In 2025, the eCommerce landscape continues to evolve, making it more critical than ever for brands to choose the right online selling platforms for their products. With shifting consumer behaviors, emerging technologies, and increasing competition, sellers must weigh the advantages and challenges of each marketplace to maximize reach, profitability, and brand recognition.
Online Selling Platforms: A Quick Overview of Popular Options
Most brands benefit from an omnichannel approach, but not every eCommerce platform is necessary for all sellers. A combination of marketplaces and direct-to-consumer strategies often yields the best results.
Selling on multiple platforms can increase brand recognition and sales, but it also requires a strategic approach. Businesses should consider their target audience, product category, and operational capabilities before diversifying.
- Amazon is a must for sellers who want broad market reach, the highest traffic possible, and can handle a large amount of competition.
- Walmart and Target are excellent for brands that fit their customer base and can meet approval requirements.
- TikTok Shop is ideal for brands targeting younger, trend-driven consumers.
- DTC (direct-to-consumer) allows for complete control for building your brand but requires a greater investment in marketing, advertising, and logistics.
Online Selling Platforms: A Deep Dive into Popular Seller Platforms
1. Amazon
Shoppers trust Amazon for fast and reliable purchases, with millions of Prime members prioritizing products with quick shipping. Amazon is the most popular online selling platform in the US, and since June 2022 has accounted for over 37% of the market share with numbers growing.
Suitable Industries: Consumer electronics, books, grocery, household items, pet, beauty, apparel, footwear, and much more.
Target Demographics: Broad audience, primarily adults aged 18-65 with moderate to high purchasing power.
Pros:
- Extensive Customer Base: Access to millions of active shoppers worldwide.
- Established Trust: A strong brand reputation enhances consumer confidence.
- Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Option for streamlined logistics and customer service management.
Cons:
- High Competition: A saturated marketplace can make product visibility challenging without a strong marketing plan.
- Fees: Increasing referral and FBA fees may reduce profit margins.
- Limited Control: Sellers have limited control over competitive pricing, promotions, and customer data, which can restrict their ability to tailor the buying experience.
Fulfillment & Management:
- Sellers can use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) for packing and shipping, or Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) if they prefer direct control over logistics. For some, a hybrid strategy may be best.
- Amazon’s customer service handles returns and inquiries for FBA sellers, while FBM sellers must manage this themselves.
2. Walmart Marketplace
Walmart’s online sales continue to grow rapidly. Walmart Marketplace attracts brands looking to reach cost-conscious shoppers beyond Amazon and Target.
Suitable Industries: Home goods, electronics, groceries, apparel, personal care, and much more.
Target Demographics: While Walmart’s brick-and-mortar business targets value-conscious consumers across various age groups, its eCommerce marketplace has been shown to break into higher-income households for commonly purchased items in electronics, grocery, and CPG categories.
Pros:
- Expansive Reach: Gain access to Walmart’s extensive customer base.
- Lower Competition: Less saturation compared to Amazon.
Cons:
- Fee Structure: Similar structure to Amazon with referral and WFS fees, but these are currently averaging less than Amazon.
- Limited Customization: Restricted control over storefront aesthetics.
Fulfillment & Management:
- Walmart offers Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), similar to Amazon’s FBA, allowing sellers to store inventory in Walmart’s warehouses while they handle shipping and customer service.
- Sellers can also opt for self-fulfillment, requiring them to manage logistics and customer service directly.
3. Target Plus
Target’s curated marketplace, Target Plus, ensures less competition, giving approved brands better visibility and a loyal customer base.
Suitable Industries: Home decor, apparel, beauty products, exclusive or premium brands, and much more.
Target Demographics: Primarily, millennials and families looking for quality brands and products.
Pros:
- Brand Association: Alignment with Target’s reputable brand.
- Curated Marketplace: Less competition due to selective seller inclusion.
Cons:
- Invitation-Only: Limited to selected sellers, restricting accessibility.
- Fee Structure: Commission fees apply to each sale.
