Selling on marketplaces gives quick reach but surrenders part of the customer relationship and margin. Your own shop gives control and data but requires traffic. Splitting budget between both without cannibalising requires understanding each channel’s role and measuring the whole.
The essentials in a definition
Selling on marketplaces and on your own shop at the same time requires deciding how to share budget without cannibalising. Marketplaces bring demand and trust but have commissions, rules and dependence; your own shop gives control of the relationship and margin. Options such as Amazon Ads and Merchant Center let you advertise in both worlds, and the consumer rules of the European Commission apply to both.
Different roles
Marketplaces capture existing demand, with built-in trust and familiar logistics, but with commissions and direct competition. Your own shop builds brand, customer data and better margin, but depends on generating traffic and trust.
Many brands use the marketplace as a shop window and the shop as home.
The risk of cannibalisation
Advertising on both for the same search can make the company compete with itself, paying twice for one customer. Without monitoring, spend grows with no real gain.
It is also possible that ads for your own shop lead the customer to buy on the marketplace, where margin is lower.
Splitting budget between marketplace and own shop
- Define priority channel per product
- Avoid bidding against yourself
- Use each channel for its role
- Assess total sales and profit
How to split
Define for each product which channel has priority (by margin, stock, logistics). Use the marketplace for discovery and volume on suitable products, and the shop for customers who know the brand, exclusive products and repeat purchase. Avoid bidding on your own brand in both.
Consider coherent price conditions between channels, respecting marketplace rules.
The marketplace rents customers; your own shop builds them.
Measuring the whole
Assess total sales and profit, not just by channel. Compare periods with different budget distributions. Track new-customer acquisition cost and repeat rate in each channel.
Use the marketplace to learn what sells, and apply that knowledge in the shop.
Decision table
| Aspect | Marketplace | Own shop |
|---|---|---|
| Demand and trust | High, already existing | To be built by the brand |
| Margin | Reduced by commissions | Higher, with own costs |
| Customer relationship | Limited | Direct and reusable |
| Control and data | Dependent on marketplace rules | Full, with responsibility |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Competing with yourself. Advertising the same product on both channels with the same terms can raise costs without adding sales.
- Ignoring margin. Compare each channel’s real profitability, including commissions and returns.
- Depending on one. Changes to marketplace rules can affect the whole business.
How to measure the result
Compare, by channel, margin, acquisition cost, repurchase rate and customer value, and track overlap of terms and products.
Limits and exceptions
Marketplace rules and commissions change, and dependence on one channel can be risky. Low-margin products may not bear commissions and advertising at once. Not all brands have capacity to manage two channels with quality. Test with a limited set of products, calculate real profitability and review the strategy regularly, as rules and the market evolve.
Illustrative example
Illustrative example: a brand decides to use the marketplace to capture product-search demand and its own shop for customers who already know the brand and for exclusive offers. It sets separate budgets and tracks margin by channel. It finds repurchase in its own shop offsets acquisition cost on the marketplace, and starts inviting customers to its shop with benefits, in line with applicable rules.
Frequently asked questions
Should I sell on both?
It depends on products and margin. Many brands combine both with clear roles.
How do I avoid cannibalisation?
By defining priority channels and avoiding brand bidding on both.
How do I compare channels?
By total profit and cost of a new customer, not just revenue.
Should I be on both channels?
Often yes, with clear roles and margin metrics by channel; assess the marketplace’s rules and costs.
Can I take marketplace customers to my shop?
It depends on the marketplace’s rules; always comply with them and focus on legitimate offers and content.
Marketplaces bring demand and your own shop brings margin and relationship; separate roles, compare margin by channel and avoid competing with yourself.
Sources and recommended reading
Last editorial review: October 2026. Informational content; always confirm current conditions in the official sources before deciding.