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Marketplaces vs. E-shops
Present ECDB statistics show that online marketplaces account for a significant 72% of all worldwide e-commerce income, while traditional online shops generate only 28%. Furthermore, this disparity has been growing recently. Although the 2022 growth difference between these two models was just 4%, it increased to 7% in 2023 and was 6% last year.
What Makes Marketplaces So Popular?
The secret to the success of online marketplaces lies in three key factors:
- scalability
- efficiency
- profitability
Unlike traditional e-shops, marketplaces don’t own the goods they sell; third parties own them. This greatly lowers their running expenses and risk.
The speed of scaling is another major benefit. Every new seller who joins a marketplace typically brings with them their existing customer base, in addition to their own inventory. The platform can therefore concentrate mostly on making money from commissions, listing fees, advertising, or subscription services.
Source: ECDB
Regional Differences Matter
Interestingly, geographic area greatly influences the choice of business models. In Asia and South and Central America, marketplaces dominate extraordinarily – in 2024, they generated 97% and 96% of all e-commerce revenue, respectively, far exceeding the global average of 72%.
Market leaders in Asia, including Alibaba Group Holding, PDD Holdings, ByteDance, and JD.com, run well-known stores such as Taobao, Douyin, and Pinduoduo.
South and Central America have a similar scenario with e-commerce platforms like MercadoLibre, Magalu, Amazon, and Shopee. In these regions, large e-commerce brands inspire greater trust and often have better logistics, as online shopping is less developed there.
The West Prefers Balance
Conversely, Western markets tend to be more evenly distributed. Online stores generate 54% of e-commerce income in North America; marketplaces account for the remaining 46%.
The proportion in Europe is comparable: online stores account for 53% of income, while marketplaces account for 47%.
Unlike Asia and South America, Western consumers often place greater trust in individual brands such as apple.com, backmarket.com, or shein.com. More favourable logistical conditions also play a role here, making standalone online stores more attractive.
Cultural and Regional Particulars Make a choice
Diverse-shaped e-commerce markets explain these variations. Every market is different and formed by regional culture, politics, and natural circumstances. These are precisely the factors that significantly influence whether marketplaces or traditional online shops experience greater success in a given region.
Despite regional differences, however, global ECDB data suggests that the future of e-commerce belongs primarily to online marketplaces, whose model is proving more efficient and profitable in most regions of the world.
