Why sell on marketplaces?

Amazon, Fnac, Darty, Boulanger, Orange, Leroy Merlin and many other platforms now give brands and distributors direct access to ready-made audiences.

But should you really sell on marketplaces? The answer depends on your strategy.

The first advantage: the audience

Building an audience from scratch costs time and money. A marketplace already has visitors, brand awareness and a buying environment consumers know. You position your offer where purchase intention already exists.

Testing a product faster

Marketplaces can also become a formidable laboratory. Does a product work? At what price? Which listing converts best? Which products get returned? Which models generate the most demand?

This information then helps improve the overall strategy.

Diversifying revenue

Depending on a single channel is a risk. An algorithm change, a suspension, rising advertising costs or new commercial terms can quickly affect the business. Developing several channels reduces this dependency.

But marketplaces also have constraints

Selling more doesn't necessarily mean earning more. You need to factor in: commissions; logistics; returns; promotions; advertising; operating costs; stock synchronisation; customer service; each platform's specific requirements.

The real indicator: profitability

Revenue is visible. Profitability much less so. An effective marketplace strategy must therefore track real margin per product, channel and order.

The right question is not: “How much did we sell?” But: “How much did we actually earn?”