What are the best marketplace platforms and order fulfillment tools for my ecommerce store?
For a marketplace platform, you may choose eBay if you’re looking for high control over your business, Amazon Seller Central for flexible pricing plans and comprehensive tools, or Etsy if you specialize in home decor, hand-crafted or niche products. If you’re exploring order fulfillment or marketing tools, look into Printful for global print-on-demand services and Instagram Shopping for expanding your business’ reach. These tools can simplify processes, boost sales, and enhance your overall growth.
Online sales, regardless of niche, can be a pretty competitive business. As a dropshipper, you don’t want to miss out on serious profit by ignoring tools and platforms that could expand your reach and simplify your processes.
You can build your ecommerce business little by little using some amazing tools right from your phone. As you get used to using the technology that works for your online business, the wheel of success will start spinning faster and faster. From marketplace platforms, to order fulfillment, to marketing tools, take a look at our top 10 selling apps that will make running your ecommerce store smoother than ever.
Best Marketplace Apps
eBay
eBay remains a selling giant in the online retail world. Sellers usually favor the platform because it offers a high degree of control over their eCommerce business, more so than other marketplace platforms like Amazon Seller Central.
Ideal for selling products in bulk, it’s important to remember that there are insertion fees along with seller fees if your product sells. If you get to know the platform well, eBay can be a valuable revenue stream for your business.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip: Use SaleHoo Learn to coach you through your eBay selling journey.
Amazon Seller Central
Seller Central is a dedicated portal for all Amazon sellers that comes with flexible pricing plans to suit the budget of small to medium businesses. The Individual selling plan costs $0.99 per item sold plus additional selling fees that depend on the selling features you avail. The Professional pricing plan is priced at $39.99 monthly plus other fees.
Though Seller Central offers less universal control than eBay, you will have access to a host of inventory, logistics, and payment management features that allow you to keep tabs on your business. You can also use Amazon’s built-in analytical tools to generate reports to check the performance of your business.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip: Everything you need for selling on Amazon can be found under the Amazon section in SaleHoo Learn.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a great platform for side-hustlers looking for low barriers to entry. While it lacks advanced e-selling features like a storefront, inventory management, or payment gateways, you can still earn money if you make a sale. And the best part is that you can do so without paying any platform fees.
You must handle everything from posting your listing to responding to queries, shipping, and processing payments. But as long as you have a Facebook account, you can sell anything, anytime, and anywhere. Facebook Marketplace is great for reselling secondhand products or low-value items.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip: Learn how to succeed on Facebook Marketplace by following our Step by Step Guide.
Poshmark
Poshmark is a social selling marketplace for fashion, home improvement, lifestyle, and pet products. Poshmark has a significant presence in Canada and Australia, besides the U.S. You can sell new or secondhand products on Poshmark in a few easy steps, such as creating and posting a product listing.
As an end-to-end selling platform, Poshmark has a refund policy and even provides expedited shipping. Even better- Poshmark charges only a nominal commission as a sales fee. You will have to pay the platform $2.95 for sales under $15 and 20% for all products that cost more than $15. Another great platform for side hustlers and small-scale resellers, Poshmark isn’t going away anytime soon.
Etsy
Beyond artwork and handmade crafts, there is actually a diverse range of items thriving on Etsy. The platform has evolved and many online business owners are taking advantage. The platform is a hot spot for home & living products, vintage and antique items, printables, party supplies, and wedding items.
Etsy's user-friendly setup makes it a great marketplace to explore for anyone looking to start selling online affordably. It's an excellent option for both new and experienced sellers seeking to expand their reach and grow their eCommerce presence. Set up a robust shop, list your products with compelling language and you are well on your way.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip: Follow our Comprehensive Guide to Etsy Dropshipping to get started right.
OfferUp
OfferUp is a blend of eBay and Facebook Marketplace tailored for local sellers. You can list anything from electronic goods to cars, with your ad displayed to buyers based on their location. You can set the goal of becoming a verified dealer through the TruYou membership if you’re serious about your side hustle.
The platform charges a 12.9% fee on the selling price (excluding shipping), with shipping costs based on actual rates. OfferUp partners with USPS for fast delivery and collaborates with major car dealerships, making it an ideal platform for selling cars online.
OfferUp is exclusively available to buyers and sellers in the U.S.
ThredUp
ThredUp is an online consignment store for buying quality clothes second hand. Trending brands and styles offer sellers exposure for their specialty category. You can access their reselling guide and even find out what styles are trending on their site.
You can earn a pretty robust supplementary income on the site, depending on what you sell and current trends. Payouts ranging from 15-80% are determined by brand, demand, and quality.
Essential Tools for eCommerce
SaleHoo Market Research Lab
We'd be a bit remiss if we didn't mention one highly intuitive tool. If you're just getting rid of your excess baggage on eBay, you don't need to know what products are trending. However, if you're dropshipping seriously and eBay is a primary market, you will want to find out which products are performing the best, preferably in real time.
Our very own Market Research Lab allows members to check sell rates, competition, sales trends, and much more relevant market data for over 1.6 million products. You can understand in real time which products are most likely to do well. Check out SaleHoo’s wholesale supplier directory to get access.
Instagram Shopping
Instagram asserts that an impressive almost 50% of people say they shop on the social media app weekly. That’s a lot of exposure potential for your business. Instagram Shopping is made up of features that reduce your buyer’s journey and allow customers to easily make purchases within the Instagram App.
Instagram Shopping can not only increase your conversion rates but also provide your business access to new customers and expand your reach. If you’re serious about making sales and marketing your eCommerce business, Instagram Shopping may very well be a vital component of your business plan.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip: Kick off your Instagram Shopping presence with our Ultimate Guide to Instagram Marketing for eCommerce.
Printful
Printful is a print-on-demand service for customizing almost any product with your branding or designs. The great thing about Printful is their global accessibility, with fulfillment centers around the world.
This end-to-end platform allows you to connect your storefront and sell merchandise while Printful prints, packs, and ships the products to your customers. Can it get much easier than that?
Linktree
Linktree is the world’s most popular bio link tool. Linktree for eCommerce integrates with many different payment softwares, marketplace or marketing platforms, or even integration tools like Zapier.
To maximize your customer base on every social media platform, a serious eCommerce business will likely have a need for Linktree sooner or later. On top of business and customer-facing usability and robust integrations, Linktree offers detailed traffic and click insights to help maximize conversions.
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