The UK e-commerce landscape presents sellers with unprecedented marketplace diversity. While Amazon UK dominates with overwhelming traffic volumes, a deeper analysis of visitors, sales per visitor, and platform costs reveals surprising economics that challenge the conventional wisdom of "more traffic equals more profit."
This comprehensive analysis examines ten major UK marketplaces - Amazon UK, B&Q, Debenhams, Decathlon, Freemans, John Lewis, OnBuy, Secret Sales, Shein and Temu - comparing their traffic volumes, conversion rates, fee structures, and ultimately revealing which marketplace combinations deliver optimal value for sellers in 2026.
Monthly Traffic: 404.3 million visits (November 2025)
Unique Users: 67 million UK internet users visit monthly
Bounce Rate: 42.07%
Average Session Duration: 10 minutes 12 seconds
Pages Per Visit: 6.25
UK Market Penetration: 86% of UK consumers shop on Amazon
Amazon UK's traffic hit 404.3 million monthly visits in November 2025, up 4% from October. With 86% of UK consumers shopping on Amazon, the platform has achieved near-universal market penetration.
While 404.3 million visits sounds impressive, this translates to approximately 6 visits per UK resident per month - meaning the same users return multiple times for browsing, comparison shopping, and research before purchasing. Amazon's conversion rate of 10-15% means that 85-90% of these 404 million visits never result in a purchase.
For sellers, this creates a critical problem: you're competing with millions of other sellers for a slice of that 10-15% conversion, while Amazon extracts 30-50% of your revenue regardless of whether that traffic was valuable or not.
Annual Traffic: 320 million visits per year
Monthly Traffic: 26.7 million visits
Monthly Visitors: 24 million unique visitors
Seller Base: 1,300+ verified sellers
Product Range: 1.5+ million products
GMV Share: 38% of B&Q's total e-commerce sales (January 2024)
B&Q's website, diy.com, attracts over 320 million online visits per year, with over 24 million monthly visitors. Launched in March 2022, the marketplace now hosts over 1.5 million products from 1,300+ verified sellers.
B&Q occupies a unique position as a category specialist with heritage brand trust. In its first year, marketplace sellers generated 24% of B&Q's online revenue, growing to 38% of total e-commerce sales by January 2024.
Sellers report average 180% increase in sales and 81% boost in traffic during promotional periods, demonstrating the platform's ability to drive meaningful conversion despite significantly lower overall traffic than Amazon.
Monthly Visits: 6.41 million (February 2025)
Annual Website Visits: 300 million
Annual GMV: £654 million (FY25, +34% YoY)
Average Session Duration: 6 minutes 45 seconds
Bounce Rate: 54.72%
Pages Per Visit: 4.02
Brand Partners: 15,000+
Debenhams receives 6.41 million monthly visits, translating to 300 million annual website visits. The platform reported annual GMV of £654 million in FY25, up 34% year-over-year.
After closing physical stores and operating exclusively online under Boohoo Group ownership (since 2021), Debenhams has repositioned as a curated digital marketplace. With 15,000+ brand partners, the platform maintains premium positioning with heritage UK brand trust.
The 300 million annual visits - distributed across fewer sellers than Amazon - means individual seller visibility is significantly higher than on mass-market platforms.
Monthly Visits: 6.4-7.7 million
Monthly Transactions: 192,911 (July 2025)
Monthly Revenue: £21.7 million (July 2025)
Average Order Value: £100-125
Conversion Rate: 2.00-2.50%
Average Session Duration: 3 minutes 26 seconds
Bounce Rate: 40.84%
In July 2025, Decathlon.co.uk generated £21.7 million in revenue from 192,911 transactions and 7.7 million sessions, with an AOV of £100-125 and conversion rate of 2-2.5%.
Decathlon launched its UK marketplace in 2021 as part of an international expansion. The platform operates on an invite-only model, partnering with brands that share Decathlon's values of quality and accessibility. In Belgium, the marketplace accounts for 8.5% of all website sales, with projections to exceed €1 billion across Europe within five years.
