Marketplace commissions silently eat 5-30% of every sale you make. On a $20 product, that is $1 to $6 gone — per order. There is a better way. Sell on your own store with Zero% platform transaction fees and keep the money you earned.
For sellers everywhere who are tired of watching their margins disappear into platform fees and want to keep every dollar they earn.
Quick answer
Yes — you can sell online without paying any platform commission. Ecommerce platforms like Orderain charge Zero% transaction fees on every plan, and plans start at $5 a month. You only pay payment processor fees (like Stripe), which you would pay anywhere. The platform itself takes nothing from your sales. Note: some marketplaces do offer limited zero-commission promotions for new sellers, but these typically expire or come with other restrictions.
Marketplace and platform fees compound. Zero% fees compound the other way.
| Monthly revenue | Amazon (15%) | Etsy (6.5%) | Shopify (2%) | Orderain (Zero%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 / month | $3,600/yr | $1,560/yr | $480/yr | $0/yr |
| $10,000 / month | $18,000/yr | $7,800/yr | $2,400/yr | $0/yr |
| $50,000 / month | $90,000/yr | $39,000/yr | $12,000/yr | $0/yr |
Numbers assume the headline platform fee only. They exclude payment processor fees, which you pay on every platform. Marketplace commissions can range higher than shown, up to 30% in some Amazon categories.
Amazon charges 8-30% commission depending on category. Etsy takes 6.5% plus listing fees. eBay charges 3-15%. On a product with a 40% margin, marketplace fees can take half your profit — or more. Many sellers do not realize the true cost until they add up a full year of commissions.
When someone buys from you on a marketplace, the marketplace owns that customer relationship. You cannot email them, you cannot retarget them, and you cannot build loyalty. Every new sale requires paying for customer acquisition again — a cycle that gets more expensive over time.
Marketplaces show your product next to dozens of competitors. The algorithm often favors the lowest price, forcing you into a race to the bottom. You end up cutting margins just to stay visible.
One customer complaint, one policy misunderstanding, or one algorithm flag — and your account can be restricted or suspended. Sellers have lost their entire business overnight because a marketplace decided to act without explanation.
Marketplaces pressure sellers into flash sales, discount events, and promotions. You often have no choice — if you do not participate, your products lose visibility. These promotions further cut into already thin margins.
Beyond commissions, marketplaces charge listing fees, advertising fees, storage fees, fulfillment fees, and return handling fees. The commission percentage you see advertised is rarely the full cost of selling on the platform.
An honest breakdown of what you actually pay on each platform.
| Factor | Marketplace (Amazon/eBay/Etsy) | Own Store (Zero% Fee Platform) |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Commission | 5-30% per sale | Zero% — you keep everything |
| Payment Processing | Included in commission (but you still pay) | 2-3% (Stripe, PayPal, or local gateway) |
| Monthly Platform Fee | None (they take commission instead) | $5 to $40/month depending on plan |
| Customer Data | Marketplace owns it — you cannot access emails or phone numbers | You own everything — emails, phone numbers, order history |
| Brand Identity | Your store looks like every other seller on the platform | Custom domain, logo, and fully branded experience |
| Pricing Control | Algorithm pressure to match or beat lowest price | You set your own prices without competition on your page |
| Account Risk | Can be suspended or banned at any time | Your store — nobody can take it away |
| Advertising | Pay for visibility on the same platform | Drive traffic from Google, social media, and ads you control |
| Returns and Refunds | Marketplace rules apply — often buyer-favored | You set your own return policy |
| Long-Term Cost (100 sales/month at $20 avg) | $200-600/month in commissions alone | $5-39/month platform fee + ~$58 payment processing |
Want a deeper look at marketplace pros and cons? See our marketplace vs own store comparison.
The long way
You could build a store using WordPress and WooCommerce. This means buying hosting ($5-20/month), installing WooCommerce, configuring a payment gateway, managing SSL certificates, handling updates, and dealing with plugin conflicts. WooCommerce itself is free and charges no transaction fees — but the time, complexity, and technical knowledge required is significant.
Recommended
The faster option is using a hosted platform that charges Zero% transaction fees. You skip all the technical setup — hosting, security, payments, and design are handled for you. The trade-off is a monthly subscription fee, but for most sellers this is far less than what they were paying in marketplace commissions.
For sellers moving from a marketplace, the hosted platform route is usually the right choice. You want to focus on selling, not managing servers. Orderain charges Zero% platform transaction fees on every plan, and plans start at $5 a month — so you keep 100% of your sales revenue.
