Etsy

Amazon

Amazon is one of the world's largest online stores, selling products across almost every category, from books and electronics to clothing, groceries and household goods. It is available at amazon.com and through its mobile app, and many items are sold by independent sellers through the Amazon marketplace. For shoppers, Amazon suits people who want a wide selection, customer reviews and convenient delivery. Product pages show ratings, questions and answers, and comparisons, helping people decide before they buy. Membership programmes such as Prime add benefits including faster delivery options. For businesses, Amazon offers access to a very large customer base. Sellers can list products on the marketplace, use Amazon's fulfilment services to store and ship orders, and run ads to promote products within search results. Amazon also provides many services beyond shopping, including Prime Video for streaming, Kindle for e-books, Alexa devices, and Amazon Web Services, which supplies cloud computing to businesses around the world. The platform therefore supports several related uses, from everyday shopping and entertainment to selling products online and running business infrastructure. Its official website is https://www.amazon.com/.

eBay

eBay is a global online marketplace where people and businesses buy and sell new and used items. Available at ebay.com and through mobile apps, it supports both fixed-price listings and auctions where buyers place bids before a deadline. For shoppers, eBay suits people looking for deals, second-hand goods, refurbished items, collectables and hard-to-find products. Search filters, seller ratings and detailed listings help buyers compare options and choose trusted sellers. For sellers, eBay makes it possible to sell online without building a website. Individuals can clear out unwanted items, while small businesses run full stores with many listings. Tools help with pricing, shipping labels and promoting listings. Trust features are an important part of the marketplace. Feedback ratings show how sellers and buyers have behaved in past transactions, and eBay offers buyer protection on eligible purchases if an item does not arrive or does not match its description. The platform therefore supports several related uses, from bargain hunting and collecting to selling personal items and running an online business. Its official website is https://www.ebay.com/.

Shopify

Shopify is a commerce platform that lets businesses build and run their own online store. Available at shopify.com as a paid subscription, it includes website themes, product management, a checkout, payment processing and order tools in one place. For business owners, Shopify suits entrepreneurs, small businesses and growing brands that want to sell online without building everything from scratch. Store owners can choose a theme, add products and start taking orders without needing to write code. Shopify supports selling in many places. Besides an online store, merchants can sell in person using point-of-sale tools and connect to channels such as social media and online marketplaces, keeping inventory and orders in one system. An app store adds extra features, including marketing, reviews, subscriptions, shipping and accounting tools. Merchants can also hire designers and developers from the Shopify ecosystem to customise their stores further. The platform therefore supports several related uses, from launching a first online shop to running a multi-channel retail business. Its official website is https://www.shopify.com/.