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7 International Marketplaces to Check Out Beyond Amazon and eBay

If it makes sense for your business, diversifying outside of Amazon and eBay on a global scale can prove successful if executed properly. Our partners at InterCultural Elements have rounded up seven marketplaces that might be the right fit depending on your business goals. By Laura Roe May 29, 2018
7 International Marketplaces to Check Out Beyond Amazon
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About the Author

Laura Roe is an account manager at InterCultural Elements, an e-commerce company based in Leipzig, Germany. She enjoys traveling and exuberant amounts of coffee.

Expanding your e-commerce business internationally is almost a no-brainer these days, if your business is ready for that next step. Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay are often the biggest online marketplaces that retailers try to get involved with. However, the online world is competitive, and you may have heard the phrase, “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket” tossed around in discussions surrounding expanding platforms. Selling solely on Amazon and eBay can be risky and potentially limit the audience you want to reach. If it makes sense for your business, diversifying outside of Amazon and eBay on a global scale can prove successful if executed properly. 

There are multiple factors you need to acknowledge before expanding into new countries and their respective marketplaces. InterCultural Elements, an e-commerce expansion strategy and service company, compiled seven marketplaces you should consider to gain more customers and increase your sales worldwide.

In no particular order, we’ll begin with a few competitive marketplaces available in Europe.

Starting in Germany, Real.de is an up-and-coming, highly competitive marketplace with nearly 19 million users per month. As one of the biggest retailers in Germany, Real.de provides an easy set-up process with a full range of categories including home and garden, electronics, baby and children, groceries, beauty, and more. Sellers can integrate the marketplace with a number of listing tools and will want to be able to offer professional German translations and customer service.

CDiscount is the second largest online marketplace in France and boasts a loyal customer base. It is fully integrated with a number of listing tools, has outstanding seller services, and even offers a “Fulfilled by CDiscount” shipping option. You can list new and used products in every category imaginable. Like many international marketplaces, you must be able to provide French customer support, and listings should be in French as well. CDiscount is a great option for online retailers looking to expand into France.

Allegro is one of Poland’s largest online marketplaces. Without the local presence of Amazon, there is little competition and lots of room for opportunity for international sellers. Sellers don’t require an invitation to join. Allegro supports nearly all product categories and offers easy setup with customizable listing options. One downfall is that the platform is only available in Polish, which may be limiting for some international sellers. You must be able to ship to Poland, offer Polish customer service, and provide professional translations.

Fyndiq is Sweden’s biggest online market, aimed especially towards younger generations via their unique shopping app. International sellers can take advantage of the ability to list entirely in English across all categories. Fyndiq also handles all customer service inquiries. Additional perks include great seller support and low fees, all which add up to an encouraging opportunity to successfully sell in Sweden.

Moving outside of Europe, Rakuten is Japan’s largest online selling platform and is expanding their reach worldwide. Rakuten is nothing like many of its competitors. Unlike amazon.com, sellers compete only with other sellers for sales in a wide variety of categories. The amount of flexibility sellers are granted is unparalleled in most major e-commerce platforms.

Traditionally, Japanese websites are set up to be more engaging and stimulating, and sellers will need to create an individual storefront that reflects this preference. It’s important to note that Rakuten is highly selective about who is permitted to sell, but it’s a very promising marketplace once you’re on it.

Beyond eBay, sellers interested in the Southern Hemisphere can also benefit from a number of intriguing marketplaces, all of which allow sellers to list comfortably in English with various listing tools.

Australian audiences also have access to Catch (formerly known as Catch of the Day). This marketplace can be challenging for sellers to get their foot in the door. However, once they are in, sellers are able to list in a full range of categories. Catch is set up differently to offer products at a low price in order to move stock quickly, and items can be included in fast-paced campaigns. This is a great option for sellers looking to move products swiftly if they can ship efficiently to Australia.

Lastly, Trade Me is the largest local marketplace in New Zealand currently and is available to regional and international sellers of all sizes. Sellers can create their own storefronts and choose from a variety of payment methods. Trade Me is set up quite differently from Amazon and eBay, in that sellers can control the listing process much more. Listings can be set at a fixed price or as a traditional auction throughout a full range of categories. Sellers also have the option to list local classified ads to advertise for jobs, local sales, and more.

This list is not exhaustive, but it should provide you with a solid overview of potential marketplaces to branch out to, particularly if you’re looking to concentrate your online business in one country outside of the U.S. The next best step before expanding would be to evaluate your individual business needs and targeted goals. Follow through diligently with detailed research for each potential marketplace to decide what matches your needs the best — and then expand!

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