Two names dominate global ecommerce – Amazon and eBay – so it’s no surprise that most people start their journey as an online seller on one or the other. But while most roads may lead to Amazon and eBay, they needn’t necessarily end there.

Expanding to new marketplaces continues to be one of the safest and quickest ways to scale your online business and access new international markets. Cost to entry is low—without the time and capital investment needed to create your own storefront, marketplaces can offer you the flexibility to dip your toes into the waters of new markets and see which regions work best.

Not all marketplaces are created equal, however. When you begin to look beyond the Amazon and eBay behemoths, you’ll find more specialist offerings. Conducting thorough research is key to understanding which channels will work best for your brand as each offer different features, access to various global markets, speciality product or service types and often require a specialised ‘local’ approach.

So, to help you start thinking global and stretching your marketplace seller wings, here are five more to master…

1. Cdiscount.com
With 16 million registered buyers and over €1 billion of sales, Cdiscount is the second-largest ecommerce website in France and one of the fastest-growing online marketplaces in Europe. Launched in 2011, it allows retailers to register without contract and list media, consumer electronics and more on its site.

Markets you can access: France, Belgium, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Thailand, Vietnam, Senegal, Brazil, Cameroon, Panama…

2. Newegg
Newegg is a technology marketplace that attracts clued-up, savvy customers who know exactly what they’re looking for. If you’re selling the right product at a competitive price, this knowledgeable audience of over 28 million registered users will buy. Newegg is well known for its low rates of commission too.

Markets you can access: USA, Canada, China, Taiwan

3. PriceMinister
PriceMinister is the second most-visited ecommerce website in France. Founded in 2000 and acquired by Rakuten in 2010, it claims more than 10 million unique visitors a month and is home to a wide variety of products, including books, video games, clothing, home and food.

Markets you can access: France

4. Rakuten
Founded in Japan in 1999, the purchase of Play.com helped Rakuten to expand globally and establish a strong presence outside of its trading heartland of Japan. With Rakuten, it’s easy to sell your products to consumers based in the UK, continental Europe and elsewhere through their dedicated regional websites.

Markets you can access: France (PriceMinister), UK, Germany, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand (Tarad)…

5. Wish.com
Wish.com is a rapidly growing, US based mobile app boasting hundreds of millions of users, generally of a younger demographic. They describe themselves as ‘the #1 shopping mall in Europe and North America.’ At 15%, the transaction fee for merchants is high, but the scale of the operation seems to be enough to keep marketplace sellers using the site.

Markets you can access: China, North America, South America, UK, Europe, pretty much anywhere!

For eBay and Amazon sellers, the opportunities to expand your online business internationally are practically limitless – so what are you waiting for?

Further reading:
New year, new ecommerce markets…new tax obligations?
6 powerful (and simple) optimisation tactics to increase eBay sales