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Choosing the Best Online Shopping Marketplace: A Seller's Guide

Gone are the days when shopping meant battling traffic and crowded markets. These days, Indians are turning to their smartphones and laptops to grab lucrative deals on everything from the latest gadgets to trendy fashion at the best online shopping websites. E-commerce has exploded in India, with a dizzying array of online shops vying for our attention and rupees.

Presently, the Indian eCommerce market is valued at US $70 billion, accounting for about 7% of the country’s overall retail market. Whether you're hunting for a new phone, updating your wardrobe, or sprucing up your living room, there's a website out there ready to deliver it to your doorstep. But with so many options, which ones are really worth your time?

So, let's take a peek at the top popular online shopping sites and see what's causing shoppers to click "add to cart" across the country.

Online Shopping: A Quick Overview

India's got a staggering 800 million people surfing the web, making it the second-largest crowd of internet users on the planet. According to Invest India, we're on track to become the world's third-biggest online shopping hub by 2030. No wonder the Indian digital markets are buzzing with high demand. 

The rise of affordable smartphones in India has significantly boosted eCommerce growth. Mobile shopping has become commonplace, prompting online retailers to enhance their platforms for a smoother user experience. This evolving market bestows many opportunities upon Indian sellers looking to expand their reach and hike sales volumes and profits.

Online marketplaces are basically digital platforms connecting buyers and sellers for shopping. There are many good online shopping sites, called aggregators, that often sell their own products while also allowing third-party vendors to list items. The appeal of a marketplace largely depends on its ability to attract consistent, high-volume traffic.

Selling your products through established marketplaces often requires less financial investment and effort compared to building and maintaining an independent eCommerce brand website. Having your own site may benefit you, but driving traffic to it and keeping it updated can be time-consuming and expensive, and it may not always yield a high return on investment if it's your sole sales channel.

Many successful businesses opt for a hybrid approach, maintaining their own websites while also selling through marketplaces. This strategy allows them to leverage the high traffic of popular platforms and retain a dedicated space for unique promotions and branding.

When selling on established marketplaces, the main challenges you may face are  effective marketing and setting competitive pricing. However, the best online shopping websites are often big on garnering consumer trust. Some studies even indicate that shoppers generally prefer marketplaces, viewing them as more reliable and often offering better value.

Top Online Shopping Sites in India

These options covering some of the best online shopping websites will give you an idea where you could sell your products and make some handsome profits. 

  1. Flipkart

Founded in 2007, Flipkart has become a major Indian eCommerce platform and the top online clothes shopping website, offering more than 150 million products in 80+ categories. With over 400 million registered users, it provides sellers with extensive reach. According to a recent report, Flipkart is leading the Indian online shopping market, having nearly 50% market share.

The platform also offers various seller support programs like Flipkart Advantage and advertising options through Flipkart Ads. Sellers benefit from detailed analytics to help optimise their listings. Moreover, Flipkart's popularity is evident in its approximately 236 million monthly visits, which helps sellers tap into a vast customer base. 

  1. Amazon

Amazon, founded in 1994, is the king of eCommerce selling and also the oldest online shopping site in the world. Amazon India (amazon.in) is a subsidiary of the global eCommerce giant Amazon. It caters to so many product categories, from electronics and apparel to books and home goods. As per the April 2024 record, amazon attracts about 525.1 million monthly visits, and it's the most visited online shopping website in India. 

Why Is It Best for Sellers?

  • Global Reach: Access to a global marketplace, allowing Indian sellers to reach international customers.
  • Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): This program gives sellers logistics support, ensuring efficient storage, packing, and shipping. 
  • Prime Membership: Products can be part of Amazon Prime, increasing visibility and sales.
  • Advanced Tools: Tools like Amazon Seller Central for inventory management and sales analytics.
  1. Myntra

Myntra is unoubtedly a leading fashion e-commerce platform and one of the best online clothes shopping websites in India, today, which sells clothing, footwear, accessories, and more. 

Myntra's journey is quite the fashion fairytale. Back in 2007, it started as a modest B2B venture for personalised gifts but transformed into a full-blown e-commerce powerhouse in just a few short years. By 2012, Myntra had already become a runway for 350 Indian and international brands. Since then, its wardrobe has only gotten bigger and better.

Myntra's not just at the top of the online fashion game - it's owning it. With a massive social media following, a loyalty program that keeps shoppers coming back for more, and tempting deals for its customers, Myntra has stitched up quite a success story.

More reasons to sell on Myntra: 

  • The platform partners with both international and domestic brands, utilising AI for personalised shopping experiences and increasing customer engagement. 
  • Plus, Myntra's major sales events, like the End of Reason Sale (EORS), drive significant traffic and sales. 
  • The platform garners about 60 million monthly visits and nearly 75 million app users, owing to its popularity.
  1. AJIO

AJIO, a subsidiary of Reliance Retail, offers a mix of Indian and international fashion products, like apparel, footwear, and accessories. It’s among the best online shopping websites, with AJIO’s growing presence in the Indian e-commerce market reflected in its over 24 million monthly visits.  