Look at your marketplace dashboard and add up the total commissions you paid last month. For most sellers, this number is surprising. If you sell $2,000 per month on a marketplace with 15% commission, that is $300 going to the platform every month — $3,600 per year.
Look for platforms that charge zero platform transaction fees. Compare their monthly subscription cost against what you are currently losing in commissions. Most sellers find that even a paid plan saves them thousands per year compared to marketplace fees.
With a no-code platform, this takes under 30 minutes. Describe your business, choose a design, and your store is ready. No developers, no hosting setup, no technical knowledge required.
Add your products to your new store — photos, descriptions, prices, and variants. Most platforms support bulk import if you have many products. Use the same product photos and descriptions you already use on the marketplace.
Connect the payment methods your customers prefer — Cash on Delivery, card payments, and local gateways. This might mean UPI or Razorpay in India, JazzCash or Easypaisa in Pakistan, or Stripe and PayPal for global customers. Set up shipping with couriers that serve your region.
Share your store link on social media, WhatsApp groups, and with repeat customers. Add it to your Instagram bio. You do not have to leave the marketplace — run both and gradually shift direct customers to your own store where you keep 100% of the sale.
Stop giving away your profits. Start your own store with Zero% platform fees.
Start Now — Zero% FeesAlready selling on Instagram? Our Instagram-to-store guide covers the migration step by step.
Every sale goes into your pocket, minus only payment processor fees (2-3%). No more watching 5-30% of each sale disappear into a marketplace.
Get customer emails, phone numbers, and order history. Send them promotions directly. Build repeat business without paying for each customer again.
Custom domain, your logo, your design. Customers see your brand — not a marketplace with your product buried among competitors.
Your store is yours. No algorithm changes, no surprise suspensions, no policy shifts that can wipe out your business overnight.
No pressure to match the lowest price. No forced flash sales. You price based on your value, not the marketplace race to the bottom.
A seller doing $3,000/month on a marketplace paying 15% commission spends $5,400/year on fees. On a Zero% platform with a $20/month Pro plan, that is $240/year. The math speaks for itself.
Platforms like Orderain make money from monthly subscription plans instead of taking a cut from your sales. This model works because the platform earns predictable revenue while sellers keep 100% of their sales. It is the same model Shopify uses — except Shopify still charges 0.5-2% on external payment gateways. Some marketplaces also offer limited zero-commission windows for new sellers, but these promotions typically expire or come with restrictions like mandatory advertising spend.
No — at least not immediately. The smart approach is to run both. Keep your marketplace listings for the traffic they bring, but start directing repeat customers and social media followers to your own store. Over time, your direct sales will grow and your dependence on the marketplace will shrink.
You pay two things: the platform subscription ($5 to $40/month on Orderain) and payment processor fees (2-3% charged by Stripe or your local gateway). These payment processor fees exist everywhere — even marketplaces pay them, they just hide the cost inside their commission.
Initially, yes — marketplaces have built-in traffic. But that traffic comes at a heavy cost (commissions). On your own store, you build traffic through Google SEO, social media, and word of mouth. The traffic you build is yours — and every sale is commission-free.
Use the channels you already have: Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp groups, and your existing customer base. Add your store link to your social media bios. Share it with repeat customers who already trust you. Google SEO will also bring in new customers over time.
No. Modern no-code platforms let you set up a complete store in under 30 minutes. You describe your business, the platform generates your store, and you add products. No coding, no hosting, no technical skills required.
You set your own return and refund policy. This is actually an advantage — on marketplaces, the return policy often favors buyers at your expense. With your own store, you create fair policies that protect both you and your customers.
Yes. Platforms like Orderain support COD along with digital payment methods — including local gateways like UPI and Razorpay (India), JazzCash and Easypaisa (Pakistan), or global options like Stripe and PayPal. COD is especially popular in markets where customers prefer paying on delivery.
Selling on Instagram? Read our guide on moving from Instagram to an online store.
Why Orderain
Orderain exists because we believe sellers should not pay a platform tax on every sale. Every plan comes with Zero% platform transaction fees, and plans start at $5 a month. You pay for features, not for the right to sell. Set up your store in minutes, connect your payment methods, and start selling without watching your margins disappear into commission fees.
Every month you stay on a marketplace paying commissions, you lose money you earned. Moving to your own store takes less than 30 minutes, starts at $5 a month, and means every sale from now on is fully yours.
