Top Online Marketplaces in Australia 2024: All You Need to Know About Leaders

The number of online shoppers is growing year by year. Thanks to technological advances, we live and work in an increasingly digital world. According to Statista, the ecommerce industry swiftly approaches 1 trillion USD in total revenue by 2024 and keeps growing steadily.

Accordingly, ecommerce platforms can offer new opportunities and set new sales standards in the industry without worrying about major losses. Thanks to marketplaces, anyone can sell and buy almost everything without leaving their home.

In this article, we will look at the best online marketplaces in Australia, such as eBay, Amazon, Catch, TheMarket, Kogan, MyDeal, Ozsale, The Iconic, Trade Me, and Bunnings Marketplace. Our team reviewed them regarding the monetization strategy used, markets that are present, and features that are offered to customers. Let’s get started.

Online marketplace definition

Before diving into details, it’s worth figuring out the term. Essentially, an online marketplace is an ecommerce marketplace platform that connects merchants with buyers offering goods and services online.

These websites are known to be complex and highly scalable. They provide a rich variety of products and services, comprehensive search systems, and filters. Also, they offer helpful communication tools, multiple payment options, and shipping methods.

After all, both buyers and sellers get a lot of benefits from using dedicated platforms.

Benefits for sellers

As vendors are people who publish and intend to sell their goods, there are three main advantages online marketplaces can offer them.

• Low initial investment. You can create your ecommerce store and maintain and optimize it with minimal expenses, as platforms usually provide all the functionality needed.
• Access to a larger audience. Online marketplaces often have a significant number of active users and customers. This provides sellers with immediate access to a large and diverse audience, which can be challenging to reach through other means.
• Simplified payment processing. Marketplaces often handle payment processing on behalf of sellers, making it easier for them to accept various payment methods, handle international transactions, and reduce the risk of fraud.
• Data and analytics. Sellers can access valuable data and analytics on customer behavior, sales trends, and market insights. This information can be used to optimize pricing, inventory management, and product offerings.

Benefits for buyers

• Rich products and services catalog. Buyers can find desired items in minutes, as they are often offered by different vendors, regardless of the geographical location.
• Convenience in use. Ecommerce platforms always focus on positive user experience, providing convenient interfaces, functionality, and handy features.
• Customer service support. Many online marketplaces offer customer service support to address buyer inquiries, concerns, and disputes, providing an additional layer of security and assistance.
• Competitive pricing. The competitive nature of online marketplaces often leads to competitive pricing, as sellers strive to offer the best deals to attract buyers. Buyers can compare prices and find the most cost-effective options.

Top biggest online marketplaces in Australia overview

Right after some theory, let’s get back to the best online selling platforms Australia can offer. All of them are recognizable brands that attract thousands of visitors in Australia. Moreover, they also move beyond the continent, expanding their reach and success in international markets.

1. eBay

Pierre Omidyar incorporated eBay in 1995 as a B2C and B2B platform. The online shop was founded as a part of a personal website. Today, eBay is one of the most powerful marketplaces, selling lots of products and services.

Thanks to the auction-centric approach, Australian eBay regularly stays among the top marketplaces on the continent. According to Similarweb, ebay.com.au had 47.6 million visits in October 2023. It currently resides in second place in the ecommerce and shopping marketplace category.

Fast facts

• 47.6 million visits in the last month;
• $2.5 billion in revenue in Q2 2023;
• 1.9 billion live listings.

Monetization strategy and business model

• Subscription fee;
• Listing fee;
• Commission fee.

eBay is primarily an auction platform that promotes sales between third parties and sellers. A customer needs to pay 3-10% of each item, depending on the category, without any extra fees. Furthermore, the platform charges sellers a listing fee. The price per listing varies depending on the product categories (starts from 5 cents). The site also proposes a subscription option for sellers.

Regarding eBay's business model, it includes auction sales based on a horizontal platform. It is a B2C and C2C site for buying and selling goods. Here is a neat infographic depicting how eBay works, complemented with key statistical insights.

