Marketplaces or Own Store: What is More Profitable in 2025

How the eCommerce market has changed over the last few years

The world of online sales is no longer divided into “store” and “market.” Today, brands are forced to make a strategic decision: stay in the shadow of someone else’s platform or build their own ecosystem. Marketplaces have become the main entry point into eCommerce.

But along with the growth in sales comes growing distrust. Sellers complain about account bans, changing rules, imposed additional fees. One unfavorable review or “algorithm glitch” — and your business is at risk.

In 2023, Etsy blocked over 45,000 accounts without warning, causing an uproar among artisans and small brands. The reason — automatic filters that sometimes don’t work correctly.

In 2023, the company Ukrainian Gift Box lost 70% of its income in a month due to unjustified blocking on Etsy. After moving to their own site, the brand recovered volumes in 4 months and doubled the average check.

The marketplace works for itself, not for you. A seller’s success does not guarantee stability — this is the main reason why entrepreneurs are increasingly seeking alternatives.

Renaissance of niche online stores

Despite the popularity of large platforms, independent stores are experiencing a true renaissance. Brands are returning to independence. For example, Glossier — a cult beauty brand — bet on direct-to-consumer back in 2019, and today 100% of its sales go through its own site.

The reason is simple: control. Owning a platform allows you to manage UX, analytics, customer base, and pricing. This is what makes your business flexible.

The trend is growing in Ukraine as well. In 2024, over 38% of niche brand sales occurred through their own websites. Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Tilda, and Horoshop simplify the entry, while SEO and content marketing replace advertising expenses.

Launching a store has become technically easier but requires systematization. If you have a product, understand your target audience, and have a minimum marketing budget—a dedicated platform becomes a logical step forward.

What is more cost-effective

Is money not the main issue? Maybe. But when it comes to launching online sales — money defines the starting strategy. Here, reality quickly diverges from expectations: marketplaces seem like a free trampoline until you start carefully calculating how much you actually pay for ‘convenience’.

At first glance, selling on Rozetka, Prom, Etsy, or Amazon is simple: register, add products, and start earning. But behind this simple interface are dozens of small fees, commissions, conditional and not-so-conditional ‘visibility improvements,’ which consume the lion’s share of the margin.

The commission from each sale can reach 15-25%, and in some niches — more. If the seller does not pay for advertising within the platform, their products are simply not visible. A marketing budget does not guarantee a return on investment — rates increase monthly, competition does not decrease.

Meanwhile, owning an online store may initially seem more expensive, but it doesn’t have hidden fees. You pay for the creation, hosting, and promotion of the site — yes, it’s an investment. But every dollar works for your brand, your reputation, and your independence.

Marketplace Fees vs Website Development Costs

At first glance, a marketplace seems cheaper. There’s no need to pay a developer, rent hosting, or set up a CMS. You register — and start selling. But here’s where the hidden costs lie:

• Rozetka takes 15-25% of the product’s cost + a monthly subscription fee for some categories.
• Prom.ua — up to 18% along with visibility and product promotion fees.
• Etsy — 6.5% + $0.20 per item + mandatory advertising fee.

For comparison, creating a store on Shopify will cost from $39/month + 2% per transaction, while launching a site on WordPress — from $300 one-time + $10-15/month for hosting.

Yes, a site requires investment at the start. But in the long run, it becomes a more financially stable tool.

Long-Term Costs: Who Pays More After a Year

A year on a marketplace involves many small payments that are not always apparent at first: fulfillment fees, catalog promotion, bonuses, policy changes. And none of this guarantees sales.

Conversely, investing in your own website functions like capitalization. You spend once on the technical base, and then optimize costs — SEO, remarketing, e-mail base. Below is a comparative list of annual expenses.

Seller’s expenses on a marketplace (example Rozetka):

• Product commission — $3,000 (with $12,000 turnover)
• Promotion fee — $1,200
• Logistics commission — $1,500
• Total: $5,700/year

Seller’s expenses with their own website (Horoshop platform + advertising):

• Development + hosting — $1,000
• SEO/advertising — $2,000
• Technical support — $600
• Total: $3,600/year

The difference is obvious. And the more sales you have, the more advantageous your own platform becomes.

