MARKET
Data & Research March 24, 2026 • Last updated: April 2026

MARKETPLACE
STATISTICS 2026

50+ up-to-date data points on online marketplaces. From Amazon and eBay revenue to seller economics, consumer behavior, retail media advertising, and fulfillment. Compiled from research by eMarketer, Marketplace Pulse, Statista, Forrester and more.

$3.8T

global marketplace GMV in 2026

Source: eMarketer / Marketplace Pulse 2026

67%

of global e-commerce runs through marketplaces

Source: Digital Commerce 360 / eMarketer 2026

2.3M

active sellers on Amazon worldwide

Source: Marketplace Pulse 2026

STATISTICS OVERVIEW

Online marketplaces dominate the global e-commerce landscape. More than two-thirds of all online purchases now flow through platforms like Amazon, eBay, Walmart Marketplace, and Etsy. For brands, retailers, and marketers, understanding the scale and dynamics of this market is essential.

This page compiles 50+ up-to-date statistics on online marketplaces, sourced from research reports by eMarketer, Marketplace Pulse, Statista, Forrester, Digital Commerce 360 and other reputable organizations. Whether you're evaluating a marketplace strategy, preparing a business case, or staying informed about the market: this data hub gives you the numbers you need.

GMV
Section 1

GLOBAL MARKETPLACE REVENUE

$3.8T

global marketplace GMV 2026

eMarketer / Marketplace Pulse

$750B

Amazon 3P seller GMV (est.)

Marketplace Pulse 2026

$74B

eBay GMV worldwide

eBay Annual Report 2025

+14%

marketplace GMV growth YoY

Digital Commerce 360

GLOBAL MARKETPLACE MARKET SHARE

Amazon 37.6%
Alibaba / Tmall / Taobao 23.4%
eBay 4.7%
Walmart Marketplace 3.8%
Others (Etsy, Mercado Libre, Temu, etc.) 30.5%

Source: eMarketer 2026, Marketplace Pulse, Digital Commerce 360

  • Amazon hosts 310+ million active customer accounts worldwide and has 95% brand awareness among US online shoppers (Amazon Annual Report 2025)
  • Walmart Marketplace grew 32% YoY and now has more than 150,000 third-party sellers, up from 100,000 in 2024 (Walmart Investor Relations)
  • Etsy processes $14.8 billion in GMV from 7.5 million active sellers and 96 million active buyers globally (Etsy Earnings Report 2025)
  • Total global e-commerce is $5.7 trillion in 2026, with marketplaces accounting for 67% of that total (Digital Commerce 360 / eMarketer)
  • Temu and Shein are the fastest-growing platforms in Western markets: Temu grew 142% in GMV YoY, while Shein grew 87% (Marketplace Pulse)
  • The average order value on Amazon is $52, on eBay $48, and on Walmart $62 (Statista E-Commerce Report 2026)

Also explore our e-commerce statistics 2026 for the full picture of online retail.

SELLERS
Section 2

SELLER STATISTICS

Amazon Sellers
2.3M

active sellers on Amazon worldwide

2024: 1.9M 2026: 2.3M

Source: Marketplace Pulse 2026

eBay Sellers
1.3M

active sellers on eBay

2024: 1.2M 2026: 1.3M

Source: eBay / Marketplace Pulse

Average Revenue
$250K

annual revenue per Amazon seller (avg)

Median: $80K Top 10%: $1M+

Source: Jungle Scout / Marketplace Pulse 2026

68%

of marketplace revenue comes from the top 10% of sellers

Source: Marketplace Pulse 2026

15%

median Amazon referral fee across all categories

Source: Amazon Seller Central 2026

AVERAGE MARGIN BY CATEGORY (AMAZON)

Electronics 5-12%
5-12%
Home & Kitchen 15-25%
15-25%
Toys & Games 18-28%
18-28%
Health & Beauty 20-35%
20-35%
Books & Media 5-10%
5-10%

Source: Jungle Scout Amazon Seller Report 2026, Helium 10 Benchmark Data

  • 22% growth in new sellers on Amazon in 2025-2026, driven by expanded marketplace access and AI listing tools (Marketplace Pulse)
  • 54% of Amazon sellers also sell on at least one other marketplace, up from 42% in 2024 (Jungle Scout Seller Survey 2026)
  • The average net profit margin for marketplace sellers is 10-18% after fees, fulfillment, and advertising (Jungle Scout / Helium 10)
  • 47% of sellers cite rising fees as their biggest challenge in 2026 (Jungle Scout State of the Seller Report)
BUYER
Section 3

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ON MARKETPLACES

63%

of product searches start on a marketplace

Jungle Scout / eMarketer 2026

4.5

minimum star rating for purchase consideration

PowerReviews 2026

89%

read reviews before first purchase

BrightLocal Consumer Survey

12%

average return rate across marketplaces

Narvar / Statista

WHERE DO CONSUMERS START THEIR PRODUCT SEARCH?