Goods supplied

Essentially, eBay is a horizontal marketplace, so it offers a wide range of products. The most commonly bought items on eBay are home decor and garden accessories, books, collectibles, tech, and fashion items.

Why users like eBay

Apart from being a popular marketplace, it is robust and performant. It is simply comfortable to use, and people enjoy it. Thus, speaking of benefits, customers highlight the following:

• The advanced search engine enables users to look for items by categories, keywords, location, currency, and more.
• eBay is designed with its customers in mind, so you can easily add the desired product to your wish list or favorites.
• This online shop proposes multiple payment systems for sellers, such as credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal.
• eBay offers new, pre-owned, and unique goods for auction or at a fixed price.

2. Amazon

Amazon is one of the largest global marketplaces. It was founded in Seattle, Washington, in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Although Amazon aimed initially to sell books, now, it has an endless variety of items, from electronic devices to food, jewelry, clothes, and almost anything you can think of.

Today, Amazon has separate sites for 16 countries. Among them, you can see the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and others.

Speaking of popularity, in Amazon’s case, the formula is simple: a strong brand and excellent reputation. In this regard, we can recall Jeff Bezos’ quote, “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”.

Thanks to its reputation and years of experience, Amazon constantly increases its users' database and boasts other fascinating metrics. Let’s get in more detail with numbers.

Amazon categorizes its operations into three primary segments: North America, International, and AWS (Amazon Web Services). The "North America" and "International" segments pertain to the geographical aspects of Amazon's retail activities, encompassing retail sales, subscriptions, and export transactions. On the other hand, AWS offers cloud services to a wide spectrum of clients, including businesses, government entities, and educational institutions, enabling them to manage data and distribute content.

Amazon's chief revenue source is retail, with both online and brick-and-mortar stores contributing significantly.

Fast facts

• 310+ million active users;
• 2.2 billion monthly visits;
• $134.4 billion in revenue in Q2 2023;
• 350+ million sale items.

Monetization strategy and business model

Being a huge, leading platform, Amazon has numerous ways to monetize its entire operations.

• Subscription fee;
• Commission fee;
• Third-party seller services;
• Advertising and promotions;
• Subscription services.

Regarding the business model, Amazon comprises B2C and B2B approaches. It is based on a horizontal pattern, providing both goods and services for customers.

Goods supplied

Amazon offers a wide variety of goods. Some of the most popular products are clothing, electricals, toys, books, and jewelry. Below, you can see the most popular categories on Amazon worldwide.

Why users like Amazon

As Amazon became an irreplaceable platform in shoppers’ lives, it never loses popularity and instead only grows. Thus, people love it, and here’s why.

• The marketplace offers the widest number of selling items compared to other platforms.
• This site has an easy-to-navigate interface both for novices and experienced users.
• Amazon offers products that users can be interested in based on their online shopping and browsing history.
• Amazon offers flexible shipping settings and printing labels from the site.
• With Amazon, you can sort reviews and ratings of goods and services from positive to negative, making your decision faster. Over 90% of customers don’t buy a product with less than three stars.

You may also like: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website Like Amazon?

3. Kogan

Kogan is another popular online marketplace in Australia. Kogan's journey began in Melbourne garage in 2006 from a young entrepreneur's idea, Ruslan Kogan, to renovate the chain of custody. He aimed to make the latest customer products more available.

Today, this one of the biggest daily deals solutions offers a wide selection of things across all categories. The Kogan marketplace is a house to thousands of brands. For sellers, it provides many marketing tools, including email campaigns and seasonal deals like Black Friday, etc.

Kogan has an award-winning site that matches the right issues with purchasers who are most likely to shop for them. The Kogan team prides itself on establishing win-win and long-lasting relationships with users. Moreover, Kogan is considered a secure and reliable Australian marketplace.

With about 3 million active consumers and gross sales to the value of around 844 million Australian dollars in 2023, Kogan is not a marketplace you can ignore.

Fast facts

• 3+ million active customers;
• 1.9+ million monthly visits;
• 15 product categories;
• 10 million sale items.

