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You want to increase revenue and limit risk. Here you'll find clear decision-making support.
Includes calculation examples, a matrix for quick decisions, KPIs and a 30-60-90 day plan.
short version
- Start on Amazon if demand already exists, margins are solid, and you want to sell quickly.
- Start your own shop if you want to build a brand, own data, and repeat purchases are crucial.
- Pursue a two-pronged approach if you have the budget and processes for multichannel retailing. Use Amazon for reach. Use the shop for customer retention.
- Factor in fees, logistics costs and ads Thoroughly check the margin after fees per SKU.
Amazon: Strengths and Threats
Power
- Reach, you meet existing demand.
- High willingness to buy, short distances to purchase.
- FBA takes care of warehousing, shipping and returns for you.
- Faster market entry, shorter start-up time.
Risks
- Fees, depending on the category, are usually between 8 and 15 percent, plus fulfillment and advertising.
- Strong competition on search engine results pages.
- Limited data sovereignty. They build few direct customer relationships.
- Rules and changes come from outside.
Official information about fees and plans can be found on Amazon . These change, so check them in detail and for each category before starting.
Own online shop: strengths and risks
Power
- They own the customer data. They control CRM, email, retention, and subscription models.
- They control the brand, story, prices, bundles, and UX.
- You reduce the cost per order with increasing volume when you optimize processes – the one-off Online shop costs This allows them to pay for themselves faster.
- They build organic traffic through SEO and content.
Risks
- You need to actively build your reach. Initially, orders will come through ads and partners.
- They carry technology, Legal textsPayment, shipping and support.
- You need clear tracking and a clean margin, otherwise you'll burn through your budget.
Decision matrix
| scenario | Suggestions | Grounds |
|---|---|---|
| SKU with high search demand and medium margin | Amazon first | They leverage reach. Quickly test pricing and images. Scale with ads and FBA. |
| Niche product with explanation | Shop first | You need space for content, comparison, and trust. Build your SEO and email presence. |
| Personalized products | Shop first | You can better control the configurator, delivery times and service in your own shop. |
| Low margin | Shop or B2B | Fees reduce margins. You need direct sales or volume discounts. |
| Subscription model or repurchases | Shop with CRM | They own data and increase CLV with email, SMS and loyalty program. |
| New brand with no reach | Hybrid | Amazon brings visibility. The shop builds brand and retention. |
Calculation example: make the margin tangible.
Assuming a gross retail price of €49,90, a purchase price of €16,00, packaging costs of €1,00, and shipping costs of €4,50.
Amazon
- Sales fee, usually 8 to 15 percent of the retail price per category.
- FBA, depending on size and weight.
- Ads, depending on the competition.
Example calculation. A 12 percent fee on €49,90 is €5,99. FBA: €4,30. Ads: €3,00 per order. Total variable costs: €13,29. Contribution margin before fixed costs: €49,90 minus €16,00 minus €1,00 minus €4,50 minus €13,29 equals €15,11.
Own shop
- Payment, approximately 1,5 to 3,0 percent plus a fixed component.
- Shipping 4,50. Packaging 1,00.
- Ads, initially higher, later decreasing through SEO and CRM.
Example calculation. Payment 1,50 percent and 0,35, equals 1,10. Ads 6,00 at the beginning. Contribution margin before fixed costs, 49,90 minus 16,00 minus 1,00 minus 4,50 minus 1,10 minus 6,00, equals 21,30.
These numbers are examples. Calculate with your exact values. Create a table for each SKU and then decide.
Logistics, which option is suitable?
- FBAThey store their goods at Amazon. Prime increases conversion rates. Returns are handled through Amazon. Check storage fees, long-term storage options, and size categories.
- FBMYou ship yourself or with 3PL. You retain more control. However, you are responsible for service and SLAs.
- Shop with 3PLIntegrate a fulfillment partner. Measure picking costs, shipping zones, and return rates.
Marketing and data
- Amazon. Focus on product pages, images, premium content, and ads. Win search results for your keywords.
