Marketplaces and social selling

A new website has no visitors on day one. Marketplaces and social selling tools put your products where buyers already are, which is why many first-time sellers start here or run a marketplace shop next to their own store.

Etsy suits handmade, vintage and creative goods. Amazon Seller Central and Walmart Marketplace reach very large audiences and come with more rules, fees and competition. eBay covers new and used items with fixed-price or auction listings. Faire is a wholesale marketplace, where independent retailers order your products to stock in their own shops. Linktree and Stan turn the single link in a social profile into a page that shows products or sells digital items directly.

Each marketplace sets its own rules for listings, photos, shipping times and returns, and each charges its own mix of listing, sale and payment fees. Read them before you list, and price your products so the fees still leave a margin. Some categories need approval before you can sell in them.

Think about who owns the customer relationship. On a marketplace, the buyer is the marketplace's customer first. You often cannot email them freely or control how your shop page looks. That trade is often worth it for the traffic, and it is a good reason to build your own store and email list alongside.

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7 online store tools in marketplaces and social selling

Etsy

Marketplace for handmade, vintage and creative goods, with a shop page, search traffic and a seller app.

Mobile app

Amazon Seller Central

by Amazon

Sell on the Amazon marketplace, shipping orders yourself or through Fulfillment by Amazon.

Mobile app

eBay

Marketplace for new and used goods, with fixed-price and auction listings and an AI tool that drafts listings from photos.

Built-in AI features
Mobile app

Walmart Marketplace

by Walmart

Third-party seller program on Walmart.com, with an application step before you can list.

Faire

Wholesale marketplace that connects brands with independent retailers who order stock for their shops.

Linktree

Link-in-bio page for social profiles, with options to show products and collect payments.

Free plan or free tier
Mobile app

Stan

Link-in-bio store for creators that sells digital products, courses and bookings from one mobile page.

Mobile app

Keep stock in sync if you sell in several places. Selling the same item twice is a common early mistake. Many store builders and inventory tools sync stock between your own site and marketplaces, and it is worth setting that up before your second channel goes live.

Each channel needs its own listing work. Marketplace search rewards clear titles with the words buyers type, complete product details and good photos. Social selling depends more on posting regularly and showing products in use. Pick one or two channels you can keep up with instead of opening shops everywhere at once.

Read the payout schedule and reserve rules for new sellers. Some marketplaces hold funds for a period on early sales, which can strain cash flow if you are buying stock ahead.

Keep a simple sheet of each channel's fees, payout days and rules. When a channel changes its terms, you will see quickly what it means for your prices, and you can move effort to the channels that work for your products.

Questions about marketplaces and social selling

Should I start on a marketplace or build my own store?

Many sellers start on a marketplace to reach buyers quickly and learn what sells, then add their own store. If you already have an audience on social media, a link-in-bio page or a simple store may be enough to start.

How do I avoid selling an item that is already sold elsewhere?

Keep one inventory count and sync it to every channel. Many store builders connect to major marketplaces and update stock automatically. Set this up before you list the same products in a second place.

What is wholesale selling on Faire?

Faire lets independent retailers order your products in bulk to sell in their own shops. You set wholesale prices and minimums, and retailers place orders through the marketplace. Check its terms for new brands before you apply.

Can I sell directly from Instagram or TikTok?

Both platforms have shopping features that change over time and differ by country. A link-in-bio page that points to your store or product pages works everywhere. Check each platform's current seller rules before relying on in-app checkout.