What OnBuy Is
OnBuy is a UK-based online marketplace that positions itself as a fairer alternative to Amazon. It does not sell its own products (unlike Amazon), meaning sellers never compete against the marketplace itself. OnBuy charges lower fees than Amazon and claims to give sellers a more level playing field. It is smaller than Amazon but growing, particularly in electronics, home and garden, and health categories.
Fees and Costs
OnBuy charges category-based selling fees ranging from 5 to 9 percent depending on the product category — typically lower than Amazon's referral fees. There is no monthly subscription fee for their standard plan. You handle your own fulfilment (OnBuy does not have an FBA equivalent), which means shipping costs and logistics are your responsibility.
The Opportunity
Lower competition is the main draw. With fewer sellers on the platform, your products have more visibility without the intense price competition of Amazon. If you sell products in OnBuy's stronger categories and can handle your own fulfilment, it provides an additional revenue stream with minimal setup effort and lower fees.
The Limitations
OnBuy's traffic is a fraction of Amazon's. You will not match your Amazon sales volume on OnBuy — it is a supplementary channel. The platform is still developing features and tools, so the seller experience is less polished than Amazon's. Without a built-in fulfilment service, you need your own shipping solution, which adds operational complexity.
Is It Worth Adding?
If you already handle your own fulfilment or use a 3PL, listing products on OnBuy requires minimal incremental effort and provides additional sales at lower fee rates. If you rely entirely on FBA and have no self-fulfilment capability, the setup cost of managing your own shipping may not justify the relatively modest sales volume OnBuy generates for most sellers.