Anyone who decides to start selling online has surely wondered which marketplace is best to start selling on. Although they have similar business models, each of these sales channels requires specific strategies to attract buyers and promote products. The good news is that they all offer advantageous infrastructure for sellers, facilitating business growth.
Fabio Ludke, e-commerce consultant and professor at the world’s largest e-commerce school, Ecommerce na Prática, explains the advantages and particularities of Brazil’s main online sales platforms: Mercado Livre, Shopee, and Amazon.
According to the expert, the biggest challenge for those who sell on these marketplaces is to gain visibility. However, each platform offers distinct strategies to overcome this obstacle.
Mercado Livre
One of Mercado Livre’s biggest advantages is its complete ecosystem, which includes logistics (Mercado Envios), payment (Mercado Pago), and ad optimization (Mercado Livre Ads). Additionally, the “Decola Mercado Livre” program offers benefits for new sellers to gain visibility and achieve the status of a professional seller.
For those starting on the platform, Ludke emphasizes that it is common for entrepreneurs to have difficulty reaching the first ten sales, essential to activate the sales thermometer. He recommends that sellers focus on products with high demand in the marketplace, using multiple ad techniques to create different offers with varied titles, descriptions, and photos. The goal is to test and understand what works best.
“Being on Mercado Livre strategically positions the retailer to reach new customers and generate an additional revenue source for e-commerce. It is important, afterward, to work on post-sales to bring the customer from the marketplace to your ecosystem. One tip is to send a flyer with a QR Code along with the product, inviting the customer to visit your store,” he says.
Shopee
With an approach focused on lower average ticket products, Shopee stands out for its marketing tools and free shipping program, which attract a price-sensitive audience.
“It offers resources like lives, sending messages to customers, and creating specific audiences. These factors can significantly boost sales, but many sellers have not yet taken advantage of these tools. Learning to use them can help gain visibility,” he explains.
Amazon
Amazon is one of the marketplaces that has grown the most in Brazil and occupies a privileged position in international commerce, with possibilities even for retailers to sell products from Brazil to the United States. The specialist states that the ideal for those who want to take advantage of the power of Amazon is to understand the demand that exists on the platform to know which products are more likely to perform better, looking on the site for the ‘best sellers.’
Another relevant point to consider when selling on Amazon is the use of FBA and DBA, which are the marketplace’s logistical systems to expedite delivery. This not only allows for faster delivery to customers but also generates greater visibility for ads.
Multichannel Strategy to Maximize Sales
According to Ludke, the ideal is to invest in both your own online store and marketplaces, using complementary strategies with the goal of increasing revenue.
“The sales potential that marketplaces offer is crucial in the digital age. Your customers might not know your brand yet but they are certainly looking for products like yours on Amazon, Mercado Livre, or Shopee,” emphasizes the specialist.
However, he explains that a successful e-commerce diversifies its sales channels, reducing risks through a multichannel approach and thus growing securely.
