We’ve hit a plateau on Amazon and want to try eBay and a standalone site (Shopify). A few questions:
For eBay:
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Logistics: domestic shipping from our location (8–15 days) vs. local warehouse (2 days). Does local warehouse crush domestic shipping the way FBA crushes FBM? Our products: (A) 15×5×3cm, 0.1kg; (B) 115×10×5cm, 1kg.
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Payment: Is PayPal still the primary method? Do I need a business or personal account? Any login restrictions? I had a PayPal account frozen before.
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Do auctions make up most eBay orders?
For Shopify:
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Logistics again: do buyers mind 10+ day shipping? Which option is better?
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What payment gateways are commonly used?
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Where does traffic mainly come from?
Any beginner tutorials for eBay and Shopify would also be appreciated.
Answers (4)
From someone who runs both local warehouse and Shopify**
We use a local warehouse to sell across multiple platforms (Amazon, eBay, etc.). Be aware that shipping costs from local warehouse are significantly higher than Amazon FBA – both inbound and outbound. Only do this if your product has good margins and is “durable” enough to compete without the Amazon brand trust.
eBay auctions are rare. Fixed‑price is standard.
For Shopify, we fulfill orders using Amazon’s multi‑channel fulfillment. Shipping from local warehouse is a must – don’t ship from overseas directly if you want repeat customers.
eBay has changed a lot. Most established sellers now use local warehouse. Domestic shipping is still possible for very low‑cost, lightweight products, but you’ll struggle to compete on speed.
PayPal: if you use it, don’t withdraw all your money at once as a new account – it can trigger a freeze. But many sellers now use Payoneer instead of PayPal.
Auctions are not the main sales driver. Use them for exposure, not as your primary sales channel.
For Shopify: traffic comes from paid ads (Google, social media) and content marketing. It’s a completely different game from Amazon. Expect to spend time and money learning.
Local warehouse is the way to go for most categories. Buyers expect fast delivery (2‑3 days). Domestic shipping only works for very niche or low‑value items where no local stock exists.
For payment, eBay now forces Payoneer for many international sellers. It’s fairly reliable. Keep your login IP consistent – don’t jump between countries with a VPN.
Auctions are not dominant. Use fixed‑price listings as your main driver.
For Shopify:
eBay is past its prime, but here’s the reality**
eBay’s traffic has been declining. Most orders now come from local warehouse fulfillment – it crushes domestic shipping. New accounts may need to use eBay‑approved warehouses first. Domestic shipping is very hard to get orders now, except for niche or extremely cheap items.
Payment: eBay no longer uses PayPal for most international sellers. You now need to link a Payoneer account. Once your account is stable, you won’t worry much about freezes.
Auctions are not the majority. Most sales come from fixed‑price listings. Auctions are mainly for clearance or getting initial traction.
Verdict: Don’t bet everything on eBay. Traffic has dropped significantly.