{"id":4036,"date":"2025-08-26T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rithum.com\/?p=4036"},"modified":"2026-01-16T15:19:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T15:19:41","slug":"the-marketplace-maze-why-expanding-beyond-amazon-ebay-and-zalando-is-essential-for-fashion-brands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rithum.com\/blog\/the-marketplace-maze-why-expanding-beyond-amazon-ebay-and-zalando-is-essential-for-fashion-brands\/","title":{"rendered":"The marketplace maze: why expanding beyond Amazon, eBay, and Zalando is essential for fashion brands\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

Your biggest competitor isn’t necessarily the brand selling similar products on Amazon. It could be the fashion brand you’ve never heard of that’s quietly and methodically expanding into marketplaces that fit its selection, price point, and customer profile. Amazon, eBay, and Zalando have long been the cornerstone of many fashion brands\u2019 marketplace strategies. They offer massive audiences, proven sales channels, and convenient logistics. But reach alone isn\u2019t a strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As margins shrink and costs grow<\/a>, dependence on one or two platforms becomes a vulnerability. Amazon fees are 15% or less in most product categories, but sellers report that margins on alternative platforms, such as Shopify, are up to double what they are on Amazon. And relying on a single platform can lead to massive costs if an account is suspended or penalized, even temporarily. In one scary example, Couple\u2019s Coffee had a five-day suspension lead to $15 – $17 thousand in <\/a>lost sales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When major channels lose momentum <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s tempting to double down on Amazon: it\u2019s what you know, it\u2019s simple, and it\u2019s profitable. In 2024, Amazon\u2019s ecommerce sales were nearly triple the combined online sales<\/a> of Walmart, Target, and Costco.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But scale doesn\u2019t guarantee stability. Algorithm shifts<\/a>, fee increases,<\/a> and rising traffic costs<\/a> happen while selling on any marketplace. Concentrating too heavily on just one or two channels limits your ability to absorb disruption, test new strategies, or shift focus when performance fluctuates. Items that stall on Amazon, for example, might reach engaged shoppers on trend-driven TikTok Shop or Zalando\u2019s fashion-first marketplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fashion industry also faces unique challenges that make marketplace diversification essential: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Gen Z shopping behavior:<\/strong> Nearly 50% of Gen Z shoppers<\/a> said they would shop through social media this year. Fashion brands need to meet younger consumers where they shop, and that’s increasingly on platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram, not just traditional marketplaces. TikTok Shop is a top five sales channel for Rithum. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Rising competition costs:<\/strong> As more than one million sellers<\/a> join Amazon annually, advertising costs increase<\/a> while organic visibility declines.<\/a>  <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Highly seasonal inventory demands broader reach: <\/strong>Fashion operates on quarterly cycles. When you’re limited to two to three platforms, you’re essentially limiting seasonal inventory<\/a> to a fraction of available consumer touchpoints. Retailers like Shein are bringing new designs to market in as little as 15 days, shortening trend cycles even further. Every new collection represents an opportunity to test different marketplaces and demographics. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Meanwhile, fashion-focused marketplaces are growing rapidly, offering curated experiences and loyal audiences. Zalando, Europe\u2019s leading fashion marketplace,<\/a> ended 2024 with 51.8 million active customers, up about 4.5% from 2023. Their success illustrates that fashion-first platforms are attracting engaged consumers with strong conversion potential. Fashion brands should pay attention.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Barriers to expansion on new sales channels <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    So you know you need to grow on new marketplaces, but you\u2019re stuck on how. Expanding to just one new marketplace involves adapting product data, pricing logic, inventory syncing, and fulfillment operations, not to mention learning each channel\u2019s unique policies and promotion mechanics. Scaling to several can feel like an operational nightmare. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Based on conversations with customers, we see these common pain points come up again and again: <\/p>\n\n\n\n