Complete Guide for Marketplace Sellers Transitioning to Independent Sites: Should You “Escape” Amazon/Shopee in 2025?
Complete Guide for Marketplace Sellers Transitioning to Independent Sites: Should You “Escape” Amazon/Shopee in 2025?
28 Nov 2025
Key Insight: By 2025, cross-border e-commerce will enter an era of dual-track operation with "Marketplace + Independent Site". Data shows that the average profit margin for pure marketplace sellers has dropped from 25% in 2019 to 12% in 2024, while sellers who successfully operate independent sites maintain margins of 18-35%. This is not a simple either/or choice, but a strategic complement.
Recently, I’ve received many inquiries from sellers: "Amazon’s advertising costs have increased again, ACoS is already over 40%, should I continue spending?" "My Shopee store was suddenly suspended, what should I do with the piled-up inventory?" These anxieties reflect a harsh reality: the marketplace (red dividend period) is fading, and business models solely reliant on marketplaces face significant challenges.
As a consultant with 18 years of experience in cross-border digital marketing, I must be honest with you: an independent site is not a cure-all, but it is indeed a necessary path for brand globalization. This article will use detailed analysis from dimensions like traffic control, data assets, and cost structure to help you objectively assess whether you should open the second growth curve for your cross-border e-commerce business.
Why is Everyone Talking About ‘Independent Sites’ Now?
According to the latest data from Marketplace Pulse, in 2024, the average customer acquisition cost for sellers on Amazon US increased by 67% compared to 2021, while the average selling price decreased by 15%. This scissor effect of "rising costs, falling prices" is squeezing sellers’ profit margins.
Three Signals of the Fading Marketplace红利 (Hónglì – Dividend)
Exponential Increase in Customer Acquisition Cost: The average Amazon CPC cost was $0.8 in 2020 and has risen to $1.5 by 2024. In some popular categories like consumer electronics and home goods, the cost per click can even exceed $3. This means the cost to acquire a new customer often exceeds $30.
Normalization of Compliance Risks: The 2021 Amazon account suspension wave affected over 50,000 Chinese sellers, with estimated losses exceeding 100 billion RMB. Incidents of fund freezes due to PayPal’s risk control further made sellers realize that when doing business on someone else’s platform, the right to interpret the rules never lies with them.
The Era of Brand Awakening: Anker’s success story proves that shifting from "selling products" to "managing users" can create higher brand premiums. Data shows that brand sellers with independent sites have a repurchase rate 2-3 times higher than pure marketplace sellers, and customer lifetime value increases by over 40%.
Marketplace Store vs. Independent Site: Deep Analysis of Core Differences
Data Assets: The Most Underrated Value of an Independent Site
Many sellers only focus on short-term sales volume but overlook the long-term value of data assets. On a marketplace, you cannot know the customer’s email, cannot install Facebook Pixel for precise retargeting, and cannot analyze the user’s complete behavior path.
An independent site allows you to truly own customer data: analyze user sources and behavior via GA4, build customer profiles via CRM systems, and increase repurchases via email marketing. A real case study: a home goods brand, through its email list of 100,000 users accumulated via its independent site, generates 3 million RMB in sales annually just from email marketing, with almost zero marketing cost.
Key Advantages of an Independent Site: Why is it the ‘Hard but Right’ Thing to Do?
The process of building an independent site is indeed challenging, but its long-term value is reflected in three core dimensions:
Brand Premium Power
Through brand storytelling and E-E-A-T content building, similar products can be sold at 15-30% higher prices on independent sites. Consumers pay for brand value, not just compare prices.
Marketing Freedom
Enable tactics not supported by platforms like subscriptions, membership systems, and bundling. A beauty brand increased customer LTV 3x via a subscription box model on their site.
Risk Resilience
Under a "Marketplace + Independent Site" dual-track system, even if the marketplace store has issues, the independent site can maintain the connection between the brand and customers, acting as a business stabilizer.
Value Multiplication for B2B Enterprises
For cross-border B2B enterprises, the value of an independent site is even more pronounced. By professionally showcasing technical capabilities, production capacity, and certifications on an independent site, high-quality leads can be effectively acquired. Data shows that the lead conversion rate for B2B companies with professional independent sites is over 50% higher than those relying solely on B2B platforms.
Realistic Challenges: A Dose of Reality – Can You Fill These Pits?
