In a new study, ChannelEngine's recently released "Marketplace Shopping Behavior Report 2025" delves deeply into emerging e-commerce trends, revealing a significant shift in consumer preferences. The study's pivotal insight: 63% of consumers now favor purchasing on marketplaces over brand-owned websites. Additionally, 47% of shoppers, product discovery starts on marketplaces rather than search engines like Google (24%)—a pivotal shift in consumer habits.
Key Findings: Marketplace Shopping Behavior Report 2025
1. Marketplace Dominance and Consumer Trust
The report highlights that online marketplaces have become the primary destination for shoppers. This shift can be attributed to several key factors: wider product selection, competitive pricing, and the ability to compare multiple offers effortlessly. These marketplaces are not just popular; they're preferred due to the trust they instill in consumers through quality assurance and transparency. According to the study, 61% of shoppers trust online marketplaces to deliver good-quality products, bolstered by clear, honest reviews that ensure transparency.
2. Deal-Seeking Behavior and Consumer Confidence
Price competitiveness remains a significant driver of this behavior. The report reveals that 79% of consumers believe they will secure the best deals on platforms like Amazon or Zalando rather than individual brand websites. This confidence in finding better prices also translates into a 'feel-good factor' for shoppers, with 63% showing a preference for completing purchases on marketplaces due to the ease of comparing prices and making informed decisions.
3. Enhanced User Experience
User experience is another critical area where marketplaces outperform individual brand sites. With a remarkable 72% of consumers finding shopping on marketplaces to be consistently easy, it's clear that these platforms' streamlined, optimized shopping interfaces are favored. This ease of use, from product discovery to quick checkout processes, encourages repeat visits and spontaneous purchases, driving higher sales.
4. Consumers use multiple marketplaces before purchasing
There were no product categories in which the majority of consumers only viewed a single marketplace before purchasing, with an average of 2-3 marketplaces visited before a purchase.
5. The Omnichannel Shopping Phenomenon
The report also delves into the rise of omnichannel shopping journeys. Today's consumers are more likely to leverage multiple platforms and social channels before purchasing. Notably, 44% of shoppers plan to buy via social commerce channels in the future, highlighting the increasing importance of an integrated, multiplatform strategy for brands.
ChannelEngine’s insightful "Marketplace Shopping Behavior Report 2025" clearly illustrates that as e-commerce evolves, brands must adapt to these consumer preferences by optimizing their presence on marketplaces, ensuring they cater to the modern shopper's demand for choice, quality, and convenience.
