For years, marketplace growth was all about scale. For many brands, platforms like Bol and Amazon were the logical destination to increase reach and generate sales. This strategy has helped many organizations quickly reach new customers. At the same time, the playing field is changing. Competition is increasing, advertising costs are rising, and commissions are putting more pressure on profitability. While consumers have more choices than ever, it is becoming increasingly difficult for brands to stand out within the largest marketplaces.
This development forces organizations to look beyond reach alone. The question shifts from “how do we achieve more sales?” to “how do we achieve profitable growth?”. This is where a new opportunity arises: niche marketplaces.
The downside of scale
The growth of large marketplaces has a clear downside. As more sellers become active on the same platforms, competitive pressure increases. Not only at the product level but also in terms of visibility. Brands increasingly have to invest in advertising to maintain the same position they could achieve organically a few years ago.
At the same time, costs continue to rise. Commissions increase, advertising rates go up, and additional costs for logistics and fulfillment further squeeze margins. The presentation shows that a significant portion of marketplace sellers experienced a decline in profitability last year. For many organizations, this creates a situation where sales growth does not automatically lead to a better business case.
This calls for a different approach to marketplace growth. No longer solely focused on volume, but on the balance between sales, visibility, and return.
Consumers no longer think in platforms
In addition to the changing economic reality, consumer behavior is also changing. The time when a customer went directly to one marketplace to make a purchase is increasingly behind us.
Consumers actively compare products across different platforms before making a decision. Research cited during the presentation shows that more than half of consumers view the same product on multiple marketplaces before making a purchase. On average, three different marketplaces are visited.
This means that consumers no longer think in separate platforms. They think in products, needs, and solutions. For brands, this makes an omnichannel marketplace strategy increasingly relevant. Being present where the consumer is searching becomes more important than dominating one specific platform.
Why niche marketplaces are gaining ground
Within this development, niche marketplaces are rapidly gaining importance. While generic platforms are built around scale and a wide assortment, niche marketplaces focus on specific categories and target groups.
Examples include MediaMarkt for consumer electronics, Praxis and ManoMano for DIY products, Douglas for beauty, and Decathlon for sports. These platforms attract visitors with a clear purchase intent within a specific product category. This creates an environment where relevance is more important than volume.
For brands, this offers several advantages. Competition is often lower, advertising budgets are used more efficiently, and products better meet the expectations of the target audience. Moreover, niche marketplaces provide space for assortments that are less visible on large platforms. Think of specialized products, premium variants, or long-tail assortments that easily disappear among thousands of similar offers on a generic marketplace.
Profitability becomes the main KPI again
The greatest strength of niche marketplaces ultimately lies not in extra reach, but in profitability. While many organizations have long focused on sales growth, attention is increasingly shifting to sustainable growth.
Within niche marketplaces, there is more room for premium positioning and less price pressure. Products are assessed within their relevant category rather than within an endless range of alternatives. This often results in a better balance between sales volume and margin.
The presentation shows that niche marketplaces can therefore achieve significantly higher net margins than generic platforms. Not because more is sold, but because the cost structure and competitive dynamics are more favorable. For organizations striving for profitable growth, this difference can be strategically very relevant.
From marketplace strategy to marketplace ecosystem
The most successful organizations do not see niche marketplaces as a replacement for Bol or Amazon. They consider them part of a broader marketplace ecosystem.
Within such an ecosystem, different platforms fulfill different roles. Large marketplaces provide reach and volume. Niche marketplaces provide margin, access to specific target groups, and better visibility for specialized products. Together, they form a more robust growth model that is less dependent on one platform, one algorithm, or one source of income.
This shift also requires a different way of steering. Not per platform, but across the entire ecosystem. Organizations that take this step build more flexibility and are better prepared for future changes in the marketplace landscape.
Technology enables scalable growth
Until recently, operational complexity was a major barrier to a multi-marketplace strategy. Different platforms have their own category classifications, content guidelines, image requirements, and product specifications.
However, modern feed management solutions and AI-driven content optimization make it possible to centrally manage product information and automatically adapt it to the requirements of different marketplaces. This makes expansion to multiple platforms not only feasible but also scalable. Organizations can add new marketplaces faster without the operational burden increasing exponentially.
This shifts the challenge from technical execution to strategic choices. Which marketplaces fit the target audience? Which categories offer the most growth potential? And what does the optimal mix look like between reach and return?
The next growth phase lies outside the known platforms
The marketplace market is at a tipping point. While margins are under pressure on large platforms and consumers spread their orientation across multiple marketplaces, new opportunities arise within specialized platforms.
For marketing leaders, the challenge is no longer to maximize presence on one marketplace. The challenge lies in building an ecosystem where reach, relevance, and profitability reinforce each other.
Niche marketplaces are therefore not an alternative to Bol or Amazon. They are the next step in a mature marketplace strategy. Organizations that invest now in a broader marketplace approach not only build more visibility but also create a stronger foundation for sustainable growth in the years to come.
Do you want to know which niche marketplaces best match your assortment, target audience, and growth objectives? Discover with Follo how an omnichannel marketplace strategy unlocks new growth opportunities and contributes to a more profitable marketplace model.
