to help the local community grow.
Has Subscription: No
Bookshop works as a marketplace for local bookstores with physical locations who are American Booksellers Association (ABA) members. Local bookstores can sign up on Bookshop’s affiliate program to receive customer order information and a 30% commission on sales.
4. AbeBooks
(Image credit: AbeBooks)
Commission Structure: 8% commission + 3.5% payment processing fee
What They Sell: Books | Fine art | Collectibles
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Sellers have access to AbeBooks’ six international platforms for better reach.
Has Subscription: £17/month
AbeBooks is a global marketplace facilitating the sale of books, art, and collectibles by connecting buyers and sellers across the world. A seller on AbeBooks can manage their inventory, ship the items themselves, and also set their own shipping rates and speeds.
12 other Amazon alternatives for sellers
The following Amazon alternatives for sellers cover marketplaces for businesses who sell products like apparel, home decor, accessories, sustainable everyday essentials, and vintage or second-hand items.
1. DoneGood
(Image credit: DoneGood)
Commission Structure: Sign up for details
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Self-Care | Home decor
Ships To: USA | Canada
Best Feature: Shoppers can find products and brands that do good for the environment.
Has Subscription: No
As an online marketplace, DoneGood only partners with brands that promote a sustainable lifestyle and do good for the planet: using eco-friendly production processes and non-toxic, organic, and recycled or upcycled material. To sell on DoneGood, small businesses can check their criteria and write an application if they think that they will be a good fit.
2. Etsy
(Image credit: Etsy)
Commission Structure: 3 – 4% per sale + 5% payment processing fee + $0.25 transaction fee
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Home Decor | Home Furnishings
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: 15% off site ad fees, which sellers pay only when they make a sale from one of those ads.
Has Subscription: No
Etsy connects small businesses to online shoppers across the world by making it extremely easy for users to set up their store (with absolutely no technical experience). Shoppers looking to buy one-of-a-kind or unique items can find great products on Etsy.
3. Uncommon Goods
(Image credit: Uncommon Goods)
Commission Structure: Sign up for details
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Home Decor
Ships To: USA | Canada
Best Feature: Shoppers can find unique, quirky, and clever gifts.
Has Subscription: No
Uncommon Goods is a marketplace operating out of New York City that lists unique products that you probably won’t find on Amazon. To be able to sell on Uncommon Goods, sellers have to submit their product details to get information on what it costs to be listed on the platform.
4. Reverb
(Image credit: Reverb)
Commission Structure: 7.7% per sale + $0.25 payment processing fee
What They Sell: Musical instruments and gear
Ships To: USA | Canada
Best Feature: Musicians can connect with a global music community.
Has Subscription: No
Reverb is one of the largest online marketplaces for musical instruments and gear. Customers and local music shops can set up free seller profiles on Reverb to reach a larger audience, or off-load old gear to make space for new.
5. Newegg
(Image credit: Newegg)
Commission Structure: Check Newegg Sellers page for details
What They Sell: Consumer electronics | Home appliances | Sporting goods | Pet supplies | Apparel | Accessories | Office supplies
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Sellers can reach customers in 20 countries.
Has Subscription: No
Originally Newegg began as a site selling PC components, and then slowly expanded into all consumer electronics. To become a seller on Newegg, there are three plans to choose from: Non-Elite, Professional, and Enterprise, each with varying levels of benefits to suit your needs.
6. Mercari
(Image credit: Mercari)
Commission Structure: 10% per sale + 2.9% payment processing fee + $0.30 transaction fee
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Home decor
Ships To: USA | Japan
Best Feature: With UPS QR code, sellers can skip printing the label.
Has Subscription: No
Mercari is a great platform for sellers looking to de-clutter and make space for new items in their homes. Sellers just have to upload pictures of the items they want to sell, and then print the label or scan the QR code (if no printer is available). Then they can get paid via Instant Pay into their Mercari account, which can be cashed out for a $2 fee.
7. eBay
(Image credit: eBay)
Commission Structure: 14.35% per sale + $0.30 transaction fee
What They Sell: Consumer electronics | Apparel | Accessories | Home decor | Home furnishings
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: There is no listing fee.
Has Subscription: No
eBay, which originally started as an auction or bidding site, now operates like other e-commerce sites. It allows sellers, irrespective of their size, to sell new and used items. Once a sale has been made, eBay deposits the payment almost immediately into their account.
