The Best UK Marketplaces to Sell On

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Have you ever wondered about the best UK marketplaces to sell on in 2022? Selling online can understandably come with numerous key challenges, but this shouldn’t have to be something that holds you back! With this thought in mind, today, we’re looking at some of the key things you need to know to ensure you’re getting the most from your choice of the best UK marketplaces to sell on in 2022. 

Finding a top-quality UK-based marketplace can often seem tough, many sellers even use crosslisting apps to sell on multiple marketplaces automatically

Don’t worry – while there are many different selling platforms in the UK out there, we’ve highlighted seven of the best as follows to help inform your decision. You’ll even learn how to sell on multiple marketplaces automatically at the end of the article

Depop

First of all, Depop is definitely one of the best UK marketplaces to sell on, which could make it an excellent option to consider. Depop was launched in 2011 and has since acquired over 26 million registered users. It primarily specializes in second-hand fashion but has also branched out into other sales such as sports equipment, art, books, film, and the like. The platform is predominantly used by a younger audience, with around 90% of all Depop users being 26 years or younger. This is definitely something that you may want to consider when choosing the platform to sell on.

How to sell on depop

To sell on depop it can be simple as making an account and verifying your details in order to start receiving payments.

We’ve written extensive guides on the following to help you out:

How Much Does it Cost to Sell on Depop?

Depop is generally an excellent choice if you’re looking for a cheap and cost-effective platform for selling, with fees at a flat rate of 10%. This could make it more cost-effective than many other online selling platforms; however, you’ll want to ensure your chosen products fit the platform’s primary under-26 demographic to increase the chances of getting a good price.

eBay

Without a doubt, eBay is one of the first that pops into our minds when we think of online selling platforms in the UK in 2022. Indeed, while the number of sellers on eBay has fallen steadily since 2014, there are still 18.3 million people selling on eBay. Of those, almost one-third of those come from the UK alone – as such, it’s irrefutably still one of the hottest platforms for selling your once-used items. And, with 279 million people visiting eBay from the UK alone, there are plenty of opportunities to make a sale.

Perhaps two of the largest benefits of using eBay as a seller are the sheer number of people who can see your items. eBay also has lower selling fees than comparable platforms of similar size. 

How Much Does it Cost to Sell Through eBay? 

Selling through eBay isn’t necessarily cheap, but the rate is affordable compared to other large-scale platforms. 

For private sellers, you’ll get monthly free listings and then get charged around 30p-35p per listing thereafter. You’ll also be charged around 12.8% fees up to ÂŁ2500 and an additional 3% in fees for anything above ÂŁ2500. 

For businesses, you’ll be charged up to 30p per listing or auction. In addition, you’ll have to pay a final value fee based on the sale price of between 5% and 12.9%.

Etsy

If you’re looking to buy and sell handmade, crafted, or vintage goods, Etsy might be just what you need. It’s mostly used for sellers wanting a simple online marketplace to sell their wares. A total of 96 million customer shop through Etsy each year .

Since each seller can create their own store, it’s one of the most versatile selling platforms in the UK. This helps ensure sellers don’t need to spend time or money building and establishing their own website, offering a simpler way to begin trading.

However, it’s important to consider that Etsy does allow sales of other items with the main goal of supporting small and independent businesses. 

How to sell on Etsy

To sell on Etsy you’ll often need a bank account and a way to verify your identity (a government-issued ID).

In order to increase traffic and sales on your etsy shop you can read our useful guides.

How Much Does it Cost to Sell on Etsy? 

Selling on Etsy is surprisingly cost-effective, and no monthly fees are involved as standard; however, you can upgrade to the Plus package to speed up your business’s growth. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the cost of selling on Etsy varies depending on the item’s price and how the customer found your sale.

The basic rate for selling on Etsy is around ÂŁ0.18 per listing (variable with exchange rates) plus ÂŁ0.20 for payment processing. In addition, you’ll pay a 6.5% transaction fee. If the customer found your product through Etsy’s offsite ads, you’ll also pay an additional fee of around 15% – although this may be optional, depending on your sales volume.

Vinted

You may have seen the adverts – and for a good reason, since the Vinted platform is definitely one of the best systems out there for selling top-quality used clothing. Vinted was founded in 2008, and the platform is widely considered one of the best destinations for second-hand styles overall. The platform has also grown to include beauty products, entertainment items, and the like.

Notably, it’s important to consider that private sellers primarily use Vinted. This differentiates Vinted from Depop, which is generally more common for second-hand business sellers. 

How to sell on Vinted

Similar to etsy, in order to sell on Vinted you’ll often need a bank account and a way to verify your identity (a government-issued ID). However you can start listing items as soon as you sign up in most cases.

How Much Does it Cost to Sell on Vinted?

It’s also important to keep in mind that Vinted does not have seller fees, which are common with almost all other second-hand selling platforms. Instead, Vinted’s income structure is based on optional boosts and bonuses, such as its Item Bump feature. 

This allows sellers to increase exposure for their items if needed. Still, it offers a completely free-to-use solution for sellers otherwise not wanting to upgrade their adverts.

