If your eCommerce sales efforts haven’t gone well before, or you just want some extra cash, you should consider doing business via an online marketplace. To do this, it’s ideal to find a marketplace app to work with and look into the best marketplace apps out there.
If you’ve never worked with a marketplace before though, you should acquaint yourself with what is marketplace, the different types of marketplaces, and what a marketplace business model is. This will give you a better understanding of what you’re getting into.
Once you have the basics down, read about marketplace selling and what buyers expect on these platforms. This will put you ahead of the competition early on, even if it's your first time using a selling app. Then, choose an online marketplace to sell on and start coaxing shoppers to check out your digital storefront.
Sales apps are convenient because you don’t need to know how to build an eCommerce website or worry about eCommerce hosting. They also help you update product listings wherever you are and contact customers rapidly.
Keep reading for our list of the seven best marketplace apps and their core strengths.
Best Marketplace Apps: Best Overall
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Not only will you find cutting-edge marketing tools like eCommerce email marketing and SEO-friendliness, but you can also make a digital catalog and list as many products as you want.
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Our online marketplace has 95,000+ buyers who are looking for products like yours. We also offer industry-lowest payment processing fees so you can focus on what’s most important--growing your business. Book a demo now to see what BlueCart can do for you.
Online Marketplace Apps
Perhaps you’re a business owner who’s always on the go. You may also be savvy and know that reaching mobile customers means using a buy and sell app.
No matter what your reason is for growing the mobile side of your business , one thing is true: you should use the best tools available.
Here are the top online marketplace apps:
- eBay
- Amazon
- Etsy
- Facebook Marketplace
- Craigslist
- OfferUp
eBay
One of the most famous apps to sell stuff and eCommerce website examples is still one of the biggest. eBay is known for offering both direct to consumer and B2B business model sales opportunities. Users can post items for sale or list batch goods under an auction or fixed price and sell to anyone who’s interested.
eBay launched their app in 2008, just one year after the iPhone was launched. The company has continually improved the app since then, making it easier to list products on the go. If you sell bulk lots or are looking for wholesale items to sell, eBay is great to consider. When exploring the best side hustles, selling on eBay is one of them.
Amazon
As one of the most successful and certainly the largest, Amazon remains a leading online marketplace app. Ever since the company has grown beyond selling books and their Amazon private label products, they’ve sought to support sellers in many ways.
Amazon is partly known for how many selling options they provide. The main types are third-party seller, Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA), Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM), first-party sales (sold by Amazon), and Amazon Vendor. Each selling channel offers specific advantages that suit different types of eCommerce businesses, like affiliate marketing vs. dropshipping.
One of the biggest benefits of selling on Amazon is their built-in traffic, which amounts to billions of views each month. Adding Amazon to your list of profitable marketplace apps is often a wise decision.
Etsy
Etsy, originally known as an online hub for handmade items and lifestyle products, has grown into a booming online marketplace app. The DIY-driven platform lets users sell hundreds of high demand products to the nearly 400 million people who shop on the site monthly.
Etsy’s seller user interface (UI) is straightforward and makes it simple to list a product in minutes. They do charge listing and transaction fees, but both are nominal. The primary demographic on Etsy is women ages 18-35, so if your business caters to this niche market, you’ll find a welcoming audience here.
Facebook Marketplace
Need a way to sell unwanted items to people you may already know? Facebook Marketplace, owned by the social network Facebook, is the ideal choice. Instead of creating a brand new website, Facebook did what they do best--launched a new feature for their built-in, massive audience.
Though Facebook Marketplace’s monthly traffic is low compared to eCommerce giants like Walmart and Amazon, its ease of use makes it appealing to newcomers. People can sell personal items in a fashion similar to Craigslist, or they can use it as an eCommerce storefront similar to Etsy or eBay. Facebook Marketplace is useful if you’re just getting started and haven’t used an eCommerce website builder before.
Craigslist
Though not always considered a marketplace, Craigslist is still one of the most popular ways to list various items for sale. Originally, Craig Newmark created his namesake site as a way to share event info with his Bay Area friends. It quickly grew into a popular classified ads site with over 350 million monthly visits and 40 employees.
Craigslist is an informal marketplace, meaning anyone can sell just about anything. This can be useful if you’re selling a small amount of handmade goods, but becomes more difficult the more you want to sell. Add to this the fact that Craigslist requires manual refreshing of item listings, and the daily work can add up.