Benefiting from Reliance's extensive retail network, AJIO hosts exclusive collections that give sellers a unique positioning. It also operates the AJIO Gold membership program, which boosts sales through exclusive offers.

Moreover, the platform focuses on user engagement through personalised recommendations that help you gain high customer loyalty. 

  1. Nykaa

Nykaa is a premier beauty and wellness e-commerce platform in India that customers often flock to. It’s one of the best online shopping websites in the beauty segment, offering products ranging from cosmetics to personal care. Nykaa sees approximately 22 million monthly visits.

Why should sellers consider it?

  • Beauty Niche: Focuses on beauty and wellness, attracting a targeted audience.
  • Nykaa Network: Strong presence across both e-commerce and physical stores.
  • Brand Building: Helps new brands gain visibility through various marketing strategies.
  • Customer Trust: High trust factor among beauty enthusiasts.
  1. Meesho

Meesho's success story is closely tied to the booming eCommerce landscape in India's smaller cities and towns. It's not just the big metros driving online shopping anymore - the real action is happening in places you might not expect.

According to a recent report by AllianceBernstein, Meesho has been playing its cards right. They have a laser focus on Tier II cities and beyond, combined with a zero-commission model that's music to sellers' ears. It's a strategy that's paying off big time. Meesho’s cheap online shopping attracts a staggering 120 million average monthly active users. 

In the past year alone, Meesho saw its order volume jump by 43% while revenue surged by 54%. Plus, they have about 80% repeat customers that keep coming back for more. 

Now, let's talk about who's selling on Meesho. Around 80% of their sellers are retail business owners, and a whopping 95% of the products are unbranded. It's like a digital version of your local market but with a reach that spans the entire country.

In terms of what's selling, apparel is the clear winner, making up about half of Meesho's gross merchandise value (GMV). Beauty and personal care products, along with home and kitchen items, each contribute around 8-10%. All in all, we're looking at a GMV run rate of over US $5 billion. Meesho enjoys over 48% of eCommerce app downloads in India, which can help them grab an even bigger slice of the market pie in future.

  1. TataCliq.com

TataCliq is an eCommerce venture by the Tata Group that offers Indian sellers an online space for selling many products like electronics, fashion and footwear, accessories, home appliances and more. TataCliq's association with the Tata brand helps it attract over 8 million monthly visits. 

Other advantages of TataCliq for sellers to look at: 

Brand Association: Leveraging the trusted Tata brand name, it combines physical and digital shopping experiences through its phygital model.

Quality Assurance: One of the unique features of this eCommerce platform is that it emphasises on providing its customers with authentic and high-quality products.

Omni-channel Presence: The integration with Tata’s physical stores plays a big role in getting online retailers a wider reach.

  1. Jiomart.com

With about 12 million monthly website visits, JioMart, part of Reliance Industries, is a growing e-commerce platform that offers groceries, fashion, electronics, and more. In fashion eCommerce, Reliance Group-owned Ajio is acquiring users at a rapid pace. The e-tailer currently has about 30% market share based on its MAUs (monthly active users). 

But why should you sell on this platform? Well, for starters, as a seller you benefit from Reliance Retail's extensive network and strong logistics and supply chain capabilities.Plus, this online marketplace gives you the opportunity to sell across multiple categories and is also a cheap online shopping platform that attracts customers with competitive pricing across multiple categories.

  1. Snapdeal.com

Snapdeal is a well-established cheap online shopping Indian e-commerce platform offering fashion, electronics, home, and kitchen items. With over 5 lakh registered sellers having 200 million listings on the marketplace, it provides enhanced logistics and fulfillment service through Snapdeal Plus and offers advertising solutions to boost your product’s visibility. 

Moreover, you get a diverse product selection and large user base that constructively contributes to its approximately 70 million monthly visits and positions Snapdeal in the list of good online selling sites. 

  1. Blinkit

Imagine getting your products into customers' hands in just 10 minutes! That's the speed Blinkit offers sellers. Whether you're selling fresh veggies, birthday cakes, the latest gadgets, or baby essentials, Blinkit's got you covered.

In the fast-paced world of e-grocery, Blinkit is racing ahead of the pack. Industry experts reckon it's already nabbed about 40% of the quick commerce market in India. 

So, why should sellers jump on the Blinkit bandwagon?

  • Lightning-fast delivery: Your products zip from shelf to doorstep in minutes.
  • Explosive growth potential: With 450+ dark stores, Blinkit's network is primed for rapid expansion.
  • Wider audience: Tap into millions of customers across 25+ major cities.
  • Hassle-free process: Getting started is a breeze, and managing your business is straightforward.
  1. eBay India

If you want to grow internationally, eBay is the place for you. eBay India, a subsidiary of the global e-commerce giant eBay, is one of the best online shopping websites for small businesses and individual sellers. It offers a trading environment that's diverse and has a wide variety of products, from everyday items to unique collectibles.

With a global reach of 2 billion users, approximately 132 million live listings, and a presence in over 190 markets worldwide, eBay gives its sellers unparalleled exposure. The platform's extensive network opens up major opportunities for growth and diversification for you.

