The best marketplace to sell on in the UK depends on what you sell and how you source it. As a rough guide, eBay is the most flexible place to start for general goods, Amazon suits sellers with their own stock or brand, TikTok Shop suits products that sell well on video, and Etsy is only for handmade, vintage and craft items. The sections below explain why, and help you choose your first channel.
The quick comparison
| eBay | Amazon | TikTok Shop | Etsy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | New, used and general goods | Branded or stocked products, repeat buyers | Visual, demo-friendly, impulse products | Handmade, vintage, craft supplies |
| How buyers find you | Search and promoted listings | Search, ads and the Buy Box | Short videos, live streams, creators | Search and Etsy ads |
| Fee style | Final value fee on the total, plus a per-order fee | Referral fee, plus a monthly plan or per-item fee, plus fulfilment fees if you use FBA | Commission per sale, plus any affiliate commission you offer | Listing fee, transaction fee, payment processing fee, possible offsite ads fee |
| Dropshipping | Allowed with conditions | Only if you are the seller of record and meet its policy | Has its own rules on fulfilment and delivery times | Most resold items are not allowed |
| Effort to start | Low | Medium to high | Medium (content is the work) | Low to medium |
Fee structures and policies change regularly, so treat this table as a starting point and check each marketplace's own help pages for the current details.
eBay: the flexible all-rounder
eBay lets you sell almost anything legal, new or used, and it is often the quickest place to get a first sale.
Strengths
- Simple to set up, with a business account option for growth
- Wide range of buyers looking for value and specific items
- Promoted listings give you a straightforward way to buy visibility
Watch out for
- Final value fees are usually charged on the total the buyer pays, including postage
- Seller performance standards, especially late dispatch and "item not received" cases
- Delivery promises: long shipping times from overseas suppliers can hurt your metrics
Amazon: big audience, stricter rules
Amazon has huge reach and buyers who arrive ready to purchase. It rewards sellers who control their stock, pricing and fulfilment.
Strengths
- Strong buyer trust and fast checkout
- Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) can store and ship your stock for you
- Brand tools for sellers with a registered trademark
Watch out for
- Amazon requires you to be the seller of record and does not allow buying from another retailer and having them ship to your customer, so typical AliExpress dropshipping is not a fit
- Account verification can take time and needs documents ready
- Several layers of fees (referral, subscription, fulfilment, storage, advertising) that need careful modelling
If you are leaning towards Amazon, our Amazon UK seller account checklist covers what to prepare.
TikTok Shop: sales driven by content
TikTok Shop lets people buy straight from videos and live streams. It can move products quickly, but the selling is done through content rather than search.
Strengths
- Creators and affiliates can put your product in front of new audiences, even if you have no following yet
- Good for items that look impressive in a short demo
- Built-in tools for samples and creator commissions
Watch out for
- You need a steady flow of video, either your own or from creators
- Affiliate commissions come on top of platform fees
- Fast dispatch and delivery expectations, so slow overseas shipping can be a problem
Etsy: only for the right products
Etsy is built for handmade goods, vintage items and craft supplies. Etsy does not allow most resold items, so if your plan is to resell factory-made products, Etsy is not the place to start.
Strengths
- Buyers looking for unique, personal and gift items
- Low cost to list and test designs
- Strong fit for makers, designers and print-on-demand sellers who follow Etsy's production rules
Watch out for
- Strict rules on what counts as handmade or designed by you
- Several small fees that add up, including a possible offsite ads fee
A checklist to choose your first marketplace
Answer these questions honestly:
- Do you make or design the product yourself? If yes, Etsy is worth a look. If no, rule it out.
- Will you hold stock in the UK? If yes, Amazon becomes a real option. If you plan to dropship from overseas, Amazon's rules probably rule it out.
- Can you produce short videos every week, or work with creators? If yes, TikTok Shop could suit you.
- Do you want the simplest start with the widest range of products? eBay is usually the easiest first step.
- Can you meet fast delivery times? If not, choose a marketplace and listing settings that let you state longer handling times honestly.
- Do the numbers work after fees? Run your product through a profit check before you commit.
Compare the numbers, not just the platforms
The same product can be profitable on one marketplace and lose money on another, because commission rates, fixed fees and ad costs differ. Our free dropshipping profit calculator shows estimated profit for eBay, Amazon, TikTok Shop and Etsy side by side from one AliExpress link or supplier price, so you can see where your margin holds up.
A hypothetical example
Say you sell a £19.99 desk organiser. On one marketplace your fees and ads come to £4.10, on another £5.30 once you add a creator commission. With the same £8 product cost, that is a profit of about £7.89 against £6.69 before returns. Neither is wrong, but the difference matters across hundreds of orders, and it might change which channel you start with.
For a fuller walk through sourcing, delivery times and the rules for overseas suppliers, read our AliExpress dropshipping UK guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which UK marketplace is easiest for beginners?
For most general products, eBay is the easiest to set up and start selling on. It is flexible on product types and has a simple listing process.
Can I sell on more than one marketplace at once?
Yes, and many sellers do. Start with one until you have a reliable process for listing, dispatch and customer service, then add a second. Keeping stock counts in sync becomes important at that point.
Is TikTok Shop only for big brands?
No. Small sellers use it too, but success depends heavily on video content and creator partnerships, so plan time or budget for that.
Which marketplace has the lowest fees?
It depends on your category, price point, account type and whether you advertise. Compare them for your actual product using each platform's current fee page.
When you are ready to set up or manage your shops, our ecommerce and marketplace services cover eBay, Amazon, TikTok Shop and your own online store.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Fees, rules and thresholds change, so check the official source before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will review it.
