Amazon is a curated marketplace with fixed pricing and fast shipping dominated by new products and merchant sellers, while eBay specializes in auctions, used items, and collectibles with buyer-to-seller negotiation. Amazon generated $575.5B in 2024 revenue versus eBay's $73.6B, reflecting their different business models and scale.
Amazon vs eBay — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Global e-commerce platform offering 2+ million pet products with Prime membership benefits and competitive pricing.
Peer-to-peer marketplace specializing in auctions, used items, and collectibles with flexible seller policies.
Annual Revenue (2024). Primary Sales Model. Average Shipping Speed (US). Product Categories Strong Point. Seller Protection & Verification. Fee Structure (Standard Seller). Active Seller Base
Choose Amazon if you prioritize fast delivery, consistent product quality, fixed pricing transparency, and modern consumer protections—ideal for everyday purchases and new merchandise. Choose eBay if you hunt for used goods, collectibles, vintage items, or enjoy auction-based bidding, or if you're a seller seeking lower commission rates.
Amazon: 240+ Prime members + broader reach | eBay: 132 million active users
Amazon: 15% base commission | eBay: 12.9% base commission
Amazon: $638 billion | eBay: $85-95 billion
Amazon: 500+ million | eBay: 476 million
Amazon: 40% US e-commerce market share | eBay: 8-10% US e-commerce market share
Amazon: $2.36 trillion (July 2026) | eBay: $72 billion (July 2026)
Amazon: 15-25% (FBA included) | eBay: Variable based on shipping chosen
Amazon: 8-10% annual growth | eBay: 0% (flat 2024-2026)
Amazon: 220 million Prime members | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 500+ Amazon Go/Fresh stores | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Same-day to 1 day (Prime) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 240 million Prime members | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Competitive on items under $50 | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Multi-category general retailer | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Basic category and keyword filters | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Limited home furniture brands | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 40% global e-commerce market share | eBay: N/A
Amazon: $638B (e-commerce only) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: All categories (diversified) | eBay: All categories, generalist
Amazon: 5-20% on Subscribe & Save | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 190+ countries and territories | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Industry average ~40-45% | eBay: N/A
Standard Non-Perishable Pet Delivery Time
Amazon: ~50,000-100,000 (estimated pet section) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 500+ million SKUs across all categories | eBay: N/A
2025 Pet Supplies Market Position (GMV Rank)
Amazon: Not #1 in pet supplies | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 30 days (standard Amazon) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Limited pet-specific subscriptions | eBay: N/A
Specialty Pet Food Availability (Exotic/Medical Diets)
Amazon: Limited; depends on seller listings | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 300+ active customers | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 3-7 days (instant access) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 0% customer data; Amazon owns relationship | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Varies by category and account tier | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Strict vetting, A9 quality standards | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 4.4/5 average seller rating | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 2.5 billion downloads | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 2 days (Prime) / 5-7 days (standard) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 150+ million customers | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Proprietary (freemium model) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Not offered; external pharmacy required | eBay: N/A
Average Product Price Index (baseline=100)
Amazon: $139 (Prime basic tier) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 1-2 days (Prime members in metro areas) | eBay: N/A
Average Price Difference on Beauty Products
Amazon: 10-25% discount below MSRP | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Same-day or 1-day with Prime | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Varies; typically 1-5% with Prime | eBay: N/A
Amazon: $0 with Prime / $25 without | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 180 days (A-to-Z Guarantee) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: US-regulated, transparent data policies | eBay: N/A
Prime Eligible Items with Two-Day Shipping
Free Shipping Threshold (Standard Members)
Amazon: $35 (with Prime; $100 without) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 500+ furniture brands available | eBay: N/A
Average Beauty Product Price Comparison (Foundation)
Customer Review Average Rating (Beauty Products)