Monetization strategy and business model

• Listing fee;
• Commission fee.

This platform works on a commission basis. The commission price will be set out in the registration form when the vendor signs up. Also, this platform charges a set fee per listing.

Additionally, Kogan is based on a horizontal platform. This site includes C2C and B2C business models.

Goods supplied

Kogan provides a vast variety of products. Some of the most popular are clothing, homewares, and electronic items.

Why users like Kogan

Unlike Amazon or eBay, Kogan is an Australia-based marketplace meaning that it’s created and working to fulfill local needs. Hence, it has the following benefits:

• Marketplace provides users with better-value products.
• Kogan provides a great online shopping experience. It offers simple purchasing, efficient delivery, and robust support after sales.
• The revenue model of Kogan enables users to save on the cost of brick-and-mortar stores. So, this online site can pass the savings on to consumers.

You may also like: How to Create a Multi-Vendor Marketplace Website

4. MyDeal

A firm favorite among Australians, MyDeal is a rapidly growing online marketplace. Mainly, MyDeal is focused on selling bulkier products such as furniture. Although it also sells other products, such as pet products and fitness equipment.

Interestingly, the marketplace provides small business loans to suppliers needing financial assistance. They may need this money for business expansion or to access rapid funding.

The sellers on the MyDeal site are responsible for the order fulfillment process and all needed logistics.

Fast facts

• ~4 million marketplace visits in the last 3 months;
• 1+ million active customers;
• 5+ million sale items.

Monetization strategy and business model

• Subscription fee;
• Listing fee;
• Commission fee.

The MyDeal web solution offers flexible fees. They charge sellers per every sold item and per listing. The price of the commission and listing fee depends on the product category. The marketplace also offers different subscription plans for sellers.

MyDeal is a B2C online marketplace focusing on providing goods to single customers. It is a horizontal platform, which means that it has sellers and a wide range of categories.

Goods supplied

Among all 12 categories presented on the marketplace, furniture and home goods are dominant, with respective 27% and 26% sales accordingly. However, other categories such as appliances, electronics, health & beauty are also quite popular.

Why users like MyDeal

This marketplace’s standard kit, namely great prices, ease of ordering, and fast delivery, are superior, which makes people love it. Thus, MyDeal is quite popular in Australia.

• MyDeal is a highly secure and trusted online market place.
• MyDeal offers both a mobile-friendly solution and an application.
• This is one of the top online marketplaces in Australia and provides support through contact forms, social media, and phones.
• MyDeal assists sellers in creating their unique brand and effortlessly promoting it.
• Customers can easily find reviews on products on the search page.
• The site has a clear and easy-to-navigate interface, convenient both for buyers and sellers.

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5. Catch

Another marketplace Australia has to offer, Catch was launched in 2007. It offers over 2 million products, including furniture, food, clothing, groceries, sporting goods, and more.

With this Amazon alternative Australia has a huge marketplace with the main focus on making online shopping available for regular Australians. For now, Catch can boast over 5.6 million visits in September 2023.

This one of the largest daily deals solutions stands out with its commitment to assisting new vendors. As a merchant, you’ll get dedicated support. So, the sellers on Catch are able to optimize their goods listings and promote their brands. In turn, the customers also receive a great shopping experience.

By the way, Catch is one of the simplest and convenient marketplaces to use on mobile. Desktops drive 37.6% of visits, while 62.4% of visitors come from mobile devices.

Fast facts

• 5.6 million active customers;
• 8-9 million monthly website views;
• 12 product categories;
• 2+ million items for sale.

Monetization strategy and business model

• Subscription fee;
• Listing fee;
• Commission fee.

Catch charges merchants 49.99 AUD (Australian dollars) per month for the subscription. Also, it doesn’t charge any listing fees, only a $0.20 fee per each product sold.

This digital market is based on a horizontal platform. It is a B2C marketplace for buying and selling goods.

