When we think about eCommerce, the three leaders in the US are Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. These sites dominated most categories and were all started as humble booksellers. Today, Amazon has expanded beyond books and even offers movie and TV streaming. However, there are other popular eCommerce sites.
Home Depot
The home improvement giant Home Depot has been expanding its online sales for years. Although its brick-and-mortar stores still dominate the market in the US, the company has seen its e-commerce sales grow exponentially over the past decade. The company has been investing heavily in search engine optimization, and its website now boasts the most pages indexed on Google.
Home Depot’s homepage pushes sales with a message prompting users to “shop now.” But the site doesn’t provide a clear purchase path. Most people don’t buy items solely based on sales. They search for a product that meets their specific needs. Unfortunately, the site’s search function is not intuitive or precise enough.
Home Depot’s online sales increased by 30% in the first quarter of 2019. And more than a third of online purchases are picked up in a physical store. The company says that 20% of customers make additional purchases when they pick up their investments in stores. With such an impressive growth rate, it’s no wonder that Home Depot is the most popular eCommerce website in the US.
Home Depot is expanding its augmented reality shopping functionality. The Home Depot mobile app allows customers to experience a 3D virtual image of selected items. Forrester Research ranked the Home Depot mobile app as the most popular retail mobile app. If you’re looking for a thing that’s not on the Home Depot website, the app can help you find it in the store.
Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and eBay are the top three eCommerce sites in the US by sales volume. These three companies are set to dominate the US market by 2021. Combined, they will have more than half of the market, which is impressive for any eCommerce company. In the next few years, they’ll be joined by Wayfair and Target.
Etsy
If you’re looking for a way to promote your small business, Etsy is the place to go. Its online marketplace focuses on vintage and handmade goods and has more than 238 million monthly users. The site allows both individuals and businesses to sell directly to visitors.
Etsy’s attractive design showcases your products and provides an excellent user experience. There’s also a community forum where you can ask questions and schedule phone calls with support staff. However, it does lack comprehensive support compared to Shopify, which offers a broader set of services.
While Amazon offers high commission rates, Etsy’s fees are much lower. Etsy also doesn’t charge a monthly fee for keeping a store. You’ll need to invest more time and money into marketing as a seller. You’ll also need to list your items for at least four months before you can sell them. When you sell, you’ll pay Etsy a small commission (three percent of the product’s price) for the privilege.
Etsy has a Standard plan that doesn’t require a monthly subscription. It also charges $0.20 per product listed on the site. In addition, you’ll pay a 5% transaction fee for each item sold on Etsy. The price is also higher if you sell more significant quantities. Etsy is an excellent place to start if you’re new to selling online.
There are several reasons why Etsy is the most popular e-commerce site in the US. One of the most obvious reasons is because of its low startup fees. Creating an account costs just $0.20, and the costs are low compared to Shopify’s monthly fees. Furthermore, Etsy also offers features like banner ads, featured listings, waitlist notifications, and ad credits.
Etsy is an excellent platform for those who want to sell handmade goods. There are millions of buyers, and it doesn’t take much to market your products. But if you’re looking for a dedicated eCommerce platform, Shopify is a great choice. The latter is more expensive than the former but offers powerful features, an extensive help center, and a 14-day free trial.
Walmart
While many businesses focus on one industry, Walmart is an excellent example of a company that has expanded beyond its core products. Their vast store network helps them improve delivery times while decreasing company costs. Moreover, they offer a toll-free helpline for customers. Customers can also use a tracking system to track the status of their packages. Furthermore, Walmart also processes customers’ returns if they are unsatisfied with their purchases. Walmart’s value-added services keep customers returning to the store and create loyalty.
Although Amazon and eBay dominate the eCommerce space, Walmart is also making inroads. According to the latest earnings report, Walmart’s eCommerce sales were up 43% during the fourth quarter and 40% for the year. This represents significant progress for the company. And because Walmart is the second largest retail chain in the US, its growth in e-commerce is an excellent sign for the company.
In 2017, Walmart’s US eCommerce business brought in $11.5 billion in revenue. This year, the company expects to grow to $16 billion. However, the retailer does not disclose the exact percentage of its business from the marketplace. In 2016, Walmart began accepting third-party sellers online to sell their items on its website. These sellers can list their products and sell them on Walmart’s site. Currently, Walmart has more than 50 million items listed on its site.
Although Walmart has been in business for a long time, the company has only recently begun to take advantage of its eCommerce success. It now accounts for almost seven percent of all US eCommerce sales, compared to five percent for Amazon. This growth has occurred mainly because Walmart has leveraged its physical footprint to expand its internet sales. This strategy is helping them compete directly with Amazon, such as by offering two-hour grocery delivery services. The company also recently launched a Walmart+ club membership that offers unlimited free grocery delivery.
eBay was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, with 164 million active users. In addition to this, the site has 25 million sellers. People worldwide use its app, and it has been estimated that its visitors spend 150 minutes daily on it. Besides eBay, Walmart has become one of the biggest eCommerce sites in the US with its massive catalog of goods.
