There are milestones in every industry — moments where businesses have to shift and adapt to seismic change. The rise of online marketplaces is driving one of those shifts as retailers question whether these platforms are right for their brands, as well as how to best manage this potential business opportunity.
It's one that can't be ignored: 63% of shoppers planned to make a holiday purchase on a marketplace last year. That number is expected to only grow — and grow fast.
In the content below, we take a closer look at the risks and rewards of selling on one of today's marketplace platforms. Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and Walmart are the biggest players and the battle for market share is fierce. But there is plenty of opportunity for retailers to either create their own marketplace platforms or test the waters by joining one already up and running.
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3 sectors that could fall as online marketplaces rise
As Amazon and Alibaba climb to new heights, here's who could lose out and how badly, and which retailers are holding their own despite mounting pressure. Read More »
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Jet and Walmart, a tale of two marketplaces
Walmart is beefing up third-party selling and Jet is moving away from it. But neither may be a contender when it comes to beating Amazon. Read More »
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Can Amazon and its marketplace rivals fix their fake stuff problem?
Counterfeiting could soon be a $1 trillion criminal enterprise. As fakes proliferate online, the government is taking notice and brands are taking their arguments public — and to court. Read More »
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What the online tax debate means for Amazon marketplace sellers
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in the case, sellers on the e-commerce marketplace fear there may be implications. Read More »
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Living in a marketplace world
With marketplace sales on the rise, retailers need to develop a strategy to either participate or compete in this new paradigm, writes Michelle Grant, head of retailing research at Euromonitor International. Read More »
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7 trends that will disrupt and define retail in 2018
From renewed investment in brick and mortar to a growing appetite for acquisitions, here's what to expect in the year ahead. Read More »
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Forrester: Half of online sales occur on marketplaces
The majority of those sales are going to the usual suspects in the marketplace space: Amazon, Alibaba (Tmall), JD.com and eBay. Read More »