The sports category specialization means sellers face less competition than on general marketplaces, while accessing highly engaged sports enthusiasts with clear purchase intent.
Annual Website Visits: 300 million
Monthly Visitors: 25 million
Customer Growth: +9% new customers (Q4 2025)
Website Visit Growth: +10% (12-week period Q4 2025)
Sales Growth: +9% (Q4 2025) vs +12% (4 weeks to Christmas)
Customer Demographics: 40+ female shopper focus
Freemans reported sales up 12% for the four weeks to Christmas 2025, with Q4 2025 sales up 9% overall. The platform saw new customer numbers up 9% and website visits up 10% over the 12-week Q4 period.
Following its restructure from catalog to pureplay digital retailer, Freemans has built momentum as a curated marketplace with over 70 new third-party brands onboarded through its Mirakl partnership, including French Connection, Blue Vanilla, Roman Originals, Tog 24, and Mountain Warehouse.
With 300 million annual visits focused on the 40+ demographic, Freemans offers sellers access to a high-intent, financially established customer base often overlooked by fashion marketplaces targeting Gen Z.
Monthly Visits: 22.7-23.1 million (April-June 2025)
Monthly Transactions: Data not publicly disclosed
Annual Revenue: Over £10 billion
Average Session Duration: 3 minutes 58 seconds to 6 minutes 58 seconds
Bounce Rate: 38.53% - 46.33%
Pages Per Visit: 5.01 - 6.13
Conversion Rate: 3.5-4.0%
Average Order Value: £200-225
Between April and June 2025, johnlewis.com attracted around 23.1 million visits per month. The site generated £190 million in revenue in September 2025, with 26.4 million sessions, a conversion rate of 3.5-4%, and AOV of £200-225.
John Lewis launched its fashion marketplace in mid-2021, growing the womenswear assortment by over 50% within the first six months by adding 67 new brands. The curated, ethical focus resonates with quality-conscious UK consumers willing to pay premium prices.
With annual revenues exceeding £10 billion and 35 department stores across the UK, John Lewis offers sellers access to an affluent customer base with high purchase intent and elevated expectations.
Monthly Visits: 7.11 million (November 2025)
Traffic Growth: +11.87% month-over-month (Nov vs Oct)
Annual Sales: £150+ million (2024)
Gross Profit: £20 million (2024)
Q1 2025 Sales: £33 million (Jan-Apr 2025, +50% YoY)
Active Sellers: 11,000+
Product Range: 35+ million products
Average Session Duration: 6 minutes 3 seconds
Average Order Value: £78
OnBuy.com received 7.11 million visits in November 2025, an 11.87% increase from October. The platform reported £150+ million in sales and £20 million gross profit in 2024, with £33 million in sales just between January and April 2025, representing +50% year-over-year growth.
OnBuy differentiates itself by not competing with its own sellers - a direct contrast to Amazon's private label strategy. Commission rates range from 5-9%, with no listing fees and transparent pricing. The platform also offers a unique cashback program for shoppers, driving customer loyalty.
With 5.1 million monthly visitors, 87.69% from the UK, and over 6 million UK customers, OnBuy has built a meaningful domestic presence as the fastest-growing UK-founded marketplace.
UK Monthly Visits: 16.38 million (July 2025)
UK Traffic Share: 93.59% of shein.co.uk traffic
Average Session Duration: 11 minutes 11 seconds
Bounce Rate: 49.2%
Pages Per Visit: 5.73
UK Market Penetration: 24% of UK consumers shopped in past 12 months
Gen Z Penetration: 30% purchased
Shein.co.uk attracts 16.38 million monthly visits as of July 2025, with 24% of UK consumers having shopped on the platform in the past 12 months and 30% of UK Gen Z reporting purchases.
Shein's strength lies in fashion-specific traffic. The 11-minute average session duration indicates high engagement, with users spending significant time browsing collections. However, conversion rates of 3.5-4% reflect the high-consideration nature of fashion purchases and intense competition from fast-fashion alternatives.
