What is the best platform to sell online? | The Jotform Blog (2024)

Are you fed up with Amazon and eBay? Or are you just looking to expand your horizons and your revenue by investigating where else you can sell your stuff online?

Whatever the reason, the good news (and perhaps also the bad news) is that there are countless options that can help you reach the right audience and elevate your e-commerce game. With so many choices, though, picking the right approach can also be overwhelming and confusing.

For starters, you’ll need to decide if you’re going to create your own online store or leverage the infrastructure of an existing marketplace.

Thanks to the evolution of build-it-yourself online selling platforms, the first option is easier than ever before and gives you maximum flexibility and control — but it also demands more time and effort.

On the flip side, selling websites and marketplaces can make operations more seamless, but they charge fees for every sale you make — and you ultimately have less control over your business.

Once you’ve decided which selling strategy suits your needs, take a look at the suggestions below to find an online store builder or marketplace that makes sense for you.

What’s the best do-it-yourself platform to sell online products?

1. Shopify

With rave reviews and high marks nearly across the board, Shopify is a go-to option for serious small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to build their own e-commerce destinations.

The platform is celebrated for its super fast setup, ease of use, spiffy templates, and customizable features as well as for its end-to-end offering — it’s possible to do everything from tracking inventory to selling seamlessly on social media.

What’s more, the platform boasts baked in add-ons, like PCI-compliant payment processing, 24-hour support, and customizable shipping options.

Who it’s best for: serious small to medium-sized business owners and retailers who want all the bells and whistles of a professional, scalable store without the steep costs of a site built from scratch

Price: $24 to $2,300 per month

2. Wix

Billed as one of the easiest-to-use website builders on the market, Wix also comes complete with an e-commerce offering that can help those just getting started sell their products online quickly and with minimal hassle.

The drag-and-drop online selling platform makes it extremely simple to create product pages for your goods, and with over 500 templates to choose from, you have plenty of freedom to find the look and feel that gels with your brand.

While Wix doesn’t have as many e-commerce features as Shopify, it does come with plenty of secure payment solutions, shipping integrations, and some built-in tools that can help you market your goods.

Who it’s best for: entrepreneurs and new business owners with a relatively small inventory

Price: $17 to $159 per month (though the more advanced Enterprise plans have custom pricing)

3. Squarespace

Perhaps best known for its beautiful design and commitment to helping creative ideas succeed, Squarespace is also a viable online selling platform for those who want to take their business to the next level.

Though not as easy to use as Wix or as robust as Shopify when it comes to e-commerce features, this website builder is still a sound online store option — especially for anyone who values design and aesthetics (and even for those not selling physical products).

Squarespace is also remarkably affordable, giving business owners the ability to pay for exactly what they need.

Who it’s best for: somewhat tech-savvy beginning business owners who value design

Price: $16 to $49 per month

What’s the best marketplace to sell online products?

4. Bonanza

Home to more than 50,000 entrepreneurs selling products across almost all categories, Bonanza is the Seattle-based online marketplace that, year over year, rates among the best in surveys of online sellers.

The site regularly earns top marks for customer service, communication, and ease of use, but it’s also renowned for its zero listing fee policy and low seller fees. This online marketplace has an advertising program that allows sellers to leverage promotional partners and referral strategies to earn business.

Who it’s best for: big-dreaming entrepreneurs without a lot of budget who want to scale quickly

Price: Zero listing fees and a 3.5-percent seller fee for all sales under $1000

5. Etsy

Now a household name among those online sellers hawking handmade goods like jewelry, t-shirts, and quirky gifts, Etsy has evolved substantially from its humble beginnings to arguably the top destination for online shoppers looking for unique crafts, artistic collectibles, and bespoke goods.

This well-known online marketplace makes it easy for online sellers to create their own shop on the website, and it integrates seamlessly with social media applications for those who want to sell their products outside of the marketplace.

Who it’s best for: creative entrepreneurs who want to expand their audience and go from hobbyist to whole business

Price: $0.20 listing fee (which renews every four months), 6.5-percent transaction fee, and a 3-percent + $0.25 payment processing fee for all sales

6. Facebook Marketplace

Those on the hunt for a free website where they can sell their stuff need look no further than Facebook Marketplace, a listing site designed to connect local buyers and sellers within a community.

Apart from giving frequent sellers trying to build a side business a good way to get their products online and in front of an audience, Facebook Marketplace recently made it easy for more formal entrepreneurs to add a storefront to their Facebook business pages.

Here, sellers can list their products and then opt to integrate with a partner that can even help complete payment and organize shipping. It’s important to note that this is a relatively new offering, and Facebook Marketplace still doesn’t have the infrastructure or e-commerce features that many of the other online sellers have.

Who it’s best for: newbie online sellers with no budget who are just getting started selling their stuff

Price: Free