Who owns the customer: control over the audience

Marketing is a long game. And the key to winning is knowing your buyer, having direct contact with them, and being able to build trusting relationships. But on marketplaces, this control is virtually unattainable.

Platforms like Amazon, Prom, or Rozetka do not provide you access to clients’ email addresses. You don’t know who bought, how often they repeat purchases, or why they left. The marketplace accumulates all the data — and uses it for its own purposes. It’s like playing poker when your opponent can see your cards.

On the other hand, your own online store offers full access to analytics: user behavior, conversions, traffic sources. This allows you to test, optimize, and scale.

Moreover, with repeat sales, profitability increases exponentially — because you don’t have to pay again to attract the customer. But to do this, you need to be able to communicate with them.

A conditional e-mail is more than just a communication channel. It’s a future purchase, a recommendation, and an element of loyalty. And these don’t exist if you don’t own the database.

CRM, email, remarketing — all this is possible only on your own platform

After the first order, the most important thing is not to lose contact. This is where real marketing begins: email newsletters, personalized offers, remarketing on Facebook and Google. But without your own database, all of this is just a dream.

Platforms such as Shopify, Horoshop, Tilda integrate with CRM and mailing services (GetResponse, SendPulse, HubSpot). You see purchase history, customer behavior on the site, and can automate communications.

This allows you to:

• Welcome new customers automatically.
• Bring back those who haven’t purchased in over 30 days.
• Offer relevant products based on viewing history.

All this is about building long-term relationships. On marketplaces, however, the customer is not yours, but the platform’s.

Marketing without user access is like radio advertising: you hear it but don’t know who is listening. In your own store, you finally see your customer face to face.

Impact on the brand: how customers perceive the company

In modern eCommerce, a brand is not just a logo. It’s the experience, values, communication tone, and emotions you convey to customers. But all this dissolves when you’re just one of dozens of sellers on a platform.

Are you a brand or just another seller? On a marketplace, all products look the same: white background, title, rating, “Buy” button. Nobody remembers who sold them the product if everything goes through the marketplace interface. And that’s a loss of identity.

In contrast, in your own store you control every pixel: from design and communication style to emotional tone. You can implement visual patterns, your own bonus system, the founders’ stories — everything that creates a unique atmosphere. The customer isn’t just buying a product. They’re buying value, experience, and a feeling that they’re dealing with a real business, not just another “store #1247”.

That’s why brands that build a community around them sooner or later leave other platforms. Only their own site allows them to create a unique identity.

Traffic: where sales come from

Sales without traffic are like a store in a basement without a sign. And here the approaches differ fundamentally: marketplaces provide a ready flow, but the control over it is not yours. Your own store requires effort, but it provides sustainability.

More and more businesses are choosing SEO as a long-term investment. A properly optimized site can consistently bring traffic without additional costs for every click. But this is only possible on your own platform. A marketplace does not allow you to build an SEO strategy — you do not control the page structure, meta tags, URLs, or content.

A personal website allows you to:

• Promote with low-competition, low-frequency queries.
• Run a blog and gather traffic through content marketing.
• Receive traffic from both Google Shopping and organic search simultaneously.
• Set up UTM tags and measure advertising effectiveness.

Advertising on marketplaces is an auction where the highest payer wins. Your success depends not on product quality, but on budget. And each year, these bids increase.

Building SEO is not a sprint, but a marathon. However, in a year or two, it ensures autonomy from any algorithm changes and platform rules.

Can a marketplace guarantee sales

At first glance, marketplaces seem like a place with an endless stream of customers. But the question is, how many of them will actually find your product. Competition is high, and every click costs money. Without paid promotion, even the best offer risks getting lost among hundreds of similar ones.

Moreover, marketplace algorithms change. A seller never knows why they were on the first page yesterday and on the tenth today. The platform is not obliged to explain its actions. Even if you get traffic, it does not mean sales. Many users visit, compare prices, and go to another seller. Conversion depends on small details you cannot control: the competitor’s positioning, the catalog’s appearance, moderation speed.

A marketplace is a noisy bazaar where a seller must constantly shout louder than others. Your own website is your showroom where you decide who, how, and why buys.