UK Annual Unique Visitors: 50 million (growing 40% YoY)
Monthly Visits: 18 million unique visits
Registered Accounts: 13 million
Customer Base: 5.5 million active customers
Brand Partners: 2,400+ luxury and premium brands
European Presence: UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Germany
Secret Sales' marketplace platform serves an engaged audience with 18 million unique visits and 5.5 million customers. The platform grew from 2,800 brands to over 2,400 luxury and high street brands, with 50 million unique users visiting annually, growing 40% year-over-year.
Secret Sales operates in the off-price luxury segment, offering a curated selection from premium brands. The platform's implementation of Mirakl Ads in May 2025 signals its maturity as a retail media platform, creating additional revenue streams for both the marketplace and brand partners.
Unlike traditional marketplaces, Secret Sales operates on a negotiated partnership model with zero upfront costs for brands, GDPR-compliant data sharing, and comprehensive marketing packages at no additional cost.
UK Monthly Active Users: 13.1 million (October 2025)
Global Monthly Traffic: 1.45 billion visits
Year-over-Year Growth: +16.3% (UK users)
UK Market Penetration: 12% of UK consumers purchased in past 12 months
Millennial Adoption: 21% penetration
Average Session Duration: 8 minutes 34 seconds
Bounce Rate: 59.29%
Temu has 13.1 million monthly active users in the UK as of October 2025, representing 16.3% year-over-year growth. The platform saw users grow from 6.5 million in 2023 to 9.9 million in 2024, named the second-fastest-growing app in the UK.
Temu operates on a fundamentally different model than traditional marketplaces. With commission rates typically 2-5% for established sellers, fees appear attractive - but this is offset by extreme pricing pressure. 40% of US Temu shoppers spend £20 or less per transaction, indicating ultra-low pricing expectations that compress margins despite lower commission rates.
Understanding conversion rates is critical to evaluating true marketplace value. Here's how the platforms compare:
| Marketplace | Conversion Rate | What This Means | Key Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | 10-15% | 85-90% of visitors don't buy | Prime membership, trust, speed |
| B&Q | 2.5-3% estimated | 97% browse without buying | Category specialization, DIY research behavior |
| Debenhams | 2-2.5% | 97.5-98% don't buy | Department store format |
| Decathlon | 2.00-2.50% | 97.5-98% don't convert | Sports specialization, considered purchases |
| Freemans | 2-2.5% estimated | 97.5-98% don't convert | Department store format, credit offerings |
| John Lewis | 3.5-4% | 96-96.5% don't convert | Premium positioning, quality focus |
| OnBuy | 4-5% estimated | 95-96% don't convert | Cashback incentive, UK focus |
| Secret Sales | 3-4% estimated | 96-97% don't buy | Luxury off-price, flash sales model |
| Shein | 3.5-4% | 96-96.5% don't convert | Fast fashion, trend-driven |
| Temu | 6-8% | 92-94% don't buy | Ultra-low pricing, impulse purchases |
Even Amazon's industry-leading 10-15% conversion rate means sellers are paying for traffic that overwhelmingly doesn't convert. When you combine this with Amazon's 30-50% fee structure, the economics become punishing.
Alternative marketplaces with 2-4% conversion rates appear worse at first glance. However, when fees are 50-70% lower and competition is dramatically reduced, the profit per converted sale is often higher despite lower conversion rates.
The Maths:
When you factor in Amazon's advertising costs (typically 10-30% of revenue), the advantage shrinks considerably.
Total Amazon UK Cost: 30-50% of gross revenue (including fees, fulfillment, and advertising)
Amazon's fee structure is deliberately complex, making it difficult for sellers to calculate true profitability. When you factor in:
...the platform takes 40-70% of revenue on many products, particularly in competitive categories requiring heavy advertising spend.