Amazon
56%
Google
23%
Walmart
7%
Brand website
6%
Social media
8%

Source: Jungle Scout Consumer Trends Report 2026, eMarketer

  • Mobile shopping is growing: 67% of all marketplace purchases in the US happen on a smartphone, up from 58% in 2024 (eMarketer)
  • Return rates vary significantly by category: apparel 25%, electronics 8%, books 3% (Narvar Return Rate Report 2026)
  • Free shipping is decisive: 78% of consumers abandon a marketplace order when shipping fees are added (Baymard Institute)
  • Amazon Prime members spend 2.5x more per year than non-Prime customers and order 1.9x more frequently (Consumer Intelligence Research Partners)
  • 27% of US consumers have purchased from a cross-border marketplace in the past year (Statista Global E-Commerce Report)
Section 4

RETAIL MEDIA ADVERTISING

$61B

US retail media ad spend 2026

eMarketer 2026

+28%

retail media spend growth YoY

IAB Retail Media Report

$1.20

average CPC Amazon Sponsored Products

Jungle Scout Advertising Report

5.5x

average ROAS marketplace ads

Pacvue Benchmark Report

RETAIL MEDIA SPEND BY PLATFORM (US)

Platform Spend (est.) Avg. ROAS Growth YoY
Amazon Ads $39.5B 5.8x +24%
Walmart Connect $4.8B 4.9x +42%
eBay Ads $2.1B 4.2x +16%
Instacart Ads $1.2B 6.1x +38%
Other retail media $13.4B 4.5x +35%

Source: eMarketer 2026, Pacvue Benchmark Report, Jungle Scout

  • Retail media is the fastest-growing ad channel in the US, with +28% YoY growth versus +9% for search and +6% for social (eMarketer)
  • 76% of Amazon sellers use Sponsored Products ads, up from 61% in 2024 (Jungle Scout Seller Survey)
  • Amazon Sponsored Products have an average conversion rate of 9.8%, significantly higher than Google Shopping (3.2%) for comparable categories (Pacvue)
  • The average ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale) on Amazon is 22%, on Walmart 18% (Pacvue Benchmark Report)
D2C
Section 5

D2C VS MARKETPLACE STRATEGY

73%

of e-commerce brands also sell via a marketplace

Digital Commerce 360 / Forrester 2026

34%

higher margin on D2C vs marketplace

Forrester E-Commerce Report

48%

of brands use a hybrid D2C + marketplace strategy

Digital Commerce 360 / RetailX 2026

D2C STORE VS. MARKETPLACE: COMPARISON

Metric Own Store Marketplace
Average net margin 25-45% 10-18%
Customer acquisition cost $25-65 $5-15
Conversion rate 1.8-3.2% 5.4-8.6%
Customer data ownership Full Limited
Time to first sale 3-6 months 1-2 weeks

Source: Forrester, Digital Commerce 360, Shopify Benchmark Report 2026

  • The hybrid strategy wins: brands that sell both D2C and on marketplaces grow on average 2.1x faster than single-channel brands (RetailX 2026)
  • 62% of D2C brands that start selling on Amazon also see their own website revenue increase through the halo effect (Marketplace Pulse)
  • Customer Lifetime Value is 3.4x higher through a brand's own store vs marketplace customers (Shopify Benchmark)
  • 29% of consumers discover a product on a marketplace but buy on the brand's website for better terms (Forrester Consumer Survey)
SHIP
Section 6

LOGISTICS & FULFILLMENT

82%

of top Amazon sellers use FBA

Jungle Scout Seller Report

+30%

revenue increase after switching to FBA

Amazon / Jungle Scout

72%

of consumers expect next-day delivery

Narvar Consumer Report 2026

$14.50

average return cost per shipment

Narvar / Optoro 2026

  • Same-day delivery is growing: 12% of marketplace orders are now delivered on the same day, up from 5% in 2024 (eMarketer)
  • Returns cost sellers an average of $14.50 per item including logistics, inspection, and repackaging — up to $22 for apparel (Narvar / Optoro)
  • Sustainable delivery is gaining traction: 38% of consumers choose longer delivery times if the package is shipped sustainably (Narvar Consumer Report)
  • Third-party logistics (3PL) adoption is growing: 24% of marketplace sellers now use a 3PL instead of FBA/platform fulfillment (Jungle Scout)
GLOBAL
Section 7

REGIONAL MARKETPLACE BREAKDOWN

MARKETPLACE GMV BY REGION

Asia-Pacific (Alibaba, JD, Shopee) $2.1T
$2.1T
North America (Amazon, Walmart, eBay) $1.1T
$1.1T
Europe (Amazon.de/uk, Allegro, Zalando) $420B
$420B
Latin America (Mercado Libre) $120B
$120B

