Alternatives and Competitors to Amazon: Top 10 Similar Sites

Amazon is an e-commerce giant known to virtually everyone. The company serves as a mediator between businesses and customers. However, despite the marketplace’s popularity, many people are looking for alternative shopping options.

Sellers also seek alternatives for various reasons: some dislike strict limitations and high fees, while others don’t want to struggle for visibility on a “crowded” platform. In this article, DiFFreight experts set a challenging goal — to find a worthy Amazon alternative for both buyers and sellers.

Key Amazon Alternatives

Not every global online store has earned customer trust the way Amazon has. The platform offers very attractive conditions, the main one being ultra-fast delivery. We’ll take a look at several alternatives with a brief summary.

Five Online Shopping Alternatives

AliExpress

The largest virtual marketplace owned by Alibaba Group. Offers millions of products from thousands of sellers, mostly from China.

• Relatively low prices — many items are cheaper than on Amazon, especially unbranded electronics, accessories, and clothing.
• User-friendly interface, regular promotions and sales.
• Direct shipments: products are shipped directly from manufacturers or major distributors.

However, quality can vary greatly. It's important to pay attention to reviews and seller ratings.

Temu

A rapidly growing Chinese marketplace that has become a major competitor to AliExpress.

• Extremely low prices. Even lower than Ali due to an aggressive pricing strategy.
• Variable quality — same issue as with AliExpress.
• Temu is frequently involved in scandals due to potential unethical production, low factory wages, and aggressive marketing.

There’s already an article about this on DiFFreight’s blog.

TaoBao

A huge platform primarily aimed at the domestic Chinese market. 

• Incredible variety of unique Chinese brands and products not available for export.
• Product prices are often lower than on other export platforms.
• The main language is Chinese. Navigation and communication with sellers are difficult.

To shop and ship outside China, buyers need intermediary services, which complicates the process.

eBay

One of the pioneers of e-commerce and a major Amazon competitor. Offers new, used items, antiques, and handmade products. Available in both auction and fixed price formats.

• Great place to find collectibles, vintage items, spare parts, and discontinued products.
• Sellers from around the world: individuals and businesses from many countries.
• PayPal (often used on eBay) offers buyer protection programs.

In Ukraine, the marketplace is still unavailable, and international shipping can be expensive.

Etsy

A global platform focused on handmade, vintage, and unique products.

• Etsy is the perfect place to find original gifts, custom jewelry, home decor, and designer clothing from small brands.
• No standard electronics or appliances (except for vintage models or custom accessories).
• Handmade items are usually more expensive than mass-produced goods.

Many artisans work on demand, so production and delivery take time.

Amazon Competitors — 5 Platforms for Sellers

For businesses, Amazon offers access to a global market with millions of buyers. Shipping goods to Amazon FBA warehouses simplifies logistics. But the major service has its drawbacks, so let’s explore alternatives.

eBay

With 159 million active users, eBay is the second most popular marketplace in the U.S. Auction share has significantly decreased. Now 88% of items are sold at fixed prices.

• More flexibility in listings and storefronts. You can customize ads for each product and adjust shipping and return policies as needed.
• Lower fees compared to Amazon.
• Focus on consumers who prioritize value and uniqueness over fast delivery.

Since eBay doesn’t offer fulfillment, sellers are responsible for shipping from Ukraine to Europe or the U.S.

Etsy

Etsy leads the list of niche marketplaces and is the best Amazon alternative for artisans.

• Warm audience interested in handmade items at relatively high prices.
• A complicated commission and payout system for Ukrainian sellers.
• It’s difficult to stand out in a catalog filled with other shops without affordable delivery options.

Like eBay, Etsy doesn’t handle fulfillment or returns. Essentially, the platform only connects the seller and buyer.

Walmart Marketplace

Walmart is the world’s largest retailer and has been developing its marketplace since 2009. In 2022, there were over 150,000 third-party sellers on the platform. Why entrepreneurs should consider it:

• Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) and Walmart Plus are fulfillment systems.
• Fewer competitors than on Amazon. Companies also enter the Walmart market using other sales channels.
• Simple fee scheme — only charges for sales, no subscriptions or listing fees.

According to reports, the number of sellers on Walmart.com grew by 20% during the 2024 fiscal year, making the platform very promising.

Alibaba

It is not only a Chinese marketplace but also an international one, making it suitable for foreign companies.

• Multilingual interface and support — available in 16 languages.
• Annual subscription for sellers averages from $1999.
• Fierce competition. Recommended for strong businesses that offer unique products.

An entrepreneur must also be ready to negotiate, as the focus is on communication, not automatic order placement.

1688.com

In DiFFreight's materials, this marketplace is often mentioned as a recommendation for profitable purchasing. But is it possible to work on imports to China?

It’s impossible to sell on 1688.com without a Chinese legal entity, bank account, and phone number. Tmall Global, JD Worldwide, and Douyin Shop allow foreign companies to register stores without a Chinese legal entity. This is known as cross-border e-commerce.

You also need to evaluate the cost of transporting your products to China. While shipping from China to Ukraine is well-developed, there are few options in the reverse direction. Freight may eat up your margin: it's hard for foreign manufacturers to compete with China's production capacity.

Comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of Amazon-type websites

Let’s summarize the results in a table:

For Ukrainian businesses, it’s worth paying attention to Amazon-like sites such as eBay, Walmart, and Etsy. Entering them is much easier than competing with China’s manufacturing power.

Why Amazon alternatives are better

According to reviews, entrepreneurs look for sites like Amazon for several reasons:

• High fees and commissions make it hard for small businesses to start.
• Fulfillment charges and selective promotion of sellers. For businesses that use third-party logistics instead of FBA, it’s impossible to reach the top.
• Strict labeling and packaging requirements.

Amazon prioritizes buyer convenience: quick transactions, streamlined checkout and delivery. This forces sellers into strict frameworks compared to other marketplaces.

Choose the best platform to start or scale your business with DiFFreight

Among our services is delivery to Amazon warehouses in Europe and the USA. We also offer consultations for businesses looking to scale on eBay, Etsy, and other popular platforms. We’ll find optimal solutions for your product category!