Marketplaces are the fastest way to reach shoppers abroad: the customers are already there, and the platform handles payments and much of the trust. The catch is that each marketplace only opens certain countries to Indian sellers, and each suits different products. This guide covers the five that matter most, starting with Amazon.
Marketplaces at a glance
| Marketplace | Where Indian sellers can sell | Best for | How orders ship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Global Selling | 17 Amazon stores across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific | Most consumer products with steady demand | Ship yourself, or send stock to Amazon's warehouses (FBA) |
| Etsy | Buyers worldwide; India-based shops sell to buyers abroad | Handmade, craft, vintage and design-led goods | Ship each order yourself |
| eBay | 190+ markets from one account, according to eBay | Niche, specialist, collectible and branded goods | Ship each order; eBay SpeedPAK handles the international leg from a local hub |
| Walmart Marketplace | United States and Canada, by application | Established brands with capacity for US volumes | Ship yourself, or Walmart Fulfillment Services in the US |
| noon | United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia | Light, sturdy products for Gulf shoppers | Drop-ship to noon's consolidation centre in India |
Amazon Global Selling
Amazon Global Selling lets Indian businesses list on Amazon stores abroad from an Indian seller account. It is the biggest opportunity for most consumer products, and the most competitive.
- Registration asks for an email address and mobile number, ID proof (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence), a credit or debit card enabled for international transactions, and proof of business address. You will also need your IEC and GST details for the exports themselves.
- Merchant fulfilled (MFN): you store stock in India and ship each order yourself.
- Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA): you send stock to Amazon's warehouses in the destination, and Amazon picks, packs, ships and handles customer service.
- Amazon Global Selling SEND: Amazon's cross-border carrier service for getting FBA stock from India to those warehouses.
The 17 Amazon stores open to Indian sellers
| Region | Stores | Account |
|---|---|---|
| North America | United States, Canada, Mexico | One unified account covers all three |
| Europe | United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Turkey | One unified account covers all nine |
| Middle East | United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia | Switch between Amazon.ae and Amazon.sa from one account |
| Asia-Pacific | Japan, Singapore, Australia | Set up per store |
Amazon markets this as “18+” marketplaces; these 17 are the ones named on its India Global Selling site.
Launching on Amazon, step by step
Pick one store to start
Choose where your product already sells well online and where you can meet the product rules. Amazon.com (US) and Amazon.co.uk work in English; Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Japan need listings in the local language.
Register and verify
Register through Amazon Global Selling India with the documents above. Verification can take time, so start before your stock is ready.
Check compliance for that store
Product safety, labelling and category approvals differ by country. Some categories need approval from Amazon before you can list.
Choose fulfilment
Start merchant-fulfilled to test demand with little stock at risk, or use FBA for faster delivery and better visibility once you know what sells.
Price for fees, shipping and duties
Add Amazon's referral and fulfilment fees, shipping, destination duties and taxes, and a returns allowance before you set a price.
Launch, then grow
Strong images, clear specifications, early reviews and Amazon's own ads do most of the work. Expand to nearby stores through the unified account once the first store is profitable.
Etsy
Etsy suits handmade, craft, vintage and design-led products, which covers a lot of Indian textiles, jewellery, décor and art. Shops based in India sell to buyers abroad.
- Fees for Indian sellers: ₹19 per listing (active for four months or until it sells), a 6.5% transaction fee, a payment processing fee of 3–5% plus ₹25, and a 15% fee on sales that come through Etsy's offsite ads. Some sellers pay a one-time shop set-up fee.
- Payouts go to your bank account or, in some regions, a Payoneer account.
eBay
eBay's India export programme lets Indian sellers reach 190+ markets from one account, according to eBay. It suits niche, specialist and collectible products where buyers search for something specific. eBay SpeedPAK lets you hand parcels to a local hub, with discounted international shipping, customs paperwork and tracking handled.
Walmart Marketplace
Walmart began accepting sellers from India on its US marketplace in 2022 and later opened Walmart Canada to Indian businesses. Entry is by application, and Walmart looks for established sellers with consistent quality. Walmart Fulfillment Services can handle US storage and delivery.
noon
noon, the Gulf's home-grown marketplace, runs a Global Selling programme for Indian sellers into the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
- You drop-ship to noon's consolidation centre in India, and noon or its partners handle delivery to the customer.
- Prices are set in US dollars and paid out in US dollars, so your bank account must be able to receive USD.
- You register as a non-VAT seller; VAT registration in the UAE or Saudi Arabia is not needed for this programme.
- Products must weigh 2 kg or less (actual or volumetric), must not be fragile or dangerous, and must be allowed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Country by country
Which marketplaces an Indian seller can use to reach shoppers in each country:
| Country | Amazon | Etsy | eBay | Walmart | noon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | Yes | No programme verified |
| Canada | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | Yes | No programme verified |
| Mexico | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Germany | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| France | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Italy | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Spain | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Netherlands | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Sweden | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Poland | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Turkey | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| United Arab Emirates | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | Yes |
| Saudi Arabia | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | Yes |
| Japan | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Singapore | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
| Australia | Yes | Ships worldwide | Ships worldwide | No programme verified | No programme verified |
A store or programme open to Indian sellers A global marketplace: you list once and ship to buyers there No programme for Indian sellers that we could verify
Which marketplace first?
| If you sell… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Handmade, craft or vintage | Etsy first; Amazon later if volumes grow |
| Everyday consumer goods for the US or Europe | Amazon, starting with one store |
| Light products for the Gulf | noon, or Amazon.ae and Amazon.sa |
| Niche, specialist or collectible items | eBay |
| An established brand ready for US scale | Amazon US, then apply to Walmart Marketplace |
Questions
How many countries can Indian sellers reach on Amazon?
Amazon's Global Selling site names 17 stores open to Indian sellers: the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Turkey, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Singapore and Australia. Amazon markets it as 18+, so check the current list when you register.
Do I need an IEC and GST to sell on these marketplaces?
For commercial exports, yes: an Importer Exporter Code from DGFT and GST registration, ideally with a Letter of Undertaking so you don't pay IGST upfront. Each marketplace also has its own verification, such as ID, address proof and bank details.
Should I sell on several marketplaces at once?
Start with one marketplace in one country, learn your real costs and returns, then expand. Amazon's unified North America and Europe accounts make adding nearby stores easier once the first one works.
Can Elevio help?
Our main focus is B2B export lead generation, finding overseas importers and distributors. We also help with direct-to-consumer export: online stores and the marketing that brings in customers.