Online marketplaces provide a straightforward means for online merchants who desire to expand to new markets. It is crucial to consider the unique features of the various sales platforms before venturing into them and to understand the different advantages for your e-commerce business. In Italy a significant 44% of product research starts directly on online marketplaces, with Gen Z consumers leading the way at an impressive 52%. These statistics highlight the importance of leveraging the popularity of online marketplaces to effectively target and engage with consumers.
What is an online marketplace?
Online marketplaces are ecommerce websites that combine the convenience of shopping from home while providing a vast selection of products akin to that of a large shopping centre. These marketplaces facilitate price comparison, making it easier to find convenient deals. Shoppers can place orders on the Website or through dedicated apps, benefitting from efficient delivery services, thanks to the collaboration with 3PL companies.
What are the benefits or advantages of selling on online marketplaces?
The European e-commerce market has experienced remarkable growth, and is the third largest ecommerce market in the world, with total online retail sales of $498 billion annually. Moreover, selling on an online marketplace offers significant advantages, including:
Easy setup process
Major marketplaces provide an intuitive online setup that allows retailers to easily list their products without the need for extensive IT resources or complicated procedures.
Extensive customer reach
Online marketplaces play a vital role in expanding the reach of your brand, especially when your products are unfamiliar to potential customers. These platforms allow you to connect more easily to potential customers and are five times more likely than your website to be the initial starting point for your consumers’ research.
Greater scalability
By leveraging global platforms like Amazon or Etsy, you can easily expand your business, tapping into new customer bases and unlocking growth opportunities.
The growth of the e-commerce market in Italy
Revenue in the e-commerce market in Italy is projected to reach US$47.66bn in 2023 and is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 11.59%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$73.90bn by 2027. (Source: Statista)
Let’s discover the top 10 online marketplaces in Italy, based on monthly visits in March 2023 with data retrieved from Similarweb.
#1 Marketplace in Italy
Amazon.it
- Visits per month in Italy: 175.4 million
Advantage of Amazon.it
The main advantage of Amazon as an online marketplace is obviously its unparalleled customer reach and the trust buyers have in its robust services which include fast, cheap deliveries, 24/7 customer assistance and secure payment methods.
#2 Marketplace in Italy
eBay.it
- Visits per month in Italy: 51.4 million
Advantage of eBay:
Apart from its solid reputation as a marketplace, unlike Amazon eBay does not have its own products. This means your ecommerce will never “compete” with eBay. In fact, they simply provide the platform allowing individual sellers or companies to list products either in auction format or fixed-price format.
#3 Marketplace in Italy
Subito.it
- Visits per month in Italy: 63.7 million
Advantage of Subito.it:
Subito.it is Italy’s most visited domestic marketplace and is therefore a smart choice to sell online as a private individual or company. Unlike Amazon and eBay, Subito.it allows you to publish ads for free and immediately.
#4 Marketplace in Italy
Zalando.it
Visits per month in Italy: 13.9 million
Advantage of Zalando:
With its large and active customer base, Zalando is the leading platform for fashion in Europe. Operating in multiple countries, Zalando is a must-have for fashion brands who want to expand their reach in Italy as well.
#5 Marketplace in Italy
ManoMano.it
- Visits per month in Italy: 8.3 million
Advantage of ManoMano:
ManoMano is a dedicated and popular marketplace for DIY, gardening, household goods and crafts. If you sell products related to home improvement and DIY projects, this marketplace allows you to tap into a large customer base of people interested in these.
#6 Marketplace in Italy
Ibs.it
- Visits per month in Italy: 7.4 million
Advantage of ibs.it:
If you sell books, DVDs, music, video games or stationary IBS could be just right for you as it is a pioneer for ecommerce in Italy.
#7 Marketplace in Italy
Privalia.com
- Visits per month in Italy: 6.1 million
Advantage of Privalia.com:
Privalia is a highly popular market for fashion brands and customers love it because of the discounts it offers on branded products and flash sales.
#8 Marketplace in Italy
ePrice.it
- Visits per month in Italy: 2.0 million
Advantage of ePrice.it:
ePrice.it is one of the most important national marketplaces in Italy for technical or electronic products and household appliances.
#9 Marketplace in Italy
Etsy.com
- Visits per month in Italy: 442.000
Advantage of Etsy:
Entrepreneurs and artisans who want to showcase and sell their products can benefit from several advantages of selling on Etsy, particularly its extensive reach within the niche market of handmade, vintage, and craft supplies.
#10 Marketplace in Italy
Ventis.it
- Visits per month in Italy: 133.000
Advantage of Ventis.it:
Ventis.it is an online marketplace that specializes in fashion for women, men, and children of all ages, specifically targeting the Italian market.
