85% of Surveyed Small Businesses Say That Using Online Marketplaces Allows Them to Reduce Their Overall Business Expenses, 92% Agree That E-Commerce Marketplaces Allow Them to Reach Potential Customers More Easily

Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today announced the results of a new poll conducted with Ipsos. The growth of e-commerce marketplaces has brought attention to the changing habits of consumers and how the retail ecosystem functions. The study explored how the proliferation of e-commerce marketplaces has impacted interactions between small businesses and their customers and revealed that e-commerce marketplaces are helping small businesses succeed.

“This poll underscores the essential role that online retail plays in the competitive retail landscape,” said Linda Moore, President and CEO of TechNet. “With many more options for sellers than ever before, these companies are tapping online retail platforms to operate, grow, and thrive.”

TechNet’s diverse members, including marketplaces Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Mercari, directly support small businesses and help them reach customers every day.

Methodology

TechNet partnered with Ipsos to conduct a nationwide, self-reported, anonymous survey of small retail business owners, executives, and senior managers who use e-commerce marketplaces to sell their products. The poll was conducted October 23–November 5, 2024, among a sample of 1,003 small business retailers. The interviews were conducted online. Eligible small business retailers for this survey were owners, operators, executives, and senior sales and marketing professionals who reported using the internet to sell products online, at companies with 100 or fewer employees and less than $50 million in total revenue last year. No post-hoc weights were applied to the data, and findings reflect the opinion of these respondents only.

Key Findings

Most e-commerce retailers surveyed employ a variety of sales channels to reach customers. 90% of those selling online do so on at least two e-commerce marketplaces. The average small business retailer in this survey utilizes a combination of three e-commerce and two other (primarily in-store) sales channels.

  • 90% of survey respondents agree that e-commerce marketplaces are a cost-effective way to sell online, and 85% say that using e-commerce marketplaces allow them to reduce their small business expenses overall.
  • 92% of surveyed retailers agree that e-commerce marketplaces allow them to reach potential customers more easily.
  • 90% of survey respondents agree that e-commerce marketplaces provide valuable analytics tools for launching new product lines.
  • 79% of survey respondents agree that e-commerce sales have created opportunities to get their products into physical stores.

Read the complete survey results here.