Source: eMarketer 2026, Digital Commerce 360, Marketplace Pulse

  • Asia-Pacific dominates with 55% of global marketplace GMV, driven by Alibaba, JD.com, Pinduoduo, and Shopee (eMarketer)
  • Europe's marketplace economy is $420 billion, with Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk, Allegro (Poland), and Zalando as leading platforms (Cross-Border Commerce Europe)
  • Mercado Libre is Latin America's dominant player with $52 billion in GMV and presence in 18 countries (Mercado Libre Annual Report)
  • Cross-border marketplace sales grew 28% YoY, with Temu and Shein driving a significant share of China-to-West commerce (Marketplace Pulse)
2030
Section 8

FUTURE PREDICTIONS

2027

70% of e-commerce through marketplaces

The shift from standalone stores to marketplaces continues to accelerate. Experts predict 7 in 10 online purchases will flow through a marketplace.

Source: Forrester E-Commerce Forecast

2027

AI-powered product discovery becomes standard

Amazon and Walmart are investing heavily in AI search functionality. Conversational commerce and personalized recommendations are replacing traditional search results.

Source: Amazon AI Report / Walmart Innovation Lab

2028

Retail media becomes the third digital ad channel

Marketplace advertising (retail media) is projected to surpass $100 billion globally and overtake display advertising as the third channel, after search and social.

Source: eMarketer / IAB Retail Media Forecast

2028

B2B marketplaces double in size

Platforms like Amazon Business, Faire, and Alibaba.com are reshaping B2B procurement. B2B marketplace GMV is projected to reach $680 billion globally.

Source: McKinsey B2B E-Commerce Report

2030

Global marketplace GMV: $5.8 trillion

The global marketplace economy is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11% to reach $5.8 trillion by 2030, driven by category expansion and international growth.

Source: eMarketer / Forrester Long-term Forecast

  • Grocery marketplaces are expanding: Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Walmart are extending their marketplace models into non-food categories (eMarketer)
  • Sustainability regulations are becoming mandatory on marketplaces under EU Digital Product Passport regulation, impacting 78% of marketplace inventory (European Commission)
  • Live shopping on marketplaces is growing globally: 18% of Gen Z consumers have already purchased via a marketplace live stream (eMarketer / TikTok Shop)
Summary

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1

Marketplaces dominate e-commerce

67% of all online purchases flow through marketplaces. At $3.8 trillion in GMV, they are the backbone of global e-commerce.

2

Amazon leads globally

With 37.6% market share, 2.3 million sellers, and 310+ million customers, Amazon is the dominant platform for sellers worldwide.

3

Retail media is exploding

At $61 billion in the US and +28% growth, marketplace advertising is the fastest-growing ad channel in digital marketing.

4

Hybrid strategy wins

Brands that combine D2C and marketplace grow 2.1x faster. Higher conversion rates on marketplaces compensate for lower margins.

5

Fulfillment is key

72% of consumers expect next-day delivery. FBA sellers see 30% more revenue through faster delivery and Buy Box advantage.

6

International = growth

Cross-border marketplace sales grew 28% YoY. With $420 billion in European marketplace GMV alone, international expansion is a massive opportunity.

METHODOLOGY & SOURCES

The statistics on this page are compiled from publicly available research reports by leading organizations. We update this page regularly with the latest data. Key sources include:

Disclaimer: All figures are sourced from the most recent available editions of the cited reports. Some statistics represent preliminary results or estimates. This page is compiled for informational purposes and does not constitute financial or strategic advice.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How big is the global marketplace market in 2026?

Global marketplace GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) is estimated at $3.8 trillion in 2026. Amazon dominates with approximately $750 billion in third-party seller GMV, followed by eBay ($74 billion), Walmart Marketplace ($65 billion), and Etsy ($14.8 billion). Marketplaces now account for 67% of all global e-commerce sales. See also our e-commerce statistics for the full overview.

How many active sellers are there on major marketplaces?

In 2026, Amazon has approximately 2.3 million active sellers worldwide, eBay has 1.3 million, and Etsy has 7.5 million. The average Amazon seller generates $250,000 in annual revenue, but the top 10% account for 68% of total marketplace revenue. The number of new sellers grows by approximately 22% annually.

What are the costs of selling on a marketplace?

The average referral fee on Amazon ranges from 6% to 45% depending on the category, with a median of 15%. eBay charges 12.9% on average. Including fulfillment (FBA fees average $4.75-$8.26 per unit), advertising, and return costs, the total cost of sale for marketplace sellers averages 30-40% of revenue. Despite higher fees, marketplaces offer 5.4-8.6% conversion rates versus 1.8-3.2% for standalone stores.

SELL
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Ruud ten Have

Compiled by

Ruud ten Have

Ruud is a digital marketer with 10+ years of experience in online advertising and e-commerce strategy. At Searchlab, he combines data-driven insights with hands-on marketplace optimization to deliver measurable growth for brands and retailers.