It’s not only brick-and-mortar stores, but e-commerce which is facing big changes caused by Covid-19. “When looking at the effect this period will have on the future of e-commerce, we see this being a watershed event for consumer behaviour.” said Håkan Thyr, Chief Revenue Officer at Fruugo. With Amazon’s decisions regarding non-essential products in multiple countries, multi-channel sales has become even more of an urgent matter for online sellers. Here are our experts’ picks beyond Amazon – alternative marketplaces to maintain your sales and mitigate risk during (and beyond) Covid-19. We’ve also included helpful links and offers for you to start selling on these marketplaces at little to no cost.
eBay
One of Amazon’s largest competitors, eBay is launching a new Up & Running program to help physical retailers start selling online if you’re struggling during this difficult time. As part of the program, eBay is waiving seller fees for those new to the marketplace through June 30. If you’re having troubles when setting up in a new marketplace, thankfully there are customed templates created by Frooition, an eBay certified design provider for those looking for a rapid set-up. They’ve recently had feedback from customers in home & garden categories stating up to a 70% increase in sales since the pandemic started.
If you already sell on eBay, check out the eBay Shop Subscription Coronavirus Relief Refunds program. This initiative aims to relieve some of the pressure due to the uncertainty around COVID-19. Shop subscription fees will be refunded for sellers who had to shut down their eBay shop for an extended period of time.
Fruugo
As a global marketplace, Fruugo connects online sellers with over four billion potential customers in over 40 countries. With many of its shoppers being in lockdown and ‘working from home’, the marketplace had witnessed an increase in sales and a shift in how consumers are shopping. “We have experienced several weeks of ‘Black Fridays’,” said Håkan Thyr, Chief Revenue Officer at Fruugo, “with strong demand for categories such as home exercise equipment, office equipment and toys.”
Similar to eBay, Fruugo is temporarily waiving its joining fee of £995 and offering a free marketing boost to new sellers who come on board in the next month. “We also take care of all currency, sales tax and localization requirements, continuing our aim to make it as easy as possible for retailers to sell in international markets.” adds Thyr. It’s worth mentioning that no translation of the listings is needed when you sell on Fruugo, as the original text is automatically machine translated and the shoppers have the option to read the original. Contact InterCultural Elements to see if you qualify for a free setup on Fruugo.
OnBuy
OnBuy is a new, innovative and rapidly growing online marketplace and shopping comparison website. Their low seller fees mean it’s a great extra option for retailers to pass on the savings to shoppers. To help sellers maintain sales and expand their sales channels during Covid-19, ICE has partnered up with OnBuy and waived OnBuy’s subscription fee of £19 for the first month if you sign up via our registration page. Sellers will also get a rolling sales guarantee so you pay no subscription fee if you didn’t make >£500 the previous month. Contact InterCultural Elements to see if you qualify for a free OnBuy setup.
As the world boosts its efforts to slow down the spread of Covid-19, marketplaces and service providers are doing what we can to help the cause while keeping the e-commerce industry afloat and running. This may not be the inclusive list, but it’s a good place to start if you’re looking for alternative marketplaces to maintain your sales during Covid-19.
Jia Li is the e-Commerce Marketing Specialist at InterCultural Elements. She enjoys helping online retailers expand internationally and home-made blueberry cheese cake.
