How to start selling on marketplaces: step-by-step guide

The e-commerce market in 2025 is a space where success is determined by data and strategic calculation. The growth of the audience is accompanied by increasing costs and intensifying competition, making the question of the investment attractiveness of online stores very relevant. Profitability depends not on trends, but on a competent analysis that takes into account the business model, niche selection, customer journey, cost of customer acquisition, and business adaptability. In this article, we will discuss whether investing in online stores is profitable.

Numbers Instead of Emotions: Real Picture of E-commerce

According to ITU data, nearly 5.3 billion users are online. However, the increase in the number of orders does not necessarily translate to revenue growth. Customers have become more demanding: they compare, choose, and calculate.

In categories like fashion, electronics, and home goods, demand shows a plateau. Nevertheless, niches like zero waste, pet care, and local brands demonstrate growth of up to 17% per year. The question of “what is profitable to sell in an online store” requires analysis not only of audience interests but also of 2025 trends such as ethics, same-day delivery, and customization.

Investments in Online Stores: Model Breakdown

Whether investing in online stores is profitable depends on the business model. The payback period for projects on Shopify with investments up to 500,000 ₽ in 2023 averaged between 12-18 months. However:

• The average costs to open an online store range from 300,000 to 1.2 million ₽: hosting, CMS, development, logistics, advertising, inventory;
• The profitability of an online store depends on the category. For consumer electronics, it’s up to 8%, for clothing up to 25%, for handmade products over 30% depending on the unique offering.

Business Plan for an Online Store in 2025

Opening a store without a clear plan is a guaranteed path to losses. A proper business plan for an online store includes:

• Detailed analysis of the competition;
• Financial model with a breakeven point;
• Promotion strategy considering changes in SEO and a 23% increase in CPL in 2024.

Is it profitable to invest in online stores without a business plan? Only if you are prepared to lose capital. Statistics show that 7 out of 10 online stores close within the first two years.

Choosing a Niche: Numbers, Logic, Strategy

A wrong niche choice can halve profitability. How to choose a niche in 2025? Analyze three factors:

1. Demand: study seasonality, volume, and depth of interest using Google Trends, Yandex Wordstat.
2. Competition: number of players, brand levels, CPC in the niche.
3. Profitability: margin, cost per lead, customer lifetime value.

Only at the intersection of this data does growth potential emerge. Whether investing in online stores is profitable depends on the accuracy of niche selection rather than the size of investments.

Online Store vs. Marketplace: Comparison

Marketplace or online store — an eternal choice. The former provides traffic and trust but limits branding and increases commission. The latter requires investments but offers full control. Wildberries and Ozon hold 74% of the total turnover in the Russian retail market. However:

• Commission can reach 25%;
• Competition in search results is high;
• Limited customer interaction.

An online store with a solid SEO structure and personalization retains customers longer. This is why the profitability of investing in online stores is a question of strategy, not just the platform.

Is Investing in Online Stores Profitable: 7 Facts

The profitability of e-commerce in 2025 directly depends on technological advancement and precise strategies. These figures help understand where real profit is being generated today:

1. Demand for niches with a subscription model has increased by 40%.
2. Investments in an online store with a unique brand pay off 1.5 times faster.
3. Opening an online store with investments up to 1 million ₽ is realistic with smart logistics and no-code solutions.
4. AOV (average order value) in the premium segment is 68% higher.
5. Integration with AI increases customer LTV by 20%.
6. Delivery localization is a key growth driver in regions.
7. Content marketing reduces CPA by 30% with a quality approach.

Each of these factors strengthens the position of an online store in the competitive market. When implemented correctly, they reduce the payback period and increase project sustainability.

Increasing Profit: Specific Mechanics

The profit of an online store in 2025 depends on three factors: process automation, deep analysis of audience behavior, and effective supplier management. Platforms like MoySklad, CRM systems, and analytics systems like Google Looker allow control over every stage of the funnel. Increasing profit by 20–30% is achieved through logistics optimization and assortment personalization.

Point analysis of ad effectiveness and product cards reveals “dead zones” and increases conversion without a budget increase. Monitoring average order value and focusing on repeat sales increase customer LTV — the main lever for sustainable revenue. Suppliers who adhere to SLAs and delivery times minimize returns and claims costs.

Suppliers Worth Working With

In a competitive environment, those who have established seamless logistics come out on top. Wholesale warehouses with API integration, dropshipping schemes with minimal lead times, and local suppliers in the region all contribute to supply chain flexibility. Working with suppliers through platforms like Optlist.ru or Tiu.ru reduces search time and expands the assortment at the start.

To answer the question of whether