Own online shop or selling via Amazon and eBay?
The question is usually framed as either-or, but it is a question of sequence. Marketplaces bring revenue quickly; your own shop brings margin and customer data for the long run.
Short answer
- Marketplaces deliver instant reach but charge a selling commission of typically around 7 to 15 percent.
- On a marketplace you do not own the customer relationship; e-mail addresses and repeat purchases stay there.
- In your own shop you pay for visibility instead of commission — through SEO, content or ads.
- An account suspension on a marketplace can cut revenue to zero overnight.
- In practice the combination is normal: marketplace for reach, own shop for margin and regulars.
The comparison
Marketplace compared with your own shop
| Criterion | Marketplace | Own shop |
|---|---|---|
| Reach at launch | Available immediately | Has to be built |
| Ongoing cost | Commission per sale plus subscription | Predictable subscription plus marketing |
| Customer data | With the marketplace | With you |
| Pricing control | Limited by competition and rules | Complete |
| Risk | Account suspension, rule changes | Dependence on your own marketing |
A practical example
Example: with 100 orders of €50, a 12 percent commission is €600 a month. A shop subscription at €20 a month is a fraction of that — but you have to win the visitors yourself. The maths tips towards your own shop as soon as you have returning customers who order directly.
Common mistakes
- Selling on one marketplace only and never building your own customer list.
- Launching an own shop with no budget or time planned for visibility.
- Running different prices on both channels and breaching the marketplace rules.
- Maintaining stock separately and therefore overselling.
How 4shopy helps
- Your own shop runs on a predictable subscription instead of revenue-based commission.
- Customer data, order history and newsletter consents stay in your account.
- Product data can be exported so marketplace feeds can be generated from it.
- Invoices for both channels run through the same invoicing in the 4b2b ecosystem.