Marketplaces are a great way to get comfortable with eCommerce and can simplify entry into new markets.

1. Getting to Global
Marketplaces
The Basics

2. Why Marketplaces?
Marketplaces
Marketplaces are a great way to
get comfortable with eCommerce
and can simplify entry into new
markets.
Everybody knows someone who sells
on Amazon. But where do you
start?
Amazon alone is projected to
achieve a market share of 50% in
the US by 2021. So whenever
people buy online, there is a
huge chance they will go to a
marketplace.

3. Why Marketplaces?
Marketplaces
They are hugely popular
The market share of marketplaces is increasing every
year and Amazon alone accounts for 50% of all online
sales in the U.S.
Top Reasons to Use Marketplaces
Instant access to millions of
consumers
Whenever you start selling on a marketplace you will
automatically have access to all its customers
Instant trust
People trust the marketplace so you inherit part of that
trust that you would otherwise need to build yourself if
only selling on your own site.
They are simple to use
The marketplace will take care of much of the hassle of
selling online for you: design, hosting, processing of
orders, financial transactions and even fulfillment.
A new testing ground
Marketplaces are a great channel to test new product
ideas, to measure the attractiveness of your products
against the competition, or to test your products in new
markets.
Great for internationalization
Amazon reaches the whole world, but regional
marketplaces can be a productive and cost-effective
mean of entry into new markets.

4. Why (Not) Marketplaces?
Marketplaces
They are competitive
Joining a marketplace means going up against
hundreds or even thousands of competitors vying for
the same #1 spot in your category.
Some Limitations of Marketplaces
They require commitment They can be unfair
Some marketplaces have been accused of unfairly
competing against their own sellers. Make sure you do not
become dependent on just one marketplace.
A lot of your success on marketplaces hinges on your
commitment to invest time and money on optimizing
your content and driving people to it.

5. Understand Marketplaces
Marketplaces
It’s more than just Amazon!
Generalist/Global Marketplaces
Amazon, eBay, Wal-Mart are all examples
of generalist marketplaces where you can
find anything and everything. The usual
go-to for most.
Regional or Local Marketplaces
Marketplaces targeting a specific
region (keep in mind some still have
global reach!)
Specialized/Vertical Marketplaces
Marketplaces targeting specific market
segments, industries, or consumer
segments.

6. Learn From the Competition
Marketplaces
Marketplaces can tell you a lot about your competitors
Use tools to gather key information
Use one of the hundreds of available
tools out there to gather the
information to inform your client’s
marketplace strategy:
 Competing brands
 Competing products and alternatives
 Pricing
 Demand
 Listings optimization best
practices