Goods supplied

Catch has a huge range of goods for sale, comprising liquor, clothing, groceries, and many more. As you can see, Catch provides a lot and clearly aims to fulfill all the potential needs of the Australian audience. As a result, the platform offers fashion goods, electronics, furniture, and even pets.

Why users like Catch

Thanks to effective management, Catch collects positive reviews from its users on a daily basis. Thus, people praise its affordability, variety of goods, and superior customer service. Here’s a quick outline.

• This solution is highly secure and trusted by users in Australia.
• Reviews on goods in this marketplace Australia online platform are clear and quick to find.
• Catch provides dedicated support for both sellers and customers.
• This marketplace is mobile and user-friendly.

Read also: How to Build an Online Marketplace: 17 Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

6. TheMarket

Starting with the overview, TheMarket is a marketplace based in New Zealand. It operates as a platform facilitating various stores to showcase and sell their products in a unified location.

This unique setup offers an exceptional opportunity for New Zealand and Australian residents to conveniently browse and purchase items from a multitude of stores all in one place. In essence, it functions as a local shopping mall, albeit one that boasts an extensive selection of over 1000 stores, all prepared to deliver virtually any item you may require to your doorstep.

When individuals make purchases on TheMarket, they are essentially placing orders with the specific store that lists the products for sale. Consequently, the products are sourced and dispatched directly from the respective stores to the customers. Vital delivery information, such as the origin of the shipment, is prominently displayed on each product listing for clarity and transparency.

Fast facts

• Founded in 2006;
• Over 5 million active users;
• Over 20,000 sellers;
• 596.1K visits in the last month.

Monetization strategy and business model

• Commission fee;
• Paid advertising;
• Subscription fees.

TheMarket is a marketplace online platform that connects buyers and sellers. The company does not hold any inventory but instead acts as a facilitator for transactions. Let’s look at this process in more detail.

The Fulfillment-by-TheMarket Option, originally known as Fulfillment by Market (FBM), is a service designed to assist business owners worldwide in stocking and distributing their products to customers in New Zealand and Australia, all while operating within the country.

In this process, TheMarket team manages the entire process, including receiving goods at their distribution center, selecting, packaging, and delivering orders to customers. To take advantage of this service, merchants are only required to set up their store within TheMarket and transport their products to the distribution center.

Besides, such an approach is also beneficial for customers. Local TheMarket support team manages customer service, handles disputes, cancellations, returns, and responds to inquiries. Fulfillment by TheMarket empowers merchants to expand their businesses and access a wide customer base without the burden of managing intricate operational tasks.

Goods supplied

TheMarket offers a wide range of products from a variety of sellers. This includes electronics, fashion, home and garden, and more.

Why users like the TheMarket

• Wide range of products at competitive prices.
• Features mobile-friendly version.
• The platform is easy to use and navigate.

7. Ozsale

It is one of the biggest online marketplaces in Australia at present. Ozsale primarily focuses on providing discounted products, fashion items, homeware, and various consumer goods. This Australian marketplace offers a wide range of products from various brands, and it's known for its flash sales and limited-time offers, often featuring significant discounts on popular brands and products.

Fast facts

• Founded in 2007;
• 2.5+ million products shipped yearly;
• Over 1 million monthly visitors;
• Over 1,000 brands.

Monetization strategy and business model

In terms of income and monetization, Ozsale has several revenue streams.

• Commission fee. Ozsale generates revenue by allowing people to become sellers and advertise their products on the platform. Customers make purchases through the platform, and Ozsale earns a profit on the sale of these products.
• Marketing and advertising. Ozsale may partner with brands and retailers to promote their products through its platform. Brands can pay for prominent placement, featured listings, or advertising space to reach Ozsale's customer base. These marketing and advertising partnerships can be a source of revenue.

Regarding the business model, Ozsale is a flash sales platform that offers exclusive deals to its members. The company partners with brands to offer discounts of up to 75% on products.

Goods supplied

Ozsale offers a wide range of products from a variety of brands. This includes fashion, which is the main focus. However, you can also find health and beauty, home and living goods, and more.