Real Cases: Who and How Will Earn in 2025

To avoid speaking theoretically, let’s look at how entrepreneurs really work in 2025. There are those who succeed on marketplaces and those who grow through their own websites. Success is not about the format but the strategic approach. Therefore, we will consider the most popular cases. This will allow us to understand what is really happening in the market.

Case of the Ukrainian Gift Box Brand

This Ukrainian brand started on Etsy, where it sold boxes with local souvenirs. The first year everything went well — sales increased, reputation strengthened. But at some point, the account was blocked by Etsy’s automated system without explanation. It could not be restored.

Then the team decided to move the business to Shopify. They created a minimalist site, connected Stripe for payments, and integrated email marketing through Klaviyo. They launched ads on Instagram, targeting the diaspora.

Result:

• In the first month after launch — $5,000 in sales.
• After six months — consistent orders from the USA and Canada.
• Full control over the client base and communication.

In one year of operating through its own site, Ukrainian Gift Box increased the average order value by 34% and retained over 80% of clients for repeat purchases — thanks to personalized email campaigns. This case illustrates that independence is not a luxury but a strategic safety measure. Sometimes it’s better not to depend on external algorithms but to build your own reliable system.

Green Candle Studio Brand Case

This small Ukrainian brand creates eco-friendly soy wax candles. In 2023, the team launched the project as a hobby through Instagram, selling via direct messages. However, after positive feedback and interest from eco-communities, the brand decided to reach a new level.

In 2024, they opened an online store on Tilda and registered on the marketplace Made with Bravery. Everything was accompanied by a clear position: natural ingredients, plastic-free packaging, transparency in sourcing materials. The blog on the site played an important role — they published customer stories, production photo reports, and articles about the benefits of soy wax.

Results:

• During the first quarter — 800+ sales through the site and marketplace.
• Over 60% of orders were repeat purchases, with high engagement in social media.
• After launching the mailing, the open rate exceeded 40%, and the conversion was over 9%.

In 2025, Green Candle Studio is opening a showroom in Lviv. The brand became profitable by combining a quality product, transparent communication, and a mix of sales channels. It’s a classic example of how a strong business with a loyal audience can be built from a small local production. 78% of orders at Green Candle Studio in 2025 are accompanied by gift wrapping and a personalized letter, which increased the average check by 23%.

Conclusions: what entrepreneurs should choose in 2025

There is no universal recipe for success in eCommerce. For some, the marketplace works wonderfully, while others prefer their own store. The difference lies not only in the platform but also in the goals, resources, and approach to development. The main thing is not to go with the flow but to clearly understand where you want to go.

Marketplaces offer a quick start, less hassle, and access to a large audience. However, they also mean less control, less data, and fewer opportunities to build a brand. It’s like renting a booth in a big mall: there’s traffic, but the landlord dictates the rules.

Having your own store means more responsibility but also more freedom. You own everything from analytics to reviews. You can build loyalty, create a community, and launch individual promotions and campaigns. And most importantly, you grow on your own terms.

Below is a list of questions that will help you understand which option suits you best:

Checklist for decision-making:

• Do you have the resources to launch a website (money, time, team)?
• Do you want to sell quickly or strategically build a brand?
• How important is control over the client and marketing?
• Are you planning to develop SEO, content, and email marketing?
• Are you ready to compete not only on price, but also on experience?

According to Salesforce, brands that invested in their own platforms had a 55% higher LTV (customer lifetime value) than those who operated solely through aggregators.

In the end, the key is not the format, but the strategy. If you’re ready to build a foundation, choose your own store. If you want to “enter the market” and test it out, a marketplace will be a springboard. But remember: temporary solutions should not become long-term shackles.

Make your choice consciously

Online trade is no longer about “where it’s easier.” It’s about where you control the process, build relationships with customers, and create long-term value. By 2025, those who will survive are not the ones selling cheaper, but those who better understand their audience.

If you are an entrepreneur who values the brand over quick sales, consider your own platform. Yes, it’s more difficult. Yes, it takes longer. But every invested dollar will return as a loyal customer who will not disappear with algorithm changes.

A marketplace is a good tool for scaling but a poor foundation for a business that wants to control its future. Therefore, the main thing is not to fall into the trap of “convenience,” which will ultimately become a brake.

Remember: you are not just selling a product. You are creating an experience. And it only depends on you in whose hands this experience will remain.