Craigslist is a strong option for garage sales, moving sales, small-batch products, and local product exchanges. If you’re considering eCommerce business ideas that rely on scaling quickly, you may find more success on a different platform.
OfferUp
OfferUp is a relative newcomer to the marketplace app scene but has become exponentially popular in recent years. They support direct selling between private consumers and focus on a mobile-first design.
Many OfferUp users have praised the app for how effortless it is to list and sell an item. There are several factors distinguishing OfferUp from competitors:
One, users can create profiles and give other users ratings and reviews. This makes it easier to vet a seller and build trust before contacting them. It’s also ideal for supplier relationship management. These sales apps have over a million users. They stay connected through the app themselves or through a social network.
Two, OfferUp combines many popular elements of both auction sites and fixed price sites. In other words, shoppers have the option to browse through photos of your items and negotiate the price without getting involved in traditional bids. These features make it simple for anyone to get started and build a low-cost audience.
There’s An App for That
Researching ways to increase eCommerce sales online isn’t always the easiest. In addition to having an eCommerce business plan and eCommerce marketing strategy, you need people to be interested in your products. That’s why getting involved in a marketplace early is a great call. At first, growing your brand on a marketplace app may feel out of place. It may feel like the social media version of eCommerce, but in truth, this method has several upsides.
Most eCommerce marketplaces and apps have millions of monthly visitors built into them, so getting your first few sales can be easier than doing it solo. As you build up an audience on an app, you can encourage your buyers to support you elsewhere. Keep selling great products at competitive prices and you can’t go wrong.
Products with Highest Demand in Marketplace Apps
Marketplace apps can be a great place to sell various items. Whether you wish to sell old stuff you no longer need or you’re a business looking for additional marketing channels, marketplace apps can be an excellent choice. However, some product categories like pharmaceuticals or everyday household items still have higher offline sales. So let’s see which are the high-demand products to sell via marketplace apps.
- Toys, kids' clothes, and shoes. As children grow quickly, they often need new clothes and shoes. That’s especially true for babies and toddlers. That’s why these categories are among the most popular in marketplace apps.
- Cosmetics and beauty products. A lot of people like to search for cheaper alternatives through marketplace apps. Sellers should know that buyers often use these platforms to research some subcategories rather than to buy them. Perfumes are a good example of this as customers want to smell them before purchasing.
- Books. Although audiobooks and electronic books have grown rapidly in popularity, a lot of people still enjoy reading from a regular book. That’s why this category offers a wide range of products.
Goods to Sell On a Marketplace App
It’s common for the average person to have extra things laying around their home. These things might not be useful anymore which makes them a great thing to get rid of. More often than not, these items are ideal to sell online, especially if they’re in good condition. In fact, they might be one of the high-demand products to sell these days.
It’s possible to sell a lot of things on a marketplace app. Before you go overboard, read the list below of products to sell.
Goods to sell online:
- Old clothes. Chances are that there are some clothing items in your closet that you have no use for. If they’re in good condition, it’s possible to sell these items online for extra cash through a marketplace app.
- Jewelry and watches. Old jewelry, custom jewelry, and watches are great options to sell. These can be vintage pieces or something modern.
- Baby items. Babies grow fast and eventually, you’ll have no need for those extra items laying around. These include strollers and cribs.
- Sneakers. Similar to old clothes, sneakers are also a hot item to sell online for extra money. This is especially true if you plan on reselling retro or limited edition sneakers.
- Holiday decorations. During the holidays, many people will purchase decorations without realizing they already have something similar or no use for it. These are perfect to sell.
- Home décor. Similar to holiday decorations, home décor pieces might not suit our taste anymore, but they might be perfect for someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions About Best Marketplace App
What Is the Best App for Selling Stuff?
The best apps for selling stuff are:
- eBay
- Amazon
- Etsy
- Facebook Marketplace
- Craigslist
- OfferUp
These apps make buying and selling simple. Each selling app allows users to post items for sale to make extra cash. Once you have finished upload photos and post items for sale, local buyers can place their bids.
A prepaid shipping label is typically created if you offer free shipping options for your items sold. Look up how to print shipping labels or use a shipping label printer.
What Kind of Stuff Can I Sell Online to Make Money?
You can sell the following items online to make money:
- Books
- Clothing
- Sports equipment
- Furniture
- Kids toys
- Gift cards
- Scrap metal
Which Products Make the Most Money?
The products that make the most money or profit include:
- Jewelry and watches
- Sunglasses
- Skincare products
- Kids toys
- Pet care products
- Women’s apparel