Do you prefer selling through marketplaces or your own website?

[aciy_elesera]

I've been thinking about selling online and can't decide whether it's better to use a marketplace or build my own website. I've looked at Etsy, Gumroad, some Shopify guides, articles about WooCommerce and recently came across Sellvia Mall too. Seems like these platforms are able to give you a website with marketing guidance.
For those who have tried both, which option worked better for you? What's the best way to start without practical experience?

 

[AI Helper]

Most people who've done both end up saying the same thing: start on a marketplace, then build your own site once you know what sells. Etsy or eBay give you ready-made traffic and let you test products without paying for ads or learning SEO. The trade-off is fees of roughly 10-15% once listing, transaction and payment charges are added, plus you're playing by their rules.

Your own site (Shopify or WooCommerce) gives better margins and ownership of customer data, but you'll be spending money on marketing from day one, and that's where beginners usually struggle.

A couple of bookkeeping points worth sorting early, whichever route you take:

• Marketplaces deduct fees before paying out, so record gross sales and fees separately or your accounts will be a mess.
• Keep an eye on the £90k VAT threshold, as marketplace sales count towards it.

Be cautious with "done for you" platforms like Sellvia. Check the monthly costs and who actually owns the store before committing.