Online sales are no longer just about your own e-shop. Thanks to marketplace platforms, you can sell quickly, easily, and without high entry costs even outside your website. That's why selling through a marketplace is becoming an increasingly popular solution. Data shows that up to 57% of customers shop primarily or exclusively on online marketplaces.
Are you considering, whether an online marketplace or price comparison tool would be a suitable strategy for your business? Find out who it's worth it for, how to choose the right platform, and how to sell through a marketplace.
Who is selling through a marketplace suitable for?
Marketplace, as a way of selling online, has great potential for various types of sellers and products. It is suitable for handmade creators, small local manufacturers, resellers, or even an established e-shop looking for a new sales channel.
Can you sell through a marketplace without your own e-shop?
Selling through a marketplace is a simple way to handle online sales even without your own e-commerce solution. You don't need to worry about creating a website, payment gateway, or the technical side of operations. All you need is a product, quality photos, a good description, and you can start selling practically immediately. That's why this sales method is chosen by:
- Artists and handmade creators: On marketplaces like Sashe or Etsy, you can showcase your creations to a large number of customers without needing your own website.
- Craftsmen: Online marketplaces are a great place to test new products or even expand into other markets.
- Traders aiming for resale: For sellers with a large number of products, online marketplaces provide access to a vast number of customers without the need for a large investment, even if they don't have their own e-shop.
Whether selling through a marketplace is worth it, along with the advantages and disadvantages of this sales method, we have thoroughly discussed in an article on our blog.
Selling through a marketplace as a supplement to an e-shop?
If you already have your e-shop, marketplace platforms can serve as an excellent supplementary sales channel. Did you know that up to 63% of customers prefer shopping on a marketplace over a regular e-shop? Diversifying sales channels brings the opportunity to reach customers who might not visit your website and increase brand awareness.
Thanks to selling through a marketplace, you can:
- quickly expand into new markets,
- gain new customers without significantly increasing marketing costs,
- test how new products in your portfolio would sell before launching campaigns.
Advantages and disadvantages of selling through a marketplace
Selling online on a marketplace brings certain limitations along with advantages. It remains an external channel where you need to follow rules that differ for each marketplace.
|
Advantages of marketplace selling |
Disadvantages of marketplace selling |
|
Quick and easy start of sales |
Commission from each sale reduces margin |
|
Immediate access to a large number of customers |
Limited options for building your own brand |
|
Low entry costs and small financial risk |
Need to follow marketplace rules and conditions |
|
Testing new products without large investments |
High competition – your products are directly compared with competitors |
|
Reduced marketing and operational costs |
Less control over customer data and remarketing options |
|
Easy technical setup without the need for your own website |
Dependence on marketplace algorithms (e.g., product display) |
|
Possibility of expansion into foreign markets |
Limited options for personalizing communication and customer services |
How to sell online effectively and choose the right marketplace?
Choosing the right marketplace is an important step that significantly affects the success of sales on these platforms. Each online marketplace has its specifics, customer targeting, and conditions, so it is necessary to consider several key factors.
Recommended online marketplaces by segment
|
Segment |
Recommended marketplace platforms |
Why these? |
|
Handmade and art |
Sashe (SK), Etsy (global) |
Strong community of creatives and customers oriented towards original products. |
|
Fashion and footwear |
Glami, Zalando |
Audience looking for fashion pieces, extended filters by sizes and styles. |
|
Furniture and home accessories |
Favi, Biano |
Specialized in living, high traffic looking for inspiration for interiors, more comparators than marketplaces where direct sales are possible. |
|
Electronics and wide assortment (including groceries) |
Alza, Allegro, Heureka |
Robust infrastructure and extensive customer base across categories. |
|
Health, cosmetics |
Notino, Alza |
Strong demand for beauty and health goods, own logistics and promo campaigns. |
Key criteria for choosing a marketplace
In addition to the products you want to sell on the online marketplace, it is important to consider the general conditions that may decide when you find that several marketplaces are suitable for your goods. What parameters to focus on?
- Commissions and fees: Find out what commissions the marketplace charges for sales. Then evaluate whether you will remain profitable even after deducting these fees.
- Size and characteristics of the customer base: Choose a platform whose audience matches your target group. The reason is the adapted environment of the marketplace.