More advantages of selling on eBay:

  • Sellers can tap into a vast international customer base, diversifying their revenue streams beyond local currencies.
  • With export opportunities for sellers, your products that may have saturated domestic markets can find new demand internationally, extending their lifecycle and value.
  • By selling internationally, you can establish a global presence and have a competitive edge over local-only sellers.
  • Access to millions of global customers can lead to higher sales volumes and improved profitability.
  • eBay also gives you an opportunity for price optimisation as some international markets may offer higher price points for certain products, which can boost your overall profit margins.
  1. Pepperfry.com

Pepperfry has carved out a niche as an online furniture and home decor marketplace. The platform maintains physical studios for enhancing customer experience and offering customisation options for furniture.

As a seller, you'll benefit from end-to-end logistics support for sellers that Pepperfry extends. Its specialised focus on home furnishings attracts over 22 million monthly visitors and 6 million+ registered users.

Another lucrative feature that makes their eCommerce selling game strong is their online catalogue, which is entirely technology-driven. Each displayed product has about seven to eight images and 3D models, wherein buyers can rotate the products, turn and tilt them, and open drawers, all online. Pepperfry uses augmented reality, which allows customers to actually place and see the furniture in their rooms virtually.

  1. Netmeds

Netmeds operates as an online pharmacy, offering prescription medicines, OTC products, and health supplements. As a licensed pharmacy established in 2015, it's known for providing genuine and safe products. 

Netmeds also offers health information and consultation services, along with subscription services, to attract repeat customers. The platform's focus on healthcare products helps it garner about 7 million monthly visits.

  1. FirstCry

FirstCry has carved out a unique niche in India's eCommerce space and is among the best online shopping websites, focusing exclusively on products for newborns, babies, and kids. It’s seen as the Amazon for selling all things child-related, from diapers to strollers and everything in between.

Starting with a laser focus on new parents, FirstCry has steadily expanded its reach. Today, it's not just an online store – it boasts 380 physical stores across India, including smaller cities and towns. The company's mobile app now accounts for a whopping 70% of its online sales, showing just how much parents love the convenience of shopping on-the-go.

But FirstCry's real stroke of genius? The "Gift Box" program. Imagine a customer just had a baby, and along with the congratulations, they receive a box filled with essential baby care products from top brands. It's a win-win-win strategy – new parents get free goodies, brands get exposure, and FirstCry wins customer loyalty right from day one. 

With partnerships in about 10,000 hospitals (that's 14.5% of India's hospitals), FirstCry is making sure it's the first name new parents think of when it comes to baby products.

As the company grew, it even spun off its logistics arm into a separate business called XpressBees, providing sellers logistics and shipping aid.

  1. Zop

Zop is not like any other traditional marketplace. It is India’s largest D2C platform. Zop, an initiative of Shiprocket, hosts several top D2C brands and unique artisanal products from across India. You can find products ranging from makeup and cosmetics to health and wellness products and fashion—everything from Indian business. You will get an extra 5% discount on prepaid orders.

Tips to Select the Right Site for Online Sale

As you now know, there are a lot of good online shopping sites to go for, and it can be difficult to decide where to sell. You can pick the best online shopping websites for your brand using these insightful tips: 

Know Your Niche

Consider your product carefully. If you're just reselling popular items like electronics or clothing, you might get lost in the crowd on big platforms. But if you're a manufacturer or have a unique product, you could build your brand from scratch online. Choose a marketplace like Zop that hosts several D2C brands.

Shipping and Logistics Support

Don't overlook shipping and handling. Make sure the marketplace you choose can efficiently deliver to areas where your warehouses are located. If you're starting your own marketplace, do your homework on logistics providers. It can make or break your business.

Platform Popularity

Giants like Amazon and Flipkart are household names for online shopping. Joining these platforms gives you instant access to a massive customer base. It's like setting up shop in a busy mall versus a quiet street corner. So, judge the popularity of the marketplace and the kind of customer base you can tap into.

Competition

The flip side of popular marketplaces? Intense competition. You'll be one of many sellers offering similar products, differentiated only by small details like product descriptions and seller ratings. So, you must be ready with strategies to compete in these highly-populated marketplaces.

Brand Image

On big marketplaces, you're often just another seller. Customers are not there to buy just from your brand on these marketplaces; they have multiple seller options. This can make building your brand tricky. Having your own store allows you to craft your brand image more carefully. Some platforms, like Amazon, now offer ways to use your own website while still processing transactions through them - giving you the best of both worlds.

Subscription Cost Considerations

Different marketplaces have different fees and commission structures. They also offer varying services. It's worth shortlisting a few options and comparing their specific plans. Think of it like shopping for a cell phone plan - you want the best value for your specific needs.

Conclusion

The best online shopping websites in India offer sellers a powerful mix of advantages. Your products easily fly off the shelf as these platforms are wildly popular and have niche market options and enormous customer bases, bringing you millions of potential buyers. They also have strong support systems and advanced tools to help sellers optimise their operations and reach. So, if you're looking to sell and earn more, these marketplaces are your go-to, hands down! 

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