Sellers participating in B&Q promotions see average 180% increase in sales and 81% boost in traffic
Total B&Q Cost: 12-15% + £60/month
B&Q's transparent fee structure means sellers know exactly what they'll pay. For a £100 sale:
Total Debenhams Cost: 10-25% estimated commission
Total Decathlon Cost: 10-18% depending on category + £60/month
Decathlon's category-specific commission structure rewards certain product types. A £100 electronics sale costs £10 (10%), while the same sale on Amazon costs £21-38 after advertising. The platform's sports specialization means highly targeted traffic rather than general browsing.
Total Freemans Cost: 15-25% commission
Total John Lewis Cost: 15-25% estimated + application process
Total OnBuy Cost: 5-9% commission
OnBuy's 5-9% commission is dramatically lower than Amazon's total cost structure. For a £100 sale:
Even with lower conversion rates, sellers keep 40-50% more per sale.
Total Secret Sales Cost: 15-25% negotiated + zero monthly fees
Total Shein Cost: 10-20% estimated
Secret Sales operates more as a brand partner than traditional marketplace. The luxury off-price positioning means sellers can move excess inventory at reasonable margins while accessing 18 million unique visits from affluent customers.
While 2-5% commission appears attractive, Temu's pricing model creates a race to the bottom. Sellers often compete with manufacturers selling at near-cost, meaning gross margins are compressed despite low fees.
Total Temu Cost: 2-5% commission + pricing pressure
| Marketplace | Monthly UK Visitors | Annual Visits | Avg Session Duration | Bounce Rate | Market Penetration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | 404.3M visits | 4.85B | 10:12 | 42.07% | 86% of UK consumers |
| B&Q | 26.7M visits | 320M | Data not available | Data not available | DIY category leader |
| Debenhams | 6.41M visits | 300M | 6:45 | 54.72% | Heritage brand |
| Decathlon | 6.4-7.7M visits | 77-92M | 3:26 | 40.84% | Sports category |
| Freemans | 25M visits | 300M | Data not available | Data not available | 40+ demographic |
| John Lewis | 22.7M visits | 272M | 3:58-6:58 | 38.53-46.33% | Premium segment |
| OnBuy | 7.11M visits | 85M | 6:03 | Data not available | 6M+ customers |
| Secret Sales | 18M unique | 216M+ | Data not available | Data not available | Luxury segment |
| Shein | 16.38M visits | 196M | 11:11 | 49.2% | 24% of UK consumers |
| Temu | 13.1M users | 157M+ | 8:34 | 59.29% | 12% of UK consumers |
| Marketplace | Conversion Rate | AOV | Sales/1,000 Visitors | Revenue/1,000 Visitors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | 10-15% | £50-100 | 100-150 | £5,000-£15,000 |
| B&Q | 2.5-3% | £80-120 | 25-30 | £2,000-£3,600 |
| Debenhams | 2-2.5% | £75-100 | 20-25 | £1,500-£2,500 |
| Decathlon | 2-2.5% | £100-125 | 20-25 | £2,000-£3,125 |
| Freemans | 2-2.5% | £75-100 | 20-25 | £1,500-£2,500 |
| John Lewis | 3.5-4% | £200-225 | 35-40 | £7,000-£9,000 |
| OnBuy | 4-5% | £78 | 40-50 | £3,120-£3,900 |
| Secret Sales | 3-4% | £60-90 | 30-40 | £1,800-£3,600 |
| Shein | 3.5-4% | £75-100 | 35-40 | £2,625-£4,000 |
| Temu | 6-8% | £20-40 | 60-80 | £1,200-£3,200 |
| Marketplace | Monthly Fee | Commission | Other Fees | Total Platform Take | Seller Keeps (per £100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | £25 | 8-15% | FBA £3-6 + Ads £10-30 | 30-50% | £50-70 |
| B&Q | £60 | 12-15% | None | 12-15% + £60/mo | £85-88 |
| Debenhams | £0 | 10-25% | None | 10-25% | £75-90 |
| Decathlon | £60 | 10-18% | None | 10-18% + £60/mo | £82-90 |
| Freemans | £0 | 15-25% | None | 15-25% | £75-85 |
| John Lewis | £0 | 15-25% | None | 15-25% | £75-85 |
| OnBuy | £0 | 5-9% | Optional Boost | 5-9% | £91-95 |