- Availability of technical tools and automation: If you already have an e-shop, prefer an online marketplace with support for XML feeds, API integrations or connections through platforms offering automation. This will save you time and costs needed for administration on another sales channel.
- Marketing support options: Check whether and under what conditions the marketplace offers the possibility to promote your products through internal campaigns or paid ads.
- Logistics and transportation: Check whether you have integrated logistics available or if you have to handle it yourself. Some platforms have their own advantageous contracts with carriers.
Proven tips on how to choose the right marketplace
Does your sales portfolio overlap with the focus of multiple marketplaces? For example, Allegro, Alza, or Heureka are among those with a really wide range of products. No one said you have to focus on just one marketplace. Feel free to test multiple platforms at once and after a certain time period evaluate which marketplace brings the most sales and the best cost-to-profit ratio.
To avoid significant time investment (if there is no automation to connect the e-shop with the marketplace or you don't have an e-shop and have to upload products manually), we recommend online sales with a smaller number of products to test the platform and only then start scaling.
UI42 TIP: The trend of selling on marketplaces is still somewhat in its infancy in Slovakia. Alongside well-known foreign platforms like eBay or Amazon, the Polish Allegro also operates in the Slovak market, where about 15 million active customers shop. More details on how to sell through Allegro can be found in an article on our blog.
What to prepare before starting sales through a marketplace?
Before you start registering on one of the marketplaces, it's good to know what you will need for sales. Thorough preparation will save you from later data rewriting, unnecessary order cancellations and possibly even loss of customer ratings, which are worth their weight in gold on a marketplace.
Quality photos and descriptions
Most marketplaces require a minimum resolution of 1200 × 1200 px, a white or neutral background, and no distracting watermarks. Because a photo sells. If you sell fashion, stock up on photos from 3 – 5 different angles, for electronics don't forget photos with details on ports and packaging. Adjust product names to search or the conditions of the given online marketplace
Example:
brand + model + key parameter
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 41 women's running shoes, mix of colors
Pricing and margin setting on the marketplace
Marketplace commission ranges from 5% for electronics to 20% for the handmade segment.
|
Marketplace |
Commission (% of sale) |
Details |
|
Alza.sk |
Detailed breakdown by segment, e.g., electronics 7%, audio/video 15%, home appliances 15 – 25% |
|
|
Kaufland.sk |
Most often 13% or 14%, some segments (like jewelry) 16% |
|
|
Mall.sk |
Plus a fixed 0.36 € per order |
|
|
Allegro |
Most categories 4 – 11%, exceptionally up to 15% |
|
|
Heureka Marketplace |
Based on own business conditions, payment in the form of a commission for mediating sales |
In the pricing you set for the marketplace, we recommend including these items:
1. Purchase price + packaging
2. Commission and possible payment gateway fees
3. Marketing costs within the platform (bidding, sponsored positions)
4. Reserve for discount actions
The result is the minimum selling price below which you should not go.
Stock availability and logistics
Delivery speed can be a key decision parameter. Even on a marketplace, the customer expects to receive their goods as soon as possible. If you manage inventory manually, update the status at least once a day. For a larger portfolio, automation through ERP or various integrators is definitely worth it (Baselinker, etc.), thanks to which the feed updates availability at intervals of a few minutes.
Invoicing and legislation
Without a business ID, tax ID, and transparent business conditions, the marketplace will not approve you as a seller (except for some handmade marketplaces). In addition to basic invoicing data, you will most likely need:
- GDPR, where you clearly define how you process personal data from the platform,
- complaint procedure in accordance with the law and marketplace rules,
- invoicing software with which you prepare templates with a logo, variable symbol, and QR code, so you can send the invoice automatically immediately after dispatch.
Selling through an online marketplace from registration to logistics to customer service
Starting online sales on a marketplace is not difficult, but each step, especially in the beginning, requires precise processing to avoid unnecessary complications.
How does registration to a marketplace work?
Registration to most online marketplaces is similar:
1. Creating an account: Choose the type of account – business or corporate. Fill in basic company information including business ID, tax ID, address, contacts, and bank account number. After filling in, the platform verifies this information.
UI42 TIP: One of the marketplaces in our geographical conditions has somewhat specific conditions, as it originated from a classic e-shop and is not primarily a marketplace. We are talking about Alza.sk. The legislative position of a partner in AlzaTrade is somewhat different – the partner is not the seller in relation to the customer, it is always Alza.cz a.s. or Alza.sk s.r.o. (depending on the website where it is sold). The partner/e-shop acts as a supplier to Alza.
