Online marketplaces in Australia have become one of the main ways Australians discover, compare, and buy products, with platforms like Amazon, eBay, Temu, Shein and local players such as Kogan and major retailers’ sites capturing a growing share of online spending. Recent market data shows that online marketplaces now account for more than 23% of Australia’s ecommerce turnover and continue to expand their influence as digital shopping becomes the norm.
Why Online Marketplaces Matter in Australia
Australia’s ecommerce sector has grown rapidly over the past few years, supported by high internet usage, widespread smartphone adoption and strong consumer appetite for online shopping. According to marketplace reports and ecommerce analyses, online retail spending in Australia is expected to reach around 42.04 billion USD in 2025, with user penetration forecast to approach 84.4% by 2029.
With over 96% of Australians using the internet and a large share of them shopping online, marketplaces have become the “default” starting point for many purchase journeys. They let shoppers search across multiple brands and categories at once, compare prices and delivery options, read reviews, and complete checkout in a familiar interface—often with saved payment and address details. Statista’s online marketplaces in Australia – statistics & facts compilation illustrates how marketplace usage and revenue share have steadily climbed as consumer behaviour shifts online.
The Marketplace Landscape: Global Giants vs Local Platforms
The marketplace landscape in Australia is increasingly dominated by global players, with local platforms under pressure. Recent consumer and retailer research shows how Amazon, Temu, and Shein, in particular, have tightened their grip on the Australian marketplace sector.
- Amazon.com.au has quickly risen to become the leading marketplace by reach, with estimates suggesting around 8.8 million active shoppers and roughly two‑thirds of Australians planning to shop on Amazon in 2026.
- eBay.com.au remains a major player, with about half of surveyed consumers indicating they plan to shop on eBay, though its share has softened as Amazon and new entrants grow.
- Temu and Shein have rapidly captured bargain‑focused and fast‑fashion segments, offering aggressive pricing and a huge product range that appeal especially to younger shoppers.
- Local marketplaces have contracted: Catch and MyDeal have exited the market, leaving Kogan and a few retailer‑driven platforms as the primary home‑grown marketplace brands trying to hold ground.
Ecommerce news pieces covering Pattern’s “Marketplace Consumer Report 2026” highlight how Amazon, Temu and Shein are set to dominate Australia’s marketplace sector, squeezing the room for smaller local platforms. A similar analysis in Ecommerce News Australia on global ecommerce giants squeezing Australia’s marketplaces details how these entrants are reshaping price expectations and delivery standards.
Major Online Marketplaces and Ecommerce Sites in Australia
For Australian sellers and international brands targeting Australian consumers, understanding the main marketplaces is essential for choosing the right channels. Several independent guides list and compare the top Australian marketplaces and ecommerce sites by traffic, category focus, and seller tools.
Amazon Australia
Amazon.com.au has quickly become the key marketplace for many categories in Australia. It combines retail and marketplace operations, offering shoppers a huge range of products from Amazon itself and third‑party sellers.
- Estimates place Amazon among the top ecommerce sites in Australia by traffic, with tens of millions of visits each month and shoppers accustomed to Prime shipping and familiar Amazon UX.
- Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) and programs like Prime help set expectations for fast, reliable delivery nationwide, including regional areas that have historically been harder to serve.
EcommerceGuide’s rundown of the top 10 ecommerce sites in Australia highlights Amazon’s reach in categories including electronics, books, homewares and more, and explains how it stacks up against leading local retailers online.
eBay Australia
eBay.com.au remains an important marketplace, especially for small traders and those selling second‑hand, refurbished, niche or collector items.
- It combines auction and fixed‑price listings, giving sellers flexibility in how they price and promote products.
- It attracts millions of monthly visits, with a strong culture of bargain‑hunting and deal‑based promotions.
Many small Australian sellers still use eBay as a first step into ecommerce, leveraging its established buyer base before expanding to other channels. Market‑ranking tools like Similarweb’s top marketplace websites ranking in Australia show eBay’s continuing prominence among marketplace sites, even as Amazon grows.
Kogan and Retailer‑Led Marketplaces
Kogan.com operates a hybrid model as both retailer and marketplace. It sells its own private‑label and direct‑import products alongside third‑party sellers, particularly in electronics, appliances and general merchandise.
- Kogan appeals to value‑oriented shoppers and promotes frequent deals and members‑only offers.