Why users like Ozsale

Although Ozsale is less popular than other marketplaces listed in this article, it still offers high-level customer support and convenience. Additionally, users noted other benefits.

• The opportunity to purchase high-quality products at significant discounts.
• A variety of features, such as free shipping and returns, to make the shopping experience more convenient.
• Convenient and user-friendly mobile app.
• Professional customer service.

8. Bunnings Marketplace

Bunnings holds the position of being the leading retailer of home and lifestyle products for both consumer and commercial clientele in Australia and New Zealand. They serve as a significant supplier to project builders, commercial tradespeople, and the housing industry.

In 2019, Bunnings Australia marketplace added what we are looking at today to their platform. With the introduction of the Marketplace section, Bunnings became a place where different trusted sellers present their goods and grow an online store.

Fast facts

• Founded in 1994;
• 32.9 million visits in the last month;
• Over 200 stores in Australia and New Zealand;
• Over 40,000 products available online.

Monetization strategy and business model

• Subscription fee;
• Listing fee;

Regarding the business model, Bunnings is a complex structure divided into several parts. Thus, it comprises a B2C retail store, a DIY, and building-oriented vertical marketplace, and a trading platform.

Goods supplied

Bunnings Marketplace offers a wide range of products from a variety of sellers. This includes home and garden, hardware, and building supplies.

Why users like Bunnings

According to their own website, Bunnings Marketplace stands on three core values that sympathize with users the most:

• Lowest prices. The marketplace offers competitive prices and beats competitors by 10% on in-stock items available for same-day delivery or collection.
• Widest range. Their vast selection includes over 110,000 products spanning gardening, tools, paint, and more, both in-store and online.
• Best experience. Bunnings Marketplace team exceeds 53,000 members. It, in turn, provides expert advice and excellent service. Plus, enjoy free D.I.Y. workshops, trailer hire, home delivery, and more.

However, users also mention slow shipment and delivery cases along with poor return and refund policies.

9. The Iconic

This Sydney-based retailer has rapidly risen to become the leading player in Australia's "Fashion and Apparel" sector. The Iconic offers a wide array of products spanning fashion, lifestyle, and sports categories, generating impressive numbers of visits.

The core philosophy of the platform is rooted in empowerment, extending to customers, employees, and partners. Consequently, becoming a brand seller on The Iconic is an enticing prospect.

Fast facts

• Founded in 2011;
• 12.1 million visits in the last month;
• Over 10 million active users;
• Over 1,000 brands.

Monetization strategy and business model

• Retail sales. The Iconic generates revenue through the sale of fashion, lifestyle, and sports products. It operates as a retailer, selling items directly to consumers. Revenue is earned from the markup on the products sold.
• Commission fees. In addition to selling its own products, The Iconic may also allow third-party sellers (brands or individual sellers) to list and sell their products on the platform. In such cases, the platform may charge these sellers a commission on each sale, which contributes to its revenue.
• Sponsored listings and paid advertising. The platform may partner with brands to promote their products through sponsored listings and advertising. Brands pay for these placements, helping to boost The Iconic's revenue.

The Iconic is an online retailer that sells a wide range of products from various brands. The company does not hold any inventory but instead sources products from its suppliers on demand.

Goods supplied

The Iconic offers a wide range of products from a variety of brands. This includes fashion, beauty, home and living, and more.

Why users like The Iconic

The reviews for The Iconic marketplace vary. Among the positive, people tend to praise:

• A wide variety of products available;
• Convenient website and the app;
• Generous discounts and their availability.

However, note that people also often mention shipment issues and poor refund policies.

10. Trade Me

Founded in 1999 as an auction and classifieds platform, it is a solid eBay alternative Australia can boast. Trade Me has evolved into one of New Zealand's largest online marketplaces. It currently ranks as the fourth most visited website in the country, drawing over 20 million monthly visitors. Within the "Auctions" category, Trade Me holds the top position in New Zealand.

