Why sell on a marketplace at all

Daraz is the largest marketplace in Pakistan and a great many capable small businesses ignore it, usually because of the commission and the control.

What you get. Traffic you did not have to buy, from people already intending to purchase. A payment system customers trust. Delivery infrastructure covering places your own courier arrangement does not reach. And credibility, because buyers who would never enter their card details on an unknown website will buy from a marketplace.

What you give up. A commission on every sale, which varies by category. Control of the customer relationship, since the buyer is Daraz's customer more than yours. Price pressure from sellers listing identical products. And rules you must follow, including campaigns and discounts that are not always optional in practice.

The honest position: a marketplace is a sales channel, not a business. Sellers who treat it as their entire business are exposed to a change in policy, a change in fees, or a suspension they cannot appeal. Sellers who treat it as one channel alongside their own do well.

Where it works best. Products with recognisable demand, a defensible margin after commission, and something that ships without breaking. Consumer goods, accessories, home items, anything a person searches for by name.

Where it works badly. Very low value items where commission and delivery eat the margin, fragile or heavy goods, and anything requiring explanation before purchase.