Best E-Commerce Platform: Shopify vs. Etsy vs. Amazon for Online Sellers
The online selling platform you choose impacts your brand, customer reach, profit margins, and how much work you do. Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon Seller Central each offer different advantages for getting your products online. Understanding these differences can save you money and headaches as your e-commerce business grows from a side hustle to a full-time venture.
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The Quick Answer
Choose Shopify for full brand control, direct customer relationships, and scaling your own online store. This is best for long-term brand building. Choose Etsy if you sell unique, handmade, or vintage items and want a built-in audience with low startup costs. Great for artisans. Choose Amazon Seller Central if your main goal is maximum customer reach, leveraging established logistics (Fulfillment by Amazon), and selling popular retail products with high volume.
Side-by-Side Breakdown
Shopify: Basic plan starts at $39/month. Transaction fees are 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction (using Shopify Payments) or 0.5-2% if you use a third-party payment gateway. Offers a customizable online store, inventory management, and tools for dropshipping. Requires setting up your own marketing to drive traffic. Etsy: Listing fee is $0.20 per item (lasts 4 months). Transaction fee is 6.5% of the sale price. Payment processing fee is 3% + $0.25. Offers a built-in marketplace for handmade, vintage, and craft supplies, meaning customers are already looking for unique items. Less control over branding. Amazon Seller Central: Professional Plan is $39.99/month (unlimited sales) OR Individual Plan is $0.99 per item sold (plus referral fees). Referral fees are typically 8-15% of the sale price. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees vary by product size and weight. Offers access to millions of customers and can handle storage, packing, shipping, and customer service through FBA. It's a competitive marketplace with strict rules.
When to Choose Shopify
You want to build your own brand name and website, not just sell on someone else's platform. You plan to run targeted ads (like Facebook or Google Ads) and build your own email list of customers. You need full control over your store's design, checkout process, and product photography to match your brand vision. You're launching products like custom apparel, beauty lines, dropshipping niches, or digital goods and want to grow them into a full business. You expect to add hundreds or thousands of products and need robust inventory and order management.
When to Choose Etsy
You make handmade jewelry, custom art, unique home goods, or sell vintage collectibles. You want to start selling online with minimal upfront cost and technical setup. You need a ready-made audience specifically looking for unique items, not just general retail products. You're transitioning from selling at craft fairs or local markets and want an easy online presence. You prefer a community-driven marketplace over building your own website from scratch. Your product margins can absorb the listing and transaction fees.
When to Choose Amazon Seller Central
Your main goal is to reach the largest possible customer base and sell high volumes of products. You're reselling existing brands, doing private label manufacturing, or dropshipping common goods. You want to leverage Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to handle storage, shipping, and customer service for you, even if it adds to costs. You're comfortable with Amazon's strict selling rules and competitive environment. You understand referral fees (for example, 15% for clothing, 8% for electronics) and can price your products to be profitable. You're transitioning from selling on Facebook Marketplace and want a more structured, high-volume environment.
The Verdict
For new e-commerce sellers focused on building a unique brand and owning their customer relationships, Shopify offers the best long-term growth. Start with the basic plan and grow from there. For artisans, crafters, and vintage sellers looking for an immediate audience with low setup, Etsy is the most straightforward entry point. For resellers or those prioritizing sheer volume and leveraging powerful fulfillment logistics, Amazon Seller Central provides unparalleled reach. Make sure your profit margins can handle Amazon's fees before committing. Do not pay for a Shopify Basic plan until you have a few products ready and a marketing plan in place.
How to Get Started
Shopify: Sign up for a 3-day free trial (often extendable to 3 months for $1/month). Choose a theme, add your first 5-10 products with good photos and descriptions, and set up Shopify Payments. You can launch your store and test sales before upgrading fully. Etsy: Create your shop and list your first 3-5 unique items. Focus on strong product photography and clear descriptions. Set up Etsy Payments to receive funds. Promote your Etsy shop on social media channels like Instagram or Pinterest. Amazon Seller Central: Choose between Individual ($0.99/item + fees) or Professional ($39.99/month + fees) plan based on your expected sales volume. List your first batch of products. If using FBA, prepare your inventory for shipment to an Amazon fulfillment center following their guidelines.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I migrate courses between platforms?
Video content can be re-uploaded, but student enrollment records, progress data, and completion certificates do not transfer cleanly. Migrating 100+ students is a manual process. Choose carefully before you have a large student base.
Does Kajabi replace ConvertKit?
Kajabi's email is capable for most creators, but ConvertKit has stronger automation tagging, deliverability, and creator-specific features. Some creators use both — Kajabi for courses, ConvertKit for email — though that adds cost.
What transaction fees does Teachable charge?
On the free plan, Teachable takes 10% plus payment processor fees. On the Basic plan ($59/month) the fee drops to 5%. On Professional ($159/month) and above, there are no transaction fees.