- Limited Customization: Limited control over storefront design and branding, reducing the ability to differentiate from competitors.
Fulfillment & Management:
- Target does not currently offer its own fulfillment program, requiring sellers to manage their own shipping and customer service.
4. TikTok Shop
TikTok’s short-form video drives impulse buying, with trending products often selling out and going viral. TikTok Shop is a rapidly growing selling platform.
Suitable Industries: Fashion, beauty, lifestyle products, grocery (i.e. snack foods) and more.
Target Demographics: Primarily Gen Z and young millennials aged 16-30.
Pros:
- High Engagement: Leverages short-form video content for immersive shopping experiences.
- Viral Potential: Opportunity for products to gain rapid popularity.
- Integrated Shopping Experience: Seamless in-app purchasing.
Cons:
- Demographic Limitations: A predominantly younger audience.
- Content Creation Demand: Requires consistent and creative video content.
- Emerging Platform: Evolving features and advertising tools. Potential risk of government intervention.
Fulfillment & Management:
- TikTok Shop offers Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT), where TikTok handles warehousing, packing, and shipping for eligible sellers.
- Self-fulfillment is also an option, requiring sellers to manage logistics and customer service independently.
- As TikTok continues expanding its commerce capabilities, fulfillment options may evolve.
5. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)
Owning the customer experience from start to finish often leads to higher repeat purchases, as brands can build loyalty without marketplace restrictions.
Suitable Industries: Electronics, fashion, food, beverage, health and wellness, niche products, luxury goods, personalized items, subscription services, and much more.
Target Demographics: Varies based on product offering; typically consumers seeking unique or specialized products.
Pros:
- Complete Brand Control: Autonomy over branding and customer experience.
- Data Ownership: Full access to customer data for personalized marketing.
- Higher Profit Margins: No marketplace fees, leading to better margins.
- User-Friendly: Intuitive interface with customizable templates (especially if using an online store platform such as Shopify).
- Scalability: Suitable for small to large businesses (if using an online store platform such as Shopify).
Cons:
- Traffic Generation: Requires investment in marketing content and advertising to drive site traffic. This can be on Google, YouTube, or other social sites such as Meta or TikTok.
- Operational Responsibilities: Full responsibility for logistics, customer service, and website maintenance; unless using a platform such as Shopify or Shipstation to manage the website and logistics.
- Scalability Challenges: Managing rapid growth can be complex.
- Monthly Fees: If using platforms such as Shopify, subscription costs and transaction fees can add up, especially with premium apps, and should be taken into account when building out your margin targets.
Fulfillment & Management:
- Brands must choose between third-party logistics (3PL) providers or handle warehousing, shipping, and customer service in-house.
- Shopify provides multiple fulfillment solutions, including the Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN) for brands that want to outsource storage, picking, packing, and shipping.
- Advanced eCommerce platforms offer automation tools to streamline order fulfillment and inventory management.
Maximize Your Brand’s Reach: The Power of an Omnichannel Approach
Choosing the right eCommerce platforms depends on your brand’s goals, target audience, and operational capacity. An omnichannel approach often provides the best results, but not all platforms are necessary for every business.
In 2025, it’s not about being on every platform—it’s about strategically selecting and leveraging the right ones. Whether you’re selling on Amazon, Walmart, Target, TikTok, or a DTC website, an omnichannel approach amplifies your brand’s presence.
TikTok, for example, can generate viral moments that drive sales directly on the platform while also boosting awareness and traffic to your other channels, like Amazon or your branded website. The key is aligning each channel to work together, ensuring that every interaction with your brand strengthens the next.
Hinge Commerce: Your eCommerce Partner
Hinge Commerce is a full-service Amazon agency and eCommerce marketing solution that helps brands navigate the complexities of digital shopping. From marketplace optimization to fulfillment strategies, we ensure businesses maximize their sales potential across the right platforms.
Ready to scale your business? Partner with Hinge Commerce to create a tailored eCommerce strategy that drives results. Contact us today.