8. Ruby Lane
(Image credit: Ruby Lane)
Commission Structure: 6.7% per sale (to max of $250)
What They Sell: Antiques | Vintage collectibles
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Shoppers can refer a new shop to Ruby Lane and receive a $300 account credit.
Has Subscription: $54/month
Ruby Lane is one of the most popular vintage product marketplaces with a global reach. Sellers across the world can set up their shop on Ruby Lane to showcase their collectibles.
9. Depop
(Image credit: Depop)
Commission Structure: 10% per sale
What They Sell: Used and vintage apparel and accessories
Ships To: USA | UK | Australia | Germany | France | Italy
Best Feature: There is no listing fee.
Has Subscription: No
Selling on Depop just requires a user to create an account and upload photos of what they are selling. Depop sellers have a dedicated team to whom they can reach out to learn the basics and ask any questions that they might have to become a top seller.
10. OnBuy
(Image credit: OnBuy)
Commission Structure: 5 – 9% per sale + 1.9 – 3.4% payment processing fee + $0.30 transaction fee
What They Sell: Consumer electronics | Home appliances | Apparel | Accessories | Fragrances | Musical instruments | Office supplies | Toys
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Sellers on the Standard package can get their monthly fee waived if they sell less than £500.
Has Subscription: £19 – £39/month
OnBuy was founded in the UK in 2016 with sellers of all sizes, from household names to small independent retailers. Unlike other marketplaces which have their own brand alongside other products sold by independent sellers, OnBuy doesn’t make anything and doesn’t compete with other sellers.
11. Fruugo
(Image credit: Fruugo)
Commission Structure: 15% per sale + 2.35% payment processing fee
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Consumer electronics | Home decor | Home furnishings | Pet supplies | Toys | Outdoor equipment | Gardening
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: No sale, no commission.
Has Subscription: No
Fruugo is an online selling website like Amazon, with a presence in over 46 countries. As a retailer having the option to sell more globally, it is very easy to set up a free seller profile without having to pay any monthly, listing, or marketing fees.
12. Package Free
(Image credit: Package Free)
Commission Structure: Sign up for details
What They Sell: Plastic-free, zero-waste everyday household items
Ships To: Worldwide
Best Feature: Package Free is constantly working towards keeping millions of pieces of trash out of the landfill.
Has Subscription: No
Package Free is an online marketplace that started with the mission to make the world less trashy. Small businesses making eco-friendly, plastic-free products can apply to be a vendor by sending a sample of their products for the Package Free team to test out.
What are standard commission fees for online marketplaces for sellers?
Commission rates charged by online marketplaces to sellers can vary depending on the product. But usually, you could expect to be charged anywhere between 5 to 15% of the product value, plus processing and transaction fees. Although, there are some marketplaces that do not charge any commission whatsoever, and some which have a monthly listing fee, a commission, and a payment processing fee.
9 quick ways to make more money with your online store
If you are new to the e-commerce world, then we hope the following tips will help you reach a wider audience to be able to sell more:
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Create your own website: Having your own online real estate will allow you to keep 100% of what you sell.
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Run regular social media campaigns: Along with your website, create social media handles to promote your products and services across platforms.
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Offer promotional or discount codes: Discount codes are the most attractive way to lure customers to buy your products.
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Upsell to increase sales: Create product bundles to push more inventory out of your warehouse.
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Reach out to social media influencers: Send samples of your products to influencers who can create video demonstrations, talking about the benefits to their followers.
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Targeted remarketing: Users who bounced off your website without buying can be lured back in by showing them ads of your website on other websites that they visit.
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Weekly email newsletter: Send out an email once a week with what’s new in your store to bring back your previous customers onto your website.
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Understand your customers’ preferences: By studying their likes, design promotional campaigns tailored to their needs to increase conversions.
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Look for other avenues to showcase your product: List your product on marketplaces that have a wider reach than yours.
Like the famous saying goes, ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’. For a seller, it is a good idea to diversify and showcase your product on more than one marketplace. If you are still on the fence about selling platforms, our comparison of eBay vs. Bonanza vs. Amazon vs. Etsy can help you understand what these big players have to offer. We hope you found this article helpful in educating yourself about all the options you have as a seller to showcase your product to the right audience.
