TABLE OF CONTENTS
If you’re wondering how to connect your Shopify account to various online marketplaces, you can do so through Shopify marketplace integrations. There are many different types of integrations to help you get the most out of your online store. Listing your products on these platforms will give you more exposure to the millions of shoppers that visit them every day. If you want to offer an array of different products and leverage the high-trafficked platforms, this is a must-have option for any business owner.
Once you’ve identified the integrations that best suit your needs, installing it is simple as long as you have a Shopify Plus account. For those with Basic accounts, some features may be limited or hidden depending on your plan’s level of support. You can find instructions for both types of accounts on the app’s page in the Shopify store.
Google Shopping Feeds Shopify Integration
This integration gives you access to Google Shopping, which is one of the largest advertising platforms out there. Not only does it give you access to Google Shopping, but you can also list your products on Google Search and the results pages. Since it’s possible for customers to search via images or even by voice, this is a must-have for any store looking for more reach.
Pros and cons of integrating Shopify with Google Shopping Feeds
| Pros | Cons |
| Gives your business high visibility on a trusted platform | If you list your products on Google Search, you may be reaching customers who mostly want to browse. |
| Great way to drive traffic and sales | Huge amounts of data and maintenance required. If you want to manage this integration effectively, you should store all of your product data in Google Sheets or Excel to help keep things organized. |
Amazon Shopify Integration
This lets you connect your site to Amazon’s marketplace. Amazon made $118.6 billion in online sales in 2020 alone. While this might seem obvious since Amazon is the largest marketplace in the world, there are other ways to get more exposure by giving your products more visibility.
Pros and cons of integrating Shopify with Amazon:
| Pros: | Cons: |
| Amazon has over 300 million users and is the largest marketplace in terms of sheer volume | Competition is tough since Amazon has so many sellers already |
| If you list your products on Amazon, they will also appear on their other sites like Zappos and Endless.com which give you even more reach | You’ll need to do your best job of listing products in a clear and high-quality manner |
Etsy Shopify Integration
This integration lets you connect your online store to Etsy, which allows you to sell unique goods directly on their platform. This will let you gain exposure among a whole new group of customers. Etsy made $349.25 million in annual net income in 2020. This is incredibly useful if your online store is focused on homemade or niche items.
Pros and cons of integrating Shopify with Etsy:
| Pros: | Cons: |
| Selling your products through Etsy can expose you to an audience of over 35 million users | Your target demographic may not fit Etsy’s audience of people looking for handmade, vintage, or bespoke products |
| Etsy offers its own e-mail marketing service for customers to sign up and stay informed about what’s new in your store. |
Walmart Shopify Integration
This lets you sell your products directly on Walmart’s website. As one of the largest companies in America, a huge number of customers visit this platform annually. Walmart made $35.9 billion in online sales in 2020. Exposure to an audience like this can lead to a significant boost in sales.
Pros and cons of integrating Shopify with Walmart:
| Pros: | Cons: |
| Just like Walmart’s in-store shoppers, many of its online customers are loyal to their site. They also tend to make more purchases than average store shoppers | To have your products appear on Walmart.com, you must list them at a higher price than usual. This can cause a drop in conversions and increased return rates |
| Walmart has the ability to promote its products on its own website and over social media channels like Twitter or Pinterest | Walmart’s brand might not mesh well with yours if your target audience varies from the typical Walmart shopper |
eBay Shopify Integration
eBay is one of the oldest marketplaces online and has been used by many different types of people to sell goods. eBay’s annual net income in 2020 was $5.6 billion. As a business owner, selling your products on eBay can be incredibly beneficial.
Pros and cons of integrating Shopify with eBay
| Pros: | Cons: |
| As the world’s largest auction site, selling your products on eBay can expose your business to a huge audience. | You’ll need to deal with multiple accounts, payment methods, and extra fees if your products are successfully sold on the platform |
| As with other online marketplace integrations, you won’t need to spend as much time listing and managing listings since Shopify will handle that for you | If you’re looking to sell products at a set price, eBay’s bid structure may not work for you |
Building Your Own Integrations
If none of the existing integrations are right for you, you can always choose to create your own integration. These are called “App Connects” and tend to be more advanced than other types of integrations because they often require some coding experience. For those familiar with HTML, CSS, and Javascript, creating an app connection shouldn’t be too difficult.
If you run into any problems as you’re setting up your integration(s), visit the Shopify Help Center. You can find instructions on how to use specific apps like Facebook’s “Pixel” tool or Google Analytics by clicking on their respective help articles.
Final Thoughts
Shopify marketplace integrations offer a fast and easy way to sell your products on the world’s largest online marketplaces without having to worry about coding or technical difficulties. It can be as simple as clicking ‘save product listing’ once you’ve added your items, which will automatically list them for purchase in that respective marketplace. If you’re looking for an easier solution than creating individual storefronts, then this is it. All you need to run a profitable online business is to leverage Shopify‘s robust platform with a low-cost eCommerce merchant services solution.
