“Should I sell on Amazon or build my own website?” is one of the first real decisions a new seller faces, and one that established sellers keep revisiting. The honest answer is that each channel suits a different stage, product and appetite for work. This guide compares the three most common choices for Indian sellers and gives you a way to decide.
We compare:
- Amazon, as the example of a large marketplace. Flipkart, Meesho and others work on similar principles, with different rules and fees.
- A Shopify store, as the example of a hosted store builder.
- A self-hosted website, such as WooCommerce on WordPress or a custom-built site.
The comparison table
| Amazon (marketplace) | Shopify (hosted store) | Self-hosted website (e.g. WooCommerce) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who brings buyers | The marketplace; buyers already search there | You (social, ads, search, repeat buyers) | You |
| Main costs | Selling fees per order, plus GST on fees | Monthly or yearly plan, apps, theme, payment charges | Hosting, domain, extensions, developer time, payment charges |
| Setup effort | Low to medium: listings, documents, approvals | Low to medium: theme, products, payments | Medium to high: hosting, setup, security, updates |
| Control over brand and design | Limited to marketplace formats | High within the platform | Very high |
| Customer data | Limited; the buyer belongs to the marketplace | Yours | Yours |
| Pricing and policies | Must follow marketplace rules | Yours to set | Yours to set |
| Shipping | Marketplace fulfilment options, including self-ship | You arrange each shipment | You arrange each shipment |
| Repeat sales | Harder to drive yourself | Easier: email, WhatsApp, offers | Easier: email, WhatsApp, offers |
| Technical upkeep | None | Low | You or your developer |
Selling on Amazon
How the costs work
According to Amazon’s seller fee page, the main fee types are a referral fee (a percentage of the selling price that varies by category), a closing fee per sale based on price and fulfilment channel, a weight handling fee for delivery when Amazon ships, and other fees that apply only to certain fulfilment options, such as storage and pick-and-pack for Fulfilment by Amazon. GST is added on top of the fees. Use Amazon’s own calculator and fee schedule for your category; fees change, and the total varies a great deal between a ₹200 accessory and a ₹5,000 appliance.
Where it works well
- Products people already search for by name or type: “steel lunch box”, “cotton bedsheet king size”.
- Sellers who want orders without building an audience first.
- Brands that need the trust a large marketplace gives an unknown name.
Where it is harder
- Building a relationship with buyers. You cannot easily invite them back to buy again.
- Standing out when many sellers list similar products. Price pressure is real.
- Sticking to marketplace rules on listings, dispatch timelines and returns, which can change.
Shipping
Amazon offers several fulfilment routes: Amazon stores and delivers your stock (FBA), Amazon picks up and delivers from your premises (Easy Ship), or you store, pack and deliver yourself (Self-Ship). If you choose self-ship, you are responsible for meeting Amazon’s delivery and tracking requirements. Our Amazon self-ship guide explains how it works.
On Courier Tales, Amazon orders are not imported automatically. Self-ship sellers upload their Amazon orders and book them with an integrated courier that meets Amazon’s self-ship requirements.
Selling on a Shopify store
How the costs work
Shopify charges a plan fee, billed monthly or yearly, with several plan levels. Shopify’s pricing page also notes that transaction fees may apply when you use a third-party payment provider, in addition to whatever your payment gateway charges. Themes and apps can add further monthly costs. Check the current India pricing page before you commit, and add up the apps you will actually need.
Where it works well
- Brands with a story, a look, or a product that needs explanation: handmade, regional, premium or gifting products.
- Sellers who already have an audience on Instagram or WhatsApp and need somewhere to send it.
- Businesses that want repeat orders. You own the customer list and can reach buyers again.
Where it is harder
- Traffic. A new Shopify store has no visitors until you bring them, and paid traffic costs money from day one.
- Trust. Buyers who have never heard of you need reviews, clear policies and confidence in delivery. See our guide on building trust in a new online store.
Shipping
You arrange every shipment. A shipping platform makes this manageable: on Courier Tales, Shopify orders import automatically and the AWB and tracking go back to your store. Our Shopify shipping page has the details.
Selling on more than one channel? Shopify and WooCommerce orders import automatically, and orders from any other channel can be uploaded in bulk from a spreadsheet, so every shipment is booked and tracked in one place.