| Secret Sales | £0 | 15-25% | None | 15-25% | £75-85 |
| Shein | £0 | 10-20% | Variable | 10-20% | £80-90 |
| Temu | £0 | 2-5% | Pricing pressure | 5-15%* | £85-95* |
*Note: Temu's apparent margin advantage is offset by extreme pricing pressure
| Marketplace | Total Sellers | Est. Monthly Sales/Seller | Est. Annual Sales/Seller | Competition Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | Millions | £2,000-8,000 | £24K-96K | Extreme |
| B&Q | 1,300+ | £15,000-40,000 | £180K-480K | Moderate |
| Debenhams | 15,000+ | £4,000-12,000 | £48K-144K | Moderate |
| Decathlon | Hundreds (invite-only) | £10,000-30,000 | £120K-360K | Low-Moderate |
| Freemans | 70+ (new partners) | £20,000-50,000 | £240K-600K | Low |
| John Lewis | Hundreds (curated) | £15,000-50,000 | £180K-600K | Low |
| Shein | Hundreds (curated) | £8,000-25,000 | £96K-300K | Moderate |
| Secret Sales | 2,400+ brands | £5,000-20,000 | £60K-240K | Moderate |
| OnBuy | 11,000+ | £3,000-10,000 | £36K-120K | Moderate |
| Temu | Thousands | £5,000-15,000 | £60K-180K | High |
| Marketplace | Traffic Source Cost | Platform Fees | Fulfillment | Total Cost/Sale | Net Profit (£100 Sale) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | £2-8 (PPC) | £8-15 | £3-6 | £13-29 | £71-87 |
| B&Q | Included | £12-15 | Self | £12-15 | £85-88 |
| Debenhams | Included | £10-25 | Self | £10-25 | £75-90 |
| Decathlon | Included | £10-18 | Self | £10-18 | £82-90 |
| Freemans | Included | £15-25 | Self | £15-25 | £75-85 |
| John Lewis | Included | £15-25 | Self | £15-25 | £75-85 |
| OnBuy | Included | £5-9 | Self | £5-9 | £91-95 |
| Secret Sales | Included | £15-25 | Self | £15-25 | £75-85 |
| Shein | Included | £10-20 | Variable | £10-20 | £80-90 |
| Temu | Minimal | £2-5 | Self | £2-5 | £95-98 |
Critical Finding: Even though Amazon delivers higher conversion rates, the cost per sale is often 2-5x higher than alternative marketplaces, dramatically reducing net profit per transaction.
Based on comprehensive analysis of traffic, conversion, costs, and competition, here are optimized marketplace strategies by seller type:
Best For: Electronics accessories, home goods, generic products with thin margins
Best For: Clothing brands, fashion accessories, footwear
Best For: Furniture, home decor, garden equipment, DIY products
Best For: Sports equipment, fitness gear, outdoor products, activewear
Avoid: Amazon (commoditizes luxury), Temu (race to bottom)
Best For: Designer brands, luxury fashion, premium home goods
Exit Strategy: Once validated, reduce Amazon to 10-20% of volume and scale alternative marketplaces
Best For: New products, market testing, brand launches
Best For: Established sellers with diverse product ranges
To determine true marketplace value, we calculate a weighted score based on:
| Marketplace | Traffic Quality | Cost Efficiency | Competition Level | Support & Tools | Overall Value Score | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OnBuy | 7/10 | 10/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8.25/10 | 1 |
| B&Q | 6/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 8.25/10 | 1 |
| Decathlon | 6/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 8.25/10 | 1 |
| John Lewis | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 8.25/10 | 1 |
| Freemans | 6/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 | 7.75/10 | 5 |
| Debenhams | 6/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 7.25/10 | 6 |
| Secret Sales | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | 7.25/10 | 6 |
| Shein | 7/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 7.00/10 | 8 |
| Amazon UK | 10/10 | 4/10 | 3/10 | 9/10 | 6.50/10 | 9 |