While encouraging everyone to consider an independent site, I must honestly point out the three major challenges:
⚠️ Traffic Isolation Dilemma
Launching an independent site is like opening a store in the desert. Without SEO optimization skills and advertising experience, website traffic might remain zero for a long time. Compared to the natural traffic distribution of marketplaces, independent sites need to build a traffic system from scratch.
⚠️ Conversion Rate Optimization Challenges
Amazon’s trust (Bèishū – endorsement) makes consumers feel confident to order, while independent sites need to solve payment trust, page load speed, user experience, and other issues themselves. The average conversion rate for independent sites (1-3%) is much lower than that of marketplaces (5-15%).
⚠️ Cash Flow Pressure
Independent sites typically require a 3-6 month (Chéndiàn qī – settling period) to achieve stable orders, during which continuous investment in site building, content, and advertising is needed. Without sufficient capital reserves, it is difficult to survive this cold start period.
Find Your Fit: Are You Suited for an Independent Site?
Not all sellers are suitable to immediately start an independent site. Based on experience from thousands of cases, I summarize the seller profiles that are suitable and unsuitable for independent sites:
✅ Sellers Suitable for Independent Sites
- Products have differentiation advantages or technical barriers
- Average Order Value above $50 (enough profit to support ad spend)
- High repurchase rate categories (beauty, pet supplies, consumables, etc.)
- B2B factories or brand owners needing to showcase professional strength
- Large marketplace sellers with stable cash flow seeking brand transformation
❌ Sellers Unsuitable for Independent Sites
- Pure resellers/dropshippers with no product selection advantage
- Low-end standard products relying heavily on price wars
- Short-term speculators expecting "explosive orders immediately after launch"
- Highly homogenized products lacking unique selling points
- Insufficient capital reserves, unable to withstand a 3-6 month investment period
Success Story: Anker’s Independent Site Evolution
Anker started on Amazon, gaining initial success with high-quality charging devices. But they realized early on the risks of relying solely on platforms and began building their independent site. Through their site, Anker achieved three major breakthroughs:
- Brand Storytelling: Deeply showcased R&D strength and brand philosophy on the independent site, establishing a premium image.
- User Data Accumulation: Used email lists for new product launches and promotions, increasing repurchase rate by 40%.
- Omni-channel Synergy: Marketplaces handle volume, the independent site handles brand building and high-value customer maintenance.
Today, Anker’s independent site not only serves sales functions but is also the core platform for brand image display and user relationship maintenance.
Decision Framework & Action Plan: What Should You Do Now?
Before deciding whether to start an independent site, please complete this "Soul 5-Question" self-assessment:
Independent Site Launch Self-Assessment Checklist
- Is the product unique? – Can you explain the product’s unique selling point in 3 sentences?
- Is the budget sufficient? – Do you have a 3-6 month budget of 10,000 – 30,000 RMB per month for investment?
- Is the team ready? – Is there a team member who understands traffic (SEO/Ads) or is willing to learn?
- Is the supply chain flexible? – Can it support small batch, multi-batch order models?
- Is the mindset prepared? – Can you accept a potential 3-month (Chéndiàn qī – settling period) with zero orders?
If you answered "Yes" to 4 or more of the above questions, then you are very suitable to start planning your independent site. Here are specific strategies for sellers at different stages:
30-Day Independent Site Implementation Action Plan
1
Week 1: Market Analysis & Domain Preparation
Use SEMrush or Ahrefs to analyze competitors’ keyword strategies and traffic sources for their independent sites to determine your own positioning. Purchase a domain name containing your brand name, recommended to use a .com international domain.
2
Week 2: Product Selection & Site Building
Select 3-5 of your most competitive products as the initial launch for the independent site. Use Shopify or WordPress to build the site, ensuring a responsive design theme. Configure basic GA4 analytics and Google Search Console.
3
Week 3: Payment & Logistics Setup, Content Building
Configure payment methods like Stripe, PayPal, set up shipping templates and return/refund policies. Write brand stories, product detail pages, and other basic SEO content, ensuring each page has unique keyword targeting.
4
Week 4: Traffic Testing & Data Collection
Launch small-scale Google Ads or Meta Ads tests (Daily budget $20-50) to collect the first wave of user behavior data. Analyze user paths and conversion funnels in GA4 to prepare for subsequent optimization.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
An independent site is not a replacement for marketplaces, but a complement. It is the necessary path from "business" to "enterprise." In today’s environment of rising platform traffic costs, building an independent site early is like buying insurance for your growth in the next 5 years.