Should You Price Differently on Each Marketplace? A Pricing Strategy Guide

Same Price Everywhere vs Platform-Specific Pricing

There are two schools of thought, and both have merit:

Same price everywhere — simpler to manage, consistent brand image. But some platforms have higher fees, meaning your margin varies wildly.

Different prices per platform — optimises margins per channel but risks customer frustration if they find you cheaper elsewhere, and makes management more complex.

My recommendation: price differently, but within a narrow range (10-15% maximum variation).

How Fees Should Influence Pricing

If your product costs £10 to source and you want a £10 profit:

• Shopify: Price at £22 (2% fees = £0.44, you keep £11.56 after costs)
• eBay: Price at £24 (13% fees = £3.12, you keep £10.88 after costs)
• Etsy: Price at £25 (15% fees = £3.75, you keep £11.25 after costs)
• Amazon FBM: Price at £25 (15% fees = £3.75, you keep £11.25 after costs)
• Amazon FBA: Price at £28 (15% referral + £3 FBA = £7.20, you keep £10.80 after costs)

If you price at a flat £24 everywhere, your Amazon FBA margin is only £6.80 while your Shopify margin is £13.52. That's not sustainable.

What the Competition Allows

Your ideal price based on margin means nothing if competitors on that platform are 30% cheaper. Each platform has its own competitive landscape:

• Amazon — most competitive on price. The Buy Box algorithm favours lower prices. You often need to price at or near the bottom of the market
• eBay — price sensitive but less automated price competition than Amazon. More room for premium positioning
• Etsy — buyers are more willing to pay premium prices for handmade, unique, or personalised items. Price positioning matters more than rock-bottom pricing
• Shopify — your own website means no direct price comparison. You can charge the most here if your brand justifies it

The Anchor Pricing Strategy

Use Shopify as your "anchor" price — this is your highest, full-brand-experience price. Marketplace prices are slightly lower because the buying experience is less premium. This feels natural to consumers and lets you adjust per platform without it feeling inconsistent.

International Pricing

If you sell on Amazon in multiple countries, don't just convert GBP to EUR/USD. Each marketplace has its own competitive pricing. £20 in the UK might need to be €21 in Germany (not the exchange rate equivalent of €23) because German buyers have different price expectations and competitors. I help sellers model pricing per platform and per country to maximise margin while staying competitive.