| Temu | 8/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 | 6.25/10 | 10 |
Product: Phone cases and screen protectors
Average Selling Price: £15
Cost of Goods: £3
Monthly Volume Target: 1,000 units
OnBuy (40%): 400 units
Temu (30%): 300 units at £12 (price-adjusted)
Amazon (30%): 300 units
Total Multi-Platform Net: £8,286 (55% margin)
Result: Multi-platform delivers 137% more profit (£8,286 vs £3,500)
Product: Cushions and throws
Average Selling Price: £45
Cost of Goods: £12
Monthly Volume Target: 500 units
B&Q (45%): 225 units
John Lewis (30%): 150 units at £55 (premium pricing)
Freemans (15%): 75 units
Amazon (10%): 50 units
Total Multi-Platform Net: £13,379 (59% margin)
Result: Multi-platform delivers 77% more profit (£13,379 vs £7,550)
Product: Yoga mats and accessories
Average Selling Price: £35
Cost of Goods: £10
Monthly Volume Target: 800 units
Decathlon (50%): 400 units
Amazon (30%): 240 units
OnBuy (20%): 160 units
Total Multi-Platform Net: £13,588 (48% margin)
Result: Multi-platform delivers 68% more profit (£13,588 vs £8,080)
Amazon UK's 404 million monthly visits come with a 30-50% platform tax. Marketplaces with 10-50x less traffic often deliver superior per-sale profitability due to:
Amazon's 10-15% conversion rate appears superior to alternatives (2-5%), but when combined with:
...the net profit per 1,000 visitors is often lower than platforms with 2-3% conversion rates but 12-20% total fees.
B&Q (home/DIY), Decathlon (sports), and John Lewis (premium) demonstrate that targeted traffic from engaged category shoppers converts more efficiently than general browsing traffic, even with lower absolute conversion rates.
Sellers operating across 3-5 optimized marketplaces consistently achieve:
Month 1-2: Initial setup, application approvals
Month 3-4: First sales on alternative platforms, baseline metrics
Month 5-6: Optimize listings, begin scaling successful channels
Month 7-9: Multi-channel sales reach 30-40% of total
Month 10-12: Alternative platforms represent 60-70% of volume with 50-100% higher margins
The UK marketplace landscape of 2025-2026 offers sellers unprecedented opportunities to escape the Amazon profit trap. While Amazon UK's 404.3 million monthly visits create an illusion of unlimited opportunity, the platform's 30-50% fee structure and extreme competition make it increasingly untenable as a primary sales channel.
The optimal 2026 strategy is strategic diversification across 3-5 platforms:
This approach consistently delivers:
The question for UK sellers in 2026 isn't whether to diversify beyond Amazon - it's whether they can afford not to.
| Product Category | Primary Platform | Secondary Platform | Tertiary Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronics | OnBuy | Amazon (validation) | Debenhams |
| Home Decor | B&Q | John Lewis | Freemans |
| Fashion (Premium) | John Lewis | Secret Sales | Debenhams |
| Fashion (Fast) | Shein | Debenhams | Amazon |
| Sports Equipment | Decathlon | OnBuy | Amazon |
| Garden/DIY | B&Q | Debenhams | Amazon |
| Luxury Goods | John Lewis | Secret Sales | Debenhams |
| Baby/Kids | Freemans | John Lewis | Amazon |
| Beauty | Secret Sales | Debenhams | John Lewis |
Data Sources: Amazon Q4 2025 earnings, Similarweb, Semrush, marketplace public announcements, seller forums, and official marketplace documentation (2025-2026)
Last Updated: February 2026
This analysis represents the most comprehensive UK marketplace comparison available, synthesizing data from 10 major platforms to provide actionable insights for sellers navigating the complex landscape beyond Amazon's dominance.
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Dan Burnham