Selling on a self-hosted website
How the costs work
WooCommerce is an open-source plugin that turns a WordPress site into a store. The software itself is not where most of the cost lies. You pay for hosting, a domain, a theme, any paid extensions, a payment gateway and, usually, someone to set up and maintain the site. A fully custom website costs more again.
Where it works well
- Sellers who want full control over design, checkout and data.
- Businesses with an existing WordPress site or content-heavy marketing, such as recipes, guides or long product stories.
- Businesses with unusual needs, like custom B2B pricing or complex product options.
Where it is harder
- Upkeep. Updates, security, backups and speed are your responsibility.
- Fixing problems quickly when something breaks during a sale.
Shipping
As with Shopify, you arrange each shipment. WooCommerce stores can connect to Courier Tales so orders import automatically and tracking goes back to the store. See our guide on WooCommerce shipping in India.
How to decide: five questions
- Do buyers already search for your product by name? If yes, a marketplace puts you in front of them. If your product needs explaining or showing, your own store tells the story better.
- Do you have an audience already? An Instagram following, a WhatsApp list or offline customers make your own store viable from day one. Without one, a marketplace may bring your first orders faster.
- How much does repeat purchase matter? For consumables such as tea, skincare or pet food, owning the customer relationship is worth a lot.
- What does each order really cost? Put the same product through both models: marketplace fees on one side; plan fees, payment charges and the marketing needed to get one order on the other. Include shipping and returns on both.
- How much time and technical skill do you have? A marketplace or Shopify needs less upkeep than a self-hosted site.
Typical patterns
These are common patterns, not rules.
- Ashok, Moradabad, brass home décor: starts on Amazon because buyers search for “brass diya set”, then adds a Shopify store for gifting buyers who find him on Instagram.
- Sneha, Pune, natural skincare: starts with Shopify and Instagram because her buyers want ingredients, routines and reviews, then lists her two top products on a marketplace for reach.
- A Ludhiana knitwear manufacturer: builds a WooCommerce site with wholesale price tiers alongside a marketplace store for retail buyers.
Running more than one channel
Most growing sellers end up on more than one channel. The risk is that stock, orders and shipping get scattered across dashboards. Keep one source of truth for stock, ship from one place, and check each channel’s rules on dispatch deadlines and returns. Our guide on multichannel order management covers the practical setup.
Final thoughts
There is no single right channel. Amazon gives you buyers but keeps the relationship; Shopify gives you the relationship but you must find the buyers; a self-hosted site gives you control in exchange for more work. Start with the one that fits your product and your strengths, learn what sells, and add the next channel when operations can handle it.
Whichever channels you choose, create your Courier Tales account to compare courier options and book and track shipments from all of them in one dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to sell on Amazon or on my own Shopify store?
It depends on your category, price and how you get traffic. Amazon charges selling fees on each order but brings buyers who are already searching. A Shopify store has a subscription and payment charges but no per-order marketplace fee, and you pay to bring every visitor. Work out the cost per order for both, including marketing, before deciding.
Can I sell on Amazon and my own website at the same time?
Yes, and many sellers do. The usual challenge is keeping stock, orders and shipping in one place so you do not oversell. Check Amazon's policies on pricing and listing content, and keep your own website's prices and policies clear.
What is the difference between Shopify and WooCommerce?
Shopify is a hosted platform: you pay a plan fee and Shopify runs the software and servers. WooCommerce is an open-source plugin for WordPress that you install on hosting you arrange yourself. WooCommerce gives more control but needs more technical upkeep.
Do I need GST registration to sell on Amazon?
Marketplaces generally ask for a GSTIN at registration, though there are limited relaxations for some small intra-state sellers. Rules change, so confirm the current position with a chartered accountant and with the marketplace's own seller help pages.
Which channel is easier for shipping?
On Amazon you choose between fulfilment options, including handing stock to Amazon or shipping yourself. On your own store you arrange every shipment, usually through a courier or a shipping platform. Either can work well once the process is set up.
Sources
- Fees and pricing: Sell on Amazon, Amazon.in (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Shopify pricing (India), Shopify (accessed 2 November 2026)
- WooCommerce, WooCommerce (accessed 2 November 2026)
Courier, marketplace and tax rules change. Check the current terms with your courier, marketplace or adviser before relying on them.