Shpock 

The Shpock platform was originally launched in 2012 and differentiates itself from its competitors through its focus on local sales. Indeed, while most of the other platforms on this list operate on a broader basis, Shpock is designed for local sales with quick and easy access. This helps sellers ensure their items are going somewhere that they’ll be loved; all the while, it also means that buyers may be able to receive their second-hand goods sooner.

A key feature of the Shpock platform is that it’s highly versatile and broad. No matter the type of item you’ve had lying around, the Shpock app allows you to easily sell it online to local markets for a great price. With millions of items listed at any one time, it’s undeniable that Shpock is definitely one of the hottest platforms online.

Unlike the other platforms, Shpock also specialises in providing a platform for local services as well. This helps ensure that your business can enjoy optimal versatility overall, regardless of the nature of your local product or service.

How Much Does it Cost to Sell On Shpock?

Similarly to the Vinted platform, selling on Shpock is free for a basic listing. However, there are options to upgrade your listing, which may cost slightly extra, depending on your requirements. Many customers won’t necessarily need to use these features, so this is worth considering – upgrades may only be needed if you initially struggled to sell your item(s). 

Gumtree

Without a doubt, Gumtree is one of the oldest second-hand selling platforms on the market. The website was originally launched as a second-hand selling site in March 2000 and has continued to remain strong as a destination for selling high-quality second-hand goods as a result.

The Gumtree platform offers a little of everything. Unfortunately, sales are not handled directly within the platform, which slightly reduces the security for buyers and sellers. You should always keep this in mind when buying or selling through Gumtree.

However, the Gumtree platform is nevertheless still a much-loved and widely visited destination for those looking for second-hand goods, especially from a local perspective. Importantly, the website achieves a staggering 15 million monthly views almost per month, which clearly highlights the impressive popularity and strength of the platform. In fact, this makes it one of the thirty best platforms in the UK by traffic – not bad going at all.

The overarching concept behind GumTree is that of creating a community. As such, the brand’s logo focuses on themes of a single, large tree creating a broad community overall.

How Much Does it Cost to Sell On Gumtree?

If you’re looking to sell your pre-loved items online but don’t want the tie of huge fees, Gumtree might be just the platform you deserve. 

No listing fees are associated with Gumtree, which keeps costs down for sellers on the platform. Instead, the platform is generally funded through advert upgrades and the like, which can help your advert appear in a more favorable position in the search results if needed.

Overall, Gumtree is an excellent destination for those wanting a reliable, easy to use, and professional selling platform. However, the site’s lack of a built-in payment system may make it more impractical for people wanting a new selling destination overall. 

Even more impressively, Gumtree does not significantly restrict the number of guests that can visit the platform nor the number of trades a seller can make. Your Gumtree advert will last approximately 30 days overall or approximately 60 days if you provide a dedicated service.

Amazon

As the final pick of today’s list, we’d be remiss to mention anyone other than Amazon. Amazon launched in 1994, making it even older than Gumtree, and it’s definitely become one of the biggest household names in the online selling world. Indeed, few people don’t know of Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, and even fewer don’t know about Amazon itself. As such, it’s undeniably a household name – and a potentially good choice of selling platform in the UK.

While many of the other destinations on this list are focused primarily on second-hand sales, Amazon is generally one of the best UK marketplaces to sell on as a business. With Amazon sales, you’ll typically need plenty of stock, making it ineffective for private sellers looking to sell a few previously loved items.

However, if you’re a business, becoming an Amazon seller offers a huge amount of potential. In fact, Amazon accounted for almost one-third of all eCommerce sales, indicating slow but steady growth. Therefore, if you want an easy way to begin selling online, Amazon might be your top choice.

Perhaps the main selling point of Amazon for many customers is that it literally offers a little of everything. You’ll also find anything you could buy in a high street store with Amazon. As such, the platform’s well worth considering for all business sellers.

How Much Does it Cost to Sell On Amazon?

Interestingly, the cost of selling products through Amazon is actually much more affordable than many people realise. The cost to list and sell a product is just ÂŁ0.75 per product. Alternatively, with the Professional plan, seller trading in large amounts can drastically reduce their costs by enjoying unlimited free listings.

However, if you’re selling through Amazon and your products are purchased after a referral, you’ll have to pay a little more in the way of fees. However, these fees tend to change regularly, so always do your research first to ensure you’re happy with your chosen agent and property.

For example, depending on the product, you’ll meet new challenges, requirements, and the like; these could make some of your attempts less profitable than they ought to be. Amazon may also charge fulfillment fees if you are asking the Amazon team to process, handle, and package the product effectively. Fortunately, this process – though a little more expensive – is an option and may not be done to the best standard.

Reassuringly, you can also apply for up to 5% cashback on branded sales through your Amazon account. The Amazon team is on hand to help with this if you need further guidance.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been looking for a professional online marketplace to sell your items, countless excellent options are available. However, finding the right one is often tough, and will often depend on the type of items you’re selling. Today’s summary should give you a good starting point to choose the best UK marketplace to sell on. However, you are in luck!

There’s no reason to choose just one marketplace to sell on if you use a crosslisting app. SellerAider’s crosslister allows you to list your items on more than five of the most popular UK marketplaces with the click of a button.

Try crosslister for free here