THE SHORT ANSWER
A marketplace provides access to its demand, trust and operating rules in exchange for fees, competition and limited control. D2C offers greater control over the storefront and first-party relationship while requiring the business to create demand, trust and operations. A hybrid model can use both when economics and customer promises are explicit.
Compare the operating systems
| Dimension | Marketplace tendency | D2C tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Existing marketplace demand and internal ranking | Owned, paid, organic, partner and brand demand |
| Customer relationship | Platform-mediated | Business-managed, subject to consent and capability |
| Economics | Referral, fulfilment, storage, advertising and other fees may apply | Media, platform, payment, fulfilment and operating costs |
| Data access | Defined by platform reports and policies | Potentially richer first-party journey data |
| Merchandising | Listing formats and marketplace rules | Greater storefront and journey control |
| Trust | Marketplace reputation and protections | Brand proof, policies and service must be established |
| Logistics | Platform services may be available | Business selects and manages its stack |
| Retention | Often occurs inside the marketplace | Can be developed through owned experience and consented CRM |
Compare net contribution, not headline sales
Marketplace sales may include referral fees, advertising, storage, fulfilment, returns and other program costs. D2C orders may include media, payment, platform, fulfilment, service and return costs. Fee names and rates vary; build a channel-specific contribution bridge from order value to retained contribution.
Amazon's official pricing is one example of category-dependent referral and fulfilment economics, not a universal marketplace model. Use the actual agreement and market where the business operates.
Evidence & context: Amazon
Control creates responsibility
D2C control over product presentation and customer journeys can support differentiation, experimentation and service. It also means the business must earn traffic, maintain the site, manage consent, support payment and deliver the promise.
Marketplace constraints can simplify some operating choices while increasing dependency on platform rules, ranking, fee changes and account health. Neither route removes execution risk.
A hybrid model needs channel roles
- Use marketplaces for reach, convenience or categories where customers already search.
- Use D2C for richer education, assortment, services or relationship-building where those create value.
- Set pricing and promotion principles that account for channel economics and customer expectations.
- Plan inventory, fulfilment and attribution across channels.
- Measure incrementality and cannibalisation rather than assuming every channel sale is additive.
Choose at the product and market level
Ask where the target customer expects to buy, what information the product needs, who can fulfil the promise and what contribution remains. Connect the answer to customer acquisition and product-page information, then revisit it as the brand and channel mix develop.
Sources & further reading
- How much does it cost to sell on Amazon?
Amazon. An official example of marketplace plans, referral fees and fulfilment economics. Fees vary by marketplace, category and time; no endorsement is implied.
- Product data specification
Google Merchant Center Help. Official product-data requirements covering identity, variants, price, availability, shipping and returns. It is Google-specific, not a universal commerce schema.
- API dimensions and metrics
Google Analytics. Official GA4 reporting definitions checked 13 September 2026, including session source, medium, referral and landing-page dimensions. Attribution remains limited to observable interactions.
Examples and exercises are illustrative unless attributed to a source. No independent expert review is claimed.
A correction, a counterexample or an experience worth sharing?
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