2. Identity and bank account verification: The marketplace requires verification of the seller's identity and bank account. Usually, it is enough to upload a scan of an ID card and a bank account statement, or make a symbolic payment to confirm the account. Approval usually takes 1 – 2 business days.
3. Setting up a brand or store profile: A well-filled brand or store profile increases trust among customers. Provide basic information, add a logo, and a clear description of your business.
Uploading products to the marketplace and managing them
You can add products in two ways – manually or automatically. Automatic uploading using XML feeds or API is ideal if you have more products or use multiple sales channels. In terms of optimizing product names and descriptions or categories, it is important to use clear naming, always choose categories according to marketplace instructions so that products are easily searchable. For example, Heureka uses its own standardized XML feed and for proper listing recommends using complete categorization according to their tree.
UIČKOVSKÝ TIP: Although no marketplace allows advertising texts or links to your own e-shop in descriptions, a marketplace is also a channel to build your own brand. In some, for example, it is allowed to include a personalized card with the URL of your e-shop in the package, as long as it does not contain a discount code outside the platform.
How do logistics, payments, and customer service work on an online marketplace?
From a logistics perspective, you have the choice of your own transport or marketplace services (e.g., Mall Delivery, Alza Shipping Model). Your own transport offers more flexibility, coordinated transport offers higher comfort at the cost of lower margin. Most Slovak marketplaces provide a payment gateway, sending money to you as a seller at regular intervals. Always check, whether the platform charges additional fees for payment processing.
UI42TIP: For comparison – Alza does not charge any monthly fee for registration to Alza Trade and there are no portfolio management fees. The only cost for the partner is the commission from completed orders. Kaufland Global Marketplace uses a two-component model. Monthly program fee (Basic for €39.95 per month and Plus for €59.95 per month) + sales commission.
As a seller, you also handle complaints and communicate with customers on the marketplace. Note that the speed and quality of your customer service is monitored, and low ratings can lead to limited visibility of your products.
To enter Heureka, for example, it is required that the e-shop already has the Verified by Customers certificate with a positive rating and the store must also be involved in the paid PPC regime on Heureka. This translates to the store existing for at least 90 days, having completed at least 10 transactions, and achieving customer satisfaction above 90% (a condition for obtaining the certificate).
Tips on how to get the most out of a marketplace
Although the amount of information may be daunting at first, if you choose correctly, complete registration, and list products according to the rules, selling through a marketplace becomes automated. Given the number of competitors, however, you must be one step ahead. To avoid making beginner mistakes and not having to disappointingly call off online sales on the marketplace, focus on these steps:
1. Work with data, not feelings: Regularly monitor CTR, conversion rate, average margin, and cancellations in the administration.
2. Dynamic pricing: Most marketplaces support automatic price comparison with competitors. Therefore, set your minimum margin (see info above) and let the system keep you in top offers.
3. Don't neglect reviews: After confirming receipt of the shipment, send the customer a request for a review, for example, with a small motivation for the next purchase. Positive reviews contribute to the credibility of your profile and are often a key moment in the purchasing process.
4. Internal advertising wisely: Invest credits in sponsored positions only where you have a high margin or a unique product. Continuously measure ROAS, if it falls below your set threshold, pause the campaign.
5. Automate logistics: With more than twenty orders a day, API connection to the courier is literally a necessity. It saves time, minimizes errors, and shortens SLA dispatch to under 24 hours.
6. Use the marketplace for expansion: One marketplace does not mean just one market. Several online marketplaces offer you a way to sell online even in foreign markets, without further lengthy bureaucracy. A great opportunity to test your potential for expansion.
Sources:
- https://www.channelengine.com/hubfs/25_01-Marketplace_Shopping_Behavior_Report_2025.pdf
- https://www.retailmagazin.sk/obchodnik/internetovy-predaj/7074-obchodne-siete-zakladaju-online-trhoviska
- https://allegro.sk/kampan/zacnite-predavat
- https://partners.mallgroup.com/sk
- https://trade.alza.cz/
- https://www.kauflandglobalmarketplace.com/sk
- https://knowledgebase.mallgroup.com/en/povinne-elementy-pro-heureka-xml-feedy/
- https://sluzby.heureka.cz/napoveda/xml-feed/