- As global competition intensifies, Kogan remains one of the few local marketplace brands, making it an attractive partner for sellers who want an Australian‑owned platform in their mix.
Other large retailers function as important ecommerce destinations and, in some cases, partial marketplaces. Kmart, Big W, Woolworths, Coles, JB Hi‑Fi and Chemist Warehouse all rank among the top ecommerce sites in Australia, with some offering limited third‑party listings or vendor programs.
Marketplace round‑ups like Linnworks’ top Australian marketplaces to sell on in 2026 and CS‑Cart’s best online marketplaces in Australia break down how platforms like Amazon, eBay, Kogan, Bunnings Marketplace and others differ in audience, categories and seller tools.
APAC and Niche Marketplaces
Beyond domestic giants, Australian businesses can also tap into regional marketplaces across Asia–Pacific. Fashion, electronics, and B2B platforms in APAC often include Australian sellers, allowing them to reach new export markets via marketplace infrastructure.
Anchanto’s guide to the top 40 marketplaces in the APAC region lists platforms popular in Southeast Asia, East Asia and beyond that Australian brands can use to diversify their sales footprint.
Consumer Behaviour on Online Marketplaces in Australia
Consumer research paints a clear picture of how Australians are using marketplaces and what they expect from them.
- Concentration on a few platforms: With the exit of some local marketplaces and the rise of global players, Australians are consolidating their spending on a handful of large platforms.
- Price and value‑driven shopping: Value for money remains crucial, but shoppers also care about convenience, delivery speed, and returns policies.
- Multi‑platform behaviour: Many consumers browse and buy across multiple marketplaces, switching between Amazon, eBay, Temu, Shein and leading retailers depending on category and deal.
- Growing social commerce: The expected rollout of TikTok Shop and similar features in Australia will further blur the line between content and commerce, offering yet another “marketplace‑like” path to purchase.
Statista’s statistics on Australia’s most popular online retailers and marketplaces and its online marketplaces in Australia factsheet provide figures on user share, visit frequency and leading platforms.
Benefits of Selling on Online Marketplaces in Australia
For Australian small retailers and exporters, marketplaces can be both a launchpad and a growth engine. The main advantages include:
- Built‑in traffic and trust: Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay bring millions of ready‑to‑buy shoppers, along with credibility, reviews and secure payment systems.
- Faster entry to market: Selling through an established platform can be quicker and cheaper than building a standalone ecommerce site from scratch, especially for early‑stage brands.
- Access to regional and global buyers: Many marketplaces let Australian sellers reach international customers without needing local warehouses in each country.
- Operational support: Fulfilment options, shipping integrations, and customer‑service tools reduce the complexity of selling across the country or overseas.
The Australian Government’s Austrade portal offers a dedicated how‑to guide on using online marketplaces as part of an export strategy. It explains how marketplaces can help Australian businesses test demand in new markets, manage logistics, and find buyers without immediately investing in overseas offices or stores.
For domestic sellers, GoDaddy’s guide to starting selling online for beginners walks through when and how to use marketplaces, your own website, and social media together to build a multi‑channel sales strategy.
Challenges and Risks for Sellers
Despite the clear benefits, selling on online marketplaces in Australia also comes with risks that small businesses must manage carefully.
- Intense competition: Global giants and discount‑driven platforms like Temu and Shein bring aggressive pricing and massive assortments that can be hard for smaller retailers to match.
- Fee and margin pressure: Commission fees, fulfilment costs, and advertising spend can quickly erode margins if not carefully tracked and priced in.
- Platform dependence: Over‑reliance on a single marketplace exposes sellers to policy changes, listing suspensions, or algorithm shifts that can affect visibility and revenue overnight.
- Brand differentiation: With thousands of sellers in popular categories, standing out requires strong branding, imagery, content, and customer service.
Austrade’s online marketplaces how‑to guide encourages Australian businesses to treat marketplaces as part of a broader channel strategy—involving their own site and other partners—rather than their only route to market.
How Australian Small Retailers Can Use Marketplaces
Small bricks‑and‑mortar retailers and local ecommerce brands in Australia can use marketplaces to extend their reach and test new product lines. A simple approach might look like this:
Step 1: Start with One or Two Core Marketplaces
Many small retailers start either with eBay, Amazon, or both, since these platforms offer large, general audiences and well‑documented seller programs. Guides like Linnworks’ top Australian marketplaces to sell on list each platform’s strengths, helping you match your products to the right audience.