The platform's marketplace section enables sellers to offer a wide array of products across various categories. Setting up a business account is a straightforward process involving a single form. Once registered, sellers can start creating product listings. Furthermore, Trade Me provides valuable seller onboarding and optimization assistance for more effective listings.

Fast facts

• Founded in 1999;
• Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand;
• Over 5 million active users;
• Over 10 million listings.

Monetization strategy and business model

Trade Me generates revenue from listing fees, as well as from advertising and subscription fees.

• Listing fees. Like similar marketplaces, Trade Me may charge sellers a fee to list their products or services on the platform. This fee can vary based on factors like the category, duration of the listing, and visibility options.
• Final value fees. Most online marketplaces charge a percentage of the final selling price when a product is sold. This is typically referred to as a "final value fee." The marketplace earns a commission from each successful transaction.

The business model of Trade Me, or similar online marketplaces in Australia, typically revolves around connecting buyers and sellers. Although it is primarily a classified and auction website, Trade Me goes beyond it, offering other platforms as well. For instance, today, Trade Me has a dedicated horizontal marketplace, services platform, and classifieds page.

Goods supplied

Trade Me offers a wide range of products from various sellers. This includes vehicles, electronics, fashion, home and garden, and more.

Why users like Trade Me

• Platform facilitation. The marketplace provides a platform for sellers to list their products or services and for buyers to discover and purchase these items.
• Seller-centric. Sellers are a key part of the ecosystem. They can be individual users or businesses looking to reach a broader audience.
• Buyer-centric. Buyers come to the platform to search for products or services that meet their needs.
• Customer experience. Ensuring a positive and user-friendly experience for both buyers and sellers is crucial to the platform's success. This includes features like search, reviews, and customer support.

Comparison of 10 top online marketplaces

There exist a lot of various marketplaces, each designed with a specific target audience in mind. For your convenience, we have prepared a short summary comparing Amazon, eBay, Kogan, MyDeal, Catch and a few others.

To decide which revenue model suits you best, you need to examine the pros and cons of each marketplace. Consider their fee structure, pay attention to the traffic, and learn their rules and regulations. Afterward, pick those models that will help you build a selling and competitive digital solution.

Further reading: How Much Does It Cost to Build an Online Marketplace in 2023

Codica builds marketplaces that are loved in Australia

If you are looking for an experienced web development company, here we are. Codica’s team has accumulated vast experience creating websites for businesses in many countries.

We know the Australian market very well, as we have worked on projects for Australian businesses. Recently, we built two marketplaces for marine and caravan businesses from this country.

TradeRVs is an online platform for campers on the Australian continent. People use this caravan selling website to sell or buy motorhomes, caravans, and other recreational vehicles. Below, we added a video about how it works.

Another project is Trade A Boat. It is a boat sale website for marine lovers in the largest country in Oceania. It enables sellers and customers to trade and purchase different boats and marine equipment.

You can read more about this marketplace here: How We Delivered Boat Selling Website for Tradeaboat (Case Study)

The Codica team worked to deliver website redesign services for the existing Australian platforms. In general, we made them more attractive, modern, and user-friendly. Also, we optimized platforms for mobile devices to increase the user retention rate.

Eventually, our client has two lucrative solutions. With the online presence of these sites, our client has significantly increased conversion rate and sales.

Below you can see a customer review video about TradeRVs and Trade A Boat success projects.

Celso is the Digital General Manager at the Adventures Group. It, in turn, is a part of the EmpriseGroup, which owns and operates most of the beloved Australian brands. Here, Celso talks about his experience creating these two online marketplaces with our team.

Final words

Thanks to technological innovations, online marketplaces have gained huge popularity among purchasers. They are convenient and provide a significant number of goods and services, topping everything up with user-friendly features and tools.

Since a lot of shopping has moved online, and this tendency is not going to slow down, marketplaces have become a widely-used business model, growing in popularity day by day.

If you have an idea of a web solution in mind and need help from an expert team, don’t hesitate to contact us. The Codica team has excellent experience in delivering multi-vendor marketplace development services. We will be happy to help you create a marketplace online that users will love.