Been discussing with other sellers where to focus our skills for the next 5 years: Amazon (and other marketplaces) vs. building an independent site (Shopify). Here’s my breakdown.
The Core Difference:
Amazon: You’re renting traffic. Millions are already there to buy. Your job is to win the buy box and convert.
Shopify: You own the land, but you have to build the roads. Zero traffic unless you drive it via SEO, social, or paid ads.
You can be a pure Amazon operator and never learn marketing. With Shopify, marketing isthe job.
The Trend:
A decade ago, you could start with almost nothing on eBay. A few years back, Amazon was the wild west. Now? Compliance is tight, FBA is basically mandatory, and the entry cost is high. The era of the solo seller winning on Amazon is fading. We’re moving toward a landscape where big players with supply chain power (factories, private molds) dominate.
Those big players are now building their own sites and private traffic. They’re not just relying on Amazon.
Where’s the Opportunity?
The playbook is the same: learn the rules, get in early, ride the wave. That’s why some are testing newer marketplaces (you know the ones), looking for that early advantage.
My Take:
Amazon isn’t going away, but the window for small, underfunded sellers is closing. If you have supply chain leverage, building a brand on Shopify is a stronger long-term asset. If you’re starting from zero, Amazon is the fastest way to learn and get sales — just know that margins are thinner and the game is getting harder.
What’s your move? Doubling down on Amazon, going independent, or diversifying?
Answers (4)
Back then, you could list almost anything and it would sell. These days? You need real differentiation and deep pockets.
The sellers who make it through the next five years will be the ones who control their supply chain and build real brand equity.
That means going multi-channel: Amazon, your own site, maybe even TikTok Shop or Walmart.
The days of being a pure Amazon operator are over.
Learn off-site marketing, or get ready to be left behind.
Amazon is a channel, not a whole strategy.
I started on Amazon, built a small customer base, then launched my own site. Now I use Amazon for discovery, and my own site for repeat buyers.
It’s not either/or — it’s both.
The real advantage of a standalone site isn’t just avoiding fees. It’s owning your customer data.
I know exactly who buys from me, what they like, and when to email them. You can’t do any of that on Amazon.
If you’re serious about this long-term, start learning how to drive your own traffic.
It’s harder, but it’s also a skill no platform can ever take away from you.
A “brand” isn’t a logo and a website. It’s years of trust and a ton of marketing spend.
For 90% of sellers, Amazon is still the best place to actually make money.
Yeah, margins are shrinking and competition is insane. But switching to Shopify won’t fix that magically. You just trade one set of problems for another.
I’m sticking with Amazon for now. I know the rules (mostly), and I can still turn a profit.
Maybe I’ll feel different in five years, but right now? Amazon pays my bills.
Amazon gives you instant traffic, but you get zero real brand loyalty — you’re just renting space on someone else’s platform.
Independent sites let you build something that’s actually yours, but getting that first visitor is brutal. You have to know SEO, ads, social media — the whole package.
If you’re just starting out with a limited budget, do Amazon first. Build cash flow, learn the ropes, then slowly start your own site on the side. That’s exactly what I did.
Two years later, my Shopify store only does about 20% of my Amazon revenue, but that 20% is pure profit with no platform fees, and I actually own my customer list.
Long-term? Diversify. Don’t put everything on Bezos’ table.