Top 10 e-commerce marketplaces in the UK
The United Kingdom is one of the largest e-commerce markets globally. Therefore, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of online stores are opening up to sell their products to the UK. Here are the top 10 most popular marketplaces in the UK.
It is estimated that as many as 9 out of 10 residents in the UK shop online, and the value of the British e-commerce market could be as high as over £220 billion. It is also predicted that by 2029, this market will grow to nearly £600 billion.
The e-commerce market in the UK is becoming increasingly popular among e-commerce entities worldwide. A good solution to start your e-commerce venture in the UK is through marketplace platforms. They allow:
- Time and resource savings: e-commerce entities can benefit from ready-made solutions in the UK e-commerce market.
- Larger reach and access to customers: the most popular marketplaces in the UK attract millions of users daily.
- Risk limitation: with minimal effort and financial resources, you can try starting your business in the UK market and test various options.
- Status and credibility in the eyes of customers: presence on reputable marketplace platforms allows for quicker gaining of reputation and prestige for your products.
The Most Popular E-commerce Marketplaces in the UK: TOP 10
According to data from www.similarweb.com, the currently most popular marketplaces in the UK include:
- Amazon – averaging 400 million monthly visits in 2023
- eBay – averaging 235 million monthly visits
- ASOS UK – averaging 73 million monthly visits
- Argos – averaging 57 million monthly visits
- Etsy UK – averaging 55 million monthly visits
- Next UK – averaging 39 million monthly visits
- Marks & Spencer – averaging 36 million monthly visits
- Asda UK – averaging 31 million monthly visits
- Tesco UK – averaging 30 million monthly visits
- Curry – averaging 28 million monthly visits
Amazon is the global leader and the highest-rated marketplace in the UK. It offers a wide range of products, from electronics to clothing to household items. Amazon provides e-commerce entities access to a massive customer base, tools, and services, including fulfillment by Amazon, where Amazon handles storage, packaging, shipping, customer service, and returns. Amazon UK offers two plans for sellers – “individual” for e-commerce entities selling fewer than 35 products per month and “professional,” which also includes offer promotion and advanced sales tools.
Amazon UK is not only a leader among marketplaces in the United Kingdom but also holds top positions among all websites in the UK and among the largest e-commerce markets worldwide. British consumers choose Amazon due to its straightforward shopping experience, competitive prices, and convenient deliveries based on its own logistic network.
amavat® offers automation of data processing with Amazon. If you want to seamlessly cooperate with leading e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Kaufland, and reputable integrators like BaseLinker and settle UK VAT within your e-commerce accounting, we offer our support. We integrate or automate with the largest marketplaces!
eBay UK is known for its wide range of products, which can be sold through both auctions and standard fixed-price sales. It is the second most visited e-commerce platform among British marketplaces and the biggest competitor to Amazon UK. eBay also has a huge customer base, its own promotions, and a loyalty program. E-commerce entities appreciate eBay for lower fees than Amazon and the flexibility to list their products for auction or direct sale.
ASOS is a fashion and cosmetics retailer. It is also the third most popular website in the fashion and apparel category worldwide. ASOS Marketplace is an excellent solution for e-commerce entities selling clothing and/or perfumes. ASOS UK’s portfolio already includes nearly 900 brands.
Argos is another popular marketplace in the UK with a wide range of products, including toys, technology, fashion, and furniture. Argos offers same-day product delivery and partnerships with top brands like Samsung and Lego. More and more smaller e-commerce entities are opting to collaborate with this marketplace.
Etsy UK is Europe’s largest marketplace for handmade and vintage products. It focuses on handmade, unique, and custom-made products: jewelry, clothing, or handicrafts. Thus, it offers a special clientele for often niche e-commerce entities offering unique goods.
Next UK is a British marketplace specializing in British fashion and home furnishings, including household appliances. Next sells its own and external products and has been growing rapidly in recent years.
Marks & Spencer is a globally recognized brand, mainly due to its traditional clothing stores. However, it has also been growing rapidly in the British e-commerce market in recent years. It primarily offers clothing and household appliances, along with services like free delivery, quick pick-up (“click and collect”) at the store, and easy returns.
Asda, supported by the American retail giant Walmart, mainly delivers groceries online and stylish home products.
Another major marketplace focused mainly on groceries in the UK is Tesco. Customers particularly appreciate the low prices and wide range. The Clubcard loyalty program offers personalized discounts and promotes the one-hour delivery service.
Curry is a popular e-commerce platform in the UK, focused on consumer electronics and the latest equipment, including TVs, smartphones, and cameras. Curry offers convenient options to its customers, including online shopping, product reservation, and the option to complete transactions in physical stores. Additionally, it uses a convenient recommendation system, offering products tailored to the customer’s previous purchases.
Other Popular Marketplaces in the UK – Wayfair, Temu, Zalando
In addition to the indicated 10 marketplaces in the UK, other platforms such as Wayfair, Temu, and Zalando are also popular in the UK. Wayfair UK focuses on the furniture and home furnishings market. The platform is visited by approximately 10 million users monthly. Wayfair offers a wide range of products, allowing customers to compare prices, styles, and brands in one place. The platform provides support to e-commerce sellers, offering access to a large customer base and tools for managing products and orders, handling logistics, marketing, and customer service.
Zalando is one of the largest clothing and footwear exchanges in Europe. It offers a choice of about 1,900 brands and provides e-commerce entities access to the Zalando Partner Program and Zalando Fulfillment Solutions for logistics support.
Temu is a marketplace offering a wide range of goods in various categories, including women’s and men’s clothing, home and kitchen equipment, household appliances, tools and DIY articles, pet supplies, toys, and games.
Do you want to start selling in the UK e-commerce market via a marketplace? We can help you!
Selling on foreign marketplaces, including marketplaces in the UK, offers many benefits but also challenges, from choosing the right platform to adjusting the range of services to the needs of specific e-commerce entities, to final sales settlements through the e-commerce marketplace and UK VAT taxation.
Entering the British e-commerce market, popular platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Asos, Etsy, or Wayfair offer foreign entrepreneurs tremendous opportunities and prospects for developing their own e-commerce business. If you run an e-commerce business and want to start or already conduct sales to the UK using marketplaces in the UK, you can benefit from amavat®’s support – an accounting office specializing in, among others, UK VAT settlement. Additionally, amavat® offers integration for tax settlements, including UK VAT, and accounting with major marketplaces, such as Amazon.
Thanks to this, under the VAT Compliance service, amavat® can easily settle VAT in the UK resulting from sales of goods in the UK, both through marketplaces and directly.
For more information on the VAT Compliance service and settling UK VAT, visit here: https://amavat.eu/vat-compliance-e-commerce/.
If you have any questions or need additional information, we encourage you to contact our team of experts, ready to provide help and support: Contact us – amavat®.
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