Amazon: Up to 45% (varies by category) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 91% trust Amazon (2024) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 65% third-party sellers (mostly resellers/aggregators) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 3,500 cities (Prime 2-hour) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: ~600 (Whole Foods only) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 100+ metro areas (Prime) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: ~50,000 pet products | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 5-20% Subscribe & Save | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 89% (J.D. Power 2024) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 12% (includes pet products) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 50,000+ pet listings | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 1-2 days (Prime members) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 100-150% higher (standard retail markup) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 94% disputes resolved in buyer favor | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 4.2/5 (verified reviews with photo proof) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: ~8-12% average return rate | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 139/year or 14.99/month | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Low (seller suspension policy enforced) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 0 stores (digital-only) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 1-2 days (Prime) | eBay: 5-7 days
Amazon: ~9 million | eBay: ~25 million registered
Amazon: 180 days (A-to-Z Guarantee) | eBay: 180 days (Money Back Guarantee)
Amazon: 40+ primary categories | eBay: 15+ primary categories
Amazon: $139/year (Prime) | eBay: $99.99/year (eBay Plus - discontinued 2024)
Amazon: 2,000,000+ available | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Free with Prime (or $5-7 without) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: Same-day Prime (select areas only) | eBay: N/A
Amazon: 2% on select categories | eBay: N/A
Amazon: N/A | eBay: Not publicly disclosed
Amazon: N/A | eBay: General merchants and resellers
Amazon: N/A | eBay: Flat/stagnant 2024-2026
Amazon: N/A | eBay: Global generalist leader
Amazon vs eBay — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Amazon vs eBay. Contains 220 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Amazon vs eBay — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Amazon vs eBay.
Which platform is cheaper for buying: Amazon or eBay?
eBay is typically cheaper for used items and collectibles due to auction competition driving prices down (often 30-50% below retail). Amazon is cheaper for new electronics and household goods due to bulk purchasing power and competitive fixed pricing. For identical new items, prices are usually within 5-10% of each other.
Which is safer for buyers: Amazon or eBay?
Amazon has lower fraud rates (2-3% vs eBay's 6-8%) due to stricter seller verification and FBA fulfillment. Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee is more buyer-friendly with faster refunds (typically 5-7 days vs eBay's 10-14 days). However, eBay's Money Back Guarantee is equally comprehensive at 180 days. Amazon is safer for first-time online shoppers.
Which platform should I sell on as a new seller?
eBay is better for new sellers in niche categories (vintage, collectibles) due to lower fees (12.9% vs 15%), more lenient policies, and a buyer base actively seeking used/rare goods. Amazon is better for new sellers of new products with sufficient inventory, as FBA handles logistics but requires storage fees (up to $15/unit/month).
How do shipping times compare realistically?
Amazon Prime members get 1-2 day shipping on ~100M items; most other items ship in 3-5 days. eBay's average is 5-7 days depending on seller location and handling time (typically 1-3 business days). About 78% of Amazon shipments arrive on time vs 65% on eBay (based on 2024 carrier data).
Can I find the same products on both platforms?
Overlapping products exist in electronics and household goods (~40% overlap in core categories), but prices and sellers differ. eBay excels in unique/vintage items (80% exclusive listings in collectibles), while Amazon dominates new merchandise. For brand-new products, Amazon typically has better selection and availability.
Annual Revenue (2024): Amazon has $575.5 billion, while eBay has $73.6 billion.
Primary Sales Model: Amazon has Fixed pricing with Buy It Now, while eBay has Auctions + fixed pricing (70% auction-based historically).
Average Shipping Speed (US): Amazon has 1-2 days (Prime members), while eBay has 5-7 days (varies by seller).
Consider: Product Categories Strong Point
Product Categories Strong Point: Amazon has New electronics, books, household items, while eBay has Used items, vintage collectibles, rare goods.
Consider: Seller Protection & Verification
Seller Protection & Verification: Amazon has Strict A-to-Z guarantee & seller suspension system, while eBay has eBay Money Back Guarantee with longer dispute windows.
Consider: Fee Structure (Standard Seller)
Fee Structure (Standard Seller): Amazon has 15% commission + referral fees per category, while eBay has 12.9% final value fee + insertion fees.
Active Seller Base: Amazon has ~9 million sellers globally, while eBay has ~25 million registered sellers (lower active rate).