- Shop. Focus on content, UX, email, SEO, and retargeting. Collect opt-ins. Build lists.
- Track CAC per channel. Measure CLV. Reduce the cost per order with bundles, upselling, and cross-selling.
UX and Checkout
A streamlined checkout process is crucial in your online store. Minimize fields, provide clear error messages, offer guest checkout, and support common payment methods. Test this on mobile devices. Reduce glitches at checkout. Eliminate unnecessary clicks. Test the order of fields and labels. This will improve your conversion rate.
Delve into current UX recommendations and studies . They will help you avoid common mistakes and achieve quick gains.
Legal basics in the shop
- Legal notice easily found.
- Privacy policy (current version). Please pay attention to TDDDG and Consent.
- Terms and conditions, cancellation policy, shipping costs, prices including taxes, and other information. Display them clearly.
Links to IHK guidelines can be found further down in the text.
KPIs for your management
| KPI | Target corridor | Important notes |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion Rate | Amazon: higher depending on the product. Shop: 1 to 3 percent as a starting value. | Optimize images, titles, trust, and payment methods. |
| ACOS or ROAS | Channel-dependent | Target keywords based on profit, not just revenue. |
| CAC | Below contribution margin per order | Consider first-time purchases and repeat purchases. |
| CLV | At least three times the CAC | Increase your reach with subscriptions, bundles, and email. |
| Return rate | Consider industry | Optimize size information, images, and expectation management. |
30-60-90 day plans
Amazon-first
- 0-30 daysMarket research, keywords, five competitor offers per SKU. Images, titles, bullet points, A+. Choose FBA or FBM. Start ads with a small budget.
- 31-60 daysScale winners. Stop losers. Improve images and pricing. Build your brand store. Collect customer questions and answer them prominently.
- 61-90 daysExpand your product range. Plan a shop launch to retain loyal customers. Build an email list outside of Amazon, for example, using QR cards included in packages with a discount for your shop.
Shop-first
- 0-30 daysUX foundation. Product pages, checkout, payment methods, shipping rules. Legal texts. Tracking. Initial campaigns in search ads and social media.
- 31-60 daysContent plan: two articles per week. Lead magnet. Email automation, welcome series, and abandoned cart detection.
- 61-90 daysSEO clusters, internal linking. Retargeting. Test Amazon as an additional acquisition channel for top sellers.
Hybrid: how to combine both
- Consistent EANs and clean master data. This is how you keep prices and inventory levels synchronized.
- Implement a clear pricing policy. Adhere to a minimum price.
- Use the content and guides in the shop. Refer to the shop for accessories and subscriptions in the instructions included in the package.
- Use Amazon for Discovery. Offer bundles, services, spare parts, and personalized options in your shop.
Common mistakes
- No SKU margin was calculated, only total revenue was considered.
- Product texts Useless. Images without context. No answers to buyer questions.
- No email capture in the shop. This means you'll miss out on CLV.
- Legal aspects of the shop have been neglected. This costs money and time.
Your practice counts
Write in the comments which SKU performs better for you on Amazon and which one in your own shop. Briefly post your selling price, margin, and the biggest levers you're using. Ask questions about your specific situation. I'll give you a concrete assessment and next steps.
📦 Amazon vs. 🏪 Own online shop
The ultimate decision guide: When which sales channel is worthwhile for you
What are the costs associated with Amazon FBA versus your own online shop?
15-45% fees
• Sales: 7-15%
• FBA: €2-6/item
Amazon: 15-45% fees (7-15% on sales, FBA €2-6/item, storage). Online store: One-time setup costs of €5-50k, monthly costs of €200-2000 (hosting, tools, marketing). Break-even point: An online store becomes worthwhile with an annual turnover of €50k or more ; below that, Amazon is usually cheaper.
📊 How do profit margins differ between Amazon and your own shop?
Amazon
10-15 €
Profit
Own shop
25-35 €
Profit
Amazon: Net margin 5-15% after all fees. Your own shop: 20-40% margin possible. Example: €100 product: Amazon €10-15 profit, your own shop €25-35. But: Your shop needs its own marketing (10-20% of sales).
