eCommerce: Amazon Rivals

Amazon Competitor Analysis: Key Insights

• Amazon's Dominance: Amazon remains the top player in global eCommerce with a GMV of US$728 billion in 2023, showing its vast reach in online retail.

• China's Contenders: Pinduoduo, Taobao, Tmall, and JD.com, all based in China, are Amazon's strongest competitors, with Pinduoduo leading at a GMV of US$570 billion.

• Growth Leaders: Pinduoduo stands out with the highest annual growth rate of 24.6%, highlighting rapid expansion within the Chinese market.

• U.S. Rivalry: In the United States, Walmart poses the most significant competition to Amazon, despite a significant gap in their market shares.

Amazon has been on top of global eCommerce continuously, which reached a new peak in 2023 with a record global GMV of US$728 billion. The tech giant has thus once again managed to extend its lead over its global competitors.

GMV encompasses all sales on a platform, including taxes, shipping fees, and additional charges, before accounting for discounts or returns. This competitor analysis is based on GMV for the top marketplaces in 2023 by ECDB.

But as we all know: The competition never sleeps. Our data shows that Amazon is not the only big player in global eCommerce. Who are Amazon's biggest rivals? 

Competitor Analysis for Amazon by GMV

Amazon, Pinduoduo, Taobao, Tmall, JD.com, Kwai Shop, Walmart, Shopee, eBay, and Coupang are the top ten marketplaces in the world. They operate in various sectors such as electronics, fashion, and more.

Although numerous companies have taken up the challenge to compete with Amazon, the top three marketplace competitors to Amazon in terms of GMV all originate in China: Taobao, Tmall, and JD.com. These marketplaces possess distinctive selling propositions that differentiate them from Amazon.

• Pinduoduo, with US$570 billion in GMV, is the biggest rival to the U.S. giant Amazon, focusing entirely on the Chinese eCommerce sector.

• Taobao, Alibaba Group Holding's subsidiary, is the world's largest marketplace with a GMV of US$541 billion, 4.2% of which comes from international markets, expanding its global presence beyond China.

• Tmall, also under Alibaba, follows closely with a global GMV of US$525 billion, with 3.8% of its share from other countries, ranking third in China.

• JD.com ranks fourth globally with a GMV of US$501 billion, with only 0.5% of its income from international markets, emphasizing its dominance in China.

The differences in GMV might be attributed to the types of products and services offered by these platforms. Tmall, for example, offers higher-end products alongside everyday items. JD.com, on the other hand, is known for its fast delivery services, supported by its own warehouse infrastructure. These factors contribute to their respective positions in the Chinese eCommerce market.

Top 5 Global Marketplaces Ranked by GMV

Below, we provide the top five ranking marketplaces, ranked by their global Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) in 2023. We also mention their growth rates, main country of operation, and main product category.

1. Amazon Inc. (US$729 billion) has the highest GMV, with an annual growth rate (2023) of 9.1%. Predominantly serving the United States (51.1%), their main product category is Hobby & Leisure (37.1%).

2. Pinduoduo (US$570 billion) has the second-highest global GMV, with a staggering annual growth rate of 24.6%. Exclusively serving consumers in Greater China (100%), its main product category is Fashion (56%).

3. Taobao (US$541 billion) has the third-highest global GMV, despite having a negative annual growth rate (3.2%). Serving the Greater China region (95.8 %), its main product category is Fashion (35%).

4. Tmall (US$526 billion), another Alibaba Group entity, comes in the fourth position. It has a similar annual decline rate (2.8%) to Taobao's and primarily caters to consumers in Greater China (96.1%), with its main product category being Care Products (40.8%).

5. JD.com (US$501 billion) has the fifth position, with a decline rate of 3%. It also operates mainly in Greater China (99.5%) and specializes in Electronics (45%).

Several smaller marketplaces are also making their presence felt in the eCommerce arena, including Flipkart (part of Walmart, Inc.), MercadoLibre, and Rakuten. Despite a competitive offering, they have not yet entered the top ranks.

Who are Amazon's Biggest Competitors?

In global eCommerce, China's Alibaba Group emerges as Amazon's biggest rival. It majorly dampened Amazon’s ambitions to expand in what is the world’s leading eCommerce market.

While Amazon still has a larger global market share, the presence of Alibaba-owned marketplaces - such as Taobao, Tmall, and AliExpress - is growing rapidly, particularly in the Greater China region. Taken together, they are outpacing Amazon in the massive Chinese consumer market by a significant margin, each in their own unique way.

For example, Taobao Marketplace, a C2C eCommerce platform, enables small businesses and individual entrepreneurs to open online stores that cater to consumers in Chinese-speaking regions and abroad. Taobao is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world, with over 1 billion product listings and a wide variety of products.

A major driver of economic growth in China, it has also helped create millions of jobs. On the other hand, Tmall, a B2C company, offers lower prices on clothing accessories and computers than Amazon.

Marketplaces in China:
Pinduoduo Grows Rapidly

On top of Taobao, Tmall, and JD.com, another marketplace called Pinduoduo has seen a rapid rise in popularity in China's eCommerce market. The tech giant achieved a remarkable annual growth rate of 24.6% in 2023, securing the number one position in China's ranking.

Exclusively serving the Greater China region, Pinduoduo’s main product category is Fashion, which accounts for over half of its global GMV of US$570 billion. The company also stands out for its innovative mobile-centric approach.

Moreover, it has launched a highly engaging shopping model customized to the social context of Chinese buyers, including community group buying.

Competition in the U.S: Amazon vs. Walmart

While Alibaba provides Amazon with stiff competition on the global stage and in China, within the United States, Amazon faces another worthy opponent: Walmart Inc. which operates its own marketplace: Walmart.

Nevertheless, its market share has been declining in recent years due to rapidly changing market dynamics. Walmart's global GMV of US$136 billion is significantly lower than Amazon's. In the U.S., it ranks second with a GMV of US$125 billion, well behind Amazon's GMV of US$365 billion.

In 2023, Amazon.com, Inc. and Walmart, Inc. were the leading platforms in U.S. eCommerce, with revenues of US$369 billion and US$144 billion, respectively. Other key players in U.S. eCommerce include eBay, Inc., and The Home Depot, Inc.

However, according to data from Fortune 500, Walmart is still king when it comes to total company revenue in 2023. This demonstrates the enduring strength of brick-and-mortar retail in the United States.

Marketplaces in the UK:
Amazon Leads, eBay Second

In the UK, Amazon competes against several marketplaces that are nonetheless behind it in terms of GMV.

Amazon's GMV in the UK in 2023 is US$61.5 billion. In second place is eBay; however, with a GMV of US$12.3 billion, it is much behind Amazon. Its category of focus is Hobby & Leisure.

Etsy, specializing in Fashion, trails further behind with a much smaller GMV of US$1.2 billion. Next is Tmall, part of Alibaba Group and concentrating on Care Products. It is also a competitor in the UK and generated a GMV of US$900 million in 2023.

Lastly, Vinted, with its emphasis on Fashion, comes in at the fifth spot with a GMV of US$800 million. Even when put together, these companies do not equal the GMV of Amazon.

Top Amazon Competitors: Concluding Remarks

Amazon is a leader in e-commerce and is the marketplace of choice in key markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom. However, Alibaba, through its subsidiaries Taobao and Tmall, has emerged as a significant competitor to the U.S. company.

Nevertheless, Amazon continues to strengthen its position through a variety of strategies, including new services and advertising spending to reach new consumers and increase its online visibility. The marketplace leader continues to forge ahead, tapping into the rich potential of various markets and demonstrating its continued relevance in the e-commerce industry.