Step 2: Choose the Right Fulfilment Model
Australian small businesses can choose between self‑fulfilment (shipping from their own warehouse or store) and marketplace‑managed fulfilment (such as FBA with Amazon). Consider:
- Where your customers are located (metro vs regional).
- How fast they expect delivery.
- Your ability to pack and ship orders at scale.
Ecommerce platform guides like Airwallex’s best ecommerce platforms in Australia guide discuss when marketplaces and fulfilment services make sense versus investing in your own infrastructure.
Step 3: Optimise Listings and Pricing
Listings should be tailored for Australian shoppers with clear, localised descriptions, high‑quality images, and accurate shipping/returns information. Price points need to account for marketplace fees and local competition. Practical how‑to content such as GoDaddy’s full guide to starting selling online walks through listing optimisation, pricing strategy, and reviews management for beginners.
Step 4: Build a Brand, Not Just Listings
Even on marketplaces, brand matters. Use consistent imagery, tone of voice, and packaging to make your store memorable. Marketplace best‑practice articles from ecommerce software vendors and agencies recommend investing in enhanced content, Q&A sections, and proactive customer service to build reputation and reviews.
How Australian Exporters Can Use Marketplaces
Online marketplaces can also serve as a low‑risk entry point for Australian exporters targeting overseas customers, particularly in APAC and North America.
Finding the Right Overseas Marketplaces
Austrade’s Use online marketplaces guide recommends starting by identifying your target markets and then selecting marketplaces that are popular in those countries. This might mean selling on Amazon’s US or UK sites, or region‑specific platforms in Southeast Asia.
Anchanto’s top 40 marketplaces in APAC list can help you identify platforms that fit your product category and target countries across the region.
Compliance, Logistics and Payments
Exporting via marketplaces still requires attention to customs, taxes, and logistics. Government and trade bodies emphasise:
- Understanding import duties and GST/VAT rules in the destination country.
- Working with logistics partners who can manage cross‑border shipping and returns.
- Ensuring your marketplace account and payments are configured to handle foreign currencies and exchange risk.
Austrade’s guide on using online marketplaces explains how to address these issues step by step, and suggests leveraging fulfilment programs and partners that specialise in cross‑border ecommerce.
Export Case‑Style Example
Consider a small Australian skincare brand in Queensland that wants to reach customers in Singapore and Malaysia. Instead of opening stores or hiring local distributors immediately, they might:
- List selected products on Amazon’s international marketplace or a relevant APAC platform highlighted in the top 40 APAC marketplaces guide.
- Use cross‑border fulfilment partners or FBA where available, shipping inventory to a central warehouse for faster delivery in the region.
- Follow Austrade’s advice on using online marketplaces to manage compliance, shipping and customer support while testing demand.
Choosing the Right Mix of Marketplaces and Platforms
Most Australian businesses will use a mix of channels rather than relying on a single marketplace. The right combination depends on factors like brand maturity, product type, and resources.
- New microbusinesses might start on one general marketplace (Amazon or eBay) plus a basic website builder or platform, following step‑by‑step guidance like GoDaddy’s how to start selling online guide.
- Scaling ecommerce brands often layer in multiple marketplaces and a dedicated ecommerce platform, guided by comparisons such as Airwallex’s best ecommerce platforms in Australia article.
- Export‑oriented companies may run different marketplace mixes in different regions, using lists like the APAC marketplace compilation to decide where to list each product line.
Linnworks’ top Australian marketplaces to sell on notes that many retailers now operate on an average of 4.31 marketplaces, with over 70% selling on at least two but fewer than six platforms, striking a balance between reach and operational complexity.
Final Thoughts: Marketplaces as Part of a Broader Strategy
Online marketplaces in Australia are no longer just “nice to have” channels—they are central to how consumers shop and how brands grow. At the same time, the dominance of global giants and the exit of some local platforms mean sellers must be strategic about where and how they participate.
By combining insights from marketplace rankings, consumer trend reports, and government how‑to guides—such as Statista’s marketplace stats, the Use online marketplaces guide from Austrade, and seller‑focused lists like top Australian marketplaces to sell on—Australian small retailers and exporters can build marketplace strategies that support both short‑term sales and long‑term brand value.