🎯 When should I start with Amazon and when should I open my own online store?
📦 Start with Amazon if:
- Standard products
- Budget <10k€
- Fast market entry
- Testing phase for products
🏪 Start shopping if:
- Unique Products
- Budget >20k€
- Brand building is important
- B2B focus
Amazon: For standard products, small budget (<€10k), quick market entry, and a test phase. Own shop: For unique products, brand building, and customer loyalty; budget >€20k; B2B focus. Optimal: Multichannel from €100k annual revenue.
🎮 How much control do I have over customers and branding?
❌ Amazon Limits:
- No customer data
- Cost-saving measures or employee flexibility E-mail marketing
- Limited branding
- price pressure
✅ Shop Freedom:
- 100% customer data
- Full CI/CD control
- Own pricing
- Storytelling possible
Amazon: No customer data, no email marketing, limited branding, price pressure. Your own shop: 100% customer data, full CI/CD control, your own pricing, storytelling possible. Customer lifetime value: Shop 3x higher through remarketing.
⏱️ What time commitment is realistic for Amazon vs. a shop?
Amazon
After 6 months: 5-10 hours/week
Shop
After 6 months: 15-25 hours/week
Amazon: 10-20 hours/week (listing optimization, PPC, warehousing). Shop: 30-50 hours/week initially (content, SEO, support, marketing). After 6 months: Amazon 5-10 hours, shop 15-25 hours. Automation: Shop scales better in the long term.
🚀 How quickly can I expect to see sales?
1-2 weeks
3-6 MB
3-6 MB
6-12 MB
Amazon: First sales possible after 1-2 weeks, profitable after 3-6 months. Own shop: 3-6 months until first organic sales, 6-12 months until profitable. With ads: Shop up and running in 1-2 months, but higher costs.
⚖️ What are the legal differences?
📦 Amazon
⚠️ Account suspension is imminent
✅ Reduced liability (FBA)
🏪 Shop
⚠️ Legal notice/Terms and conditions/Cancellation policy
✅ No platform dependency
Amazon: Strict guidelines, risk of account suspension, less liability with FBA. Shop: Full responsibility for GDPR, legal notice, terms and conditions, and returns. But: No platform dependency, no loss of control. The risk of legal action is the same for both.
🔄 Can I run Amazon and my own shop simultaneously?
✅ YES! Multichannel strategy
for range
for margin
Yes! Multichannel is ideal for sales of €100k and above. Synergy: Amazon for reach, your own shop for margin. Tools: Billbee, Plentymarkets (from €100/month). Note: Different pricing is possible, but pay attention to the Buy Box. 65% of top sellers use both channels.
📦 Which products are suitable for which channel?
- mass-produced goods
- Popular brands
- Prime-relevant
- Price comparison products
- Under €200
- Requiring explanation
- Handmade/Custom
- High-priced (>€200)
- Niche community
- Subscription models/B2B
Amazon: Mass-market goods, well-known brands, Prime-eligible products (fast shipping), price comparison products. Shop: Products requiring explanation, handmade/custom, high-priced (>€200), niche products with a community, subscription models, B2B.
📈 How will the channels develop in the long term (3-5 years)?
Amazon
Growth flattens out
500k-1M€
Declining margins
Shop
Exponentially possible
Value: 2-4x revenue
Exit option
Amazon: Growth flattens at €500k-€1M, increased competition, declining margins. Shop: Exponential growth possible, company value 2-4 times annual revenue, exit option. Statistics: 78% of successful shops expand internationally, only 23% of Amazon sellers.
🎯 Your decision-making aid
📦 Start with Amazon if:
- Budget under €10.000
- Quick first sales are important.
- Standard products without a USP
- No time for marketing
- Testing phase for new products
🏪 Start shopping if:
- Budget over €20.000
- Brand building is a priority
- Unique/Custom Products
- Customer data is important
- Long-term business goal
Please note that all information is provided without guarantee. Check current fees and laws before making your decision. This article provides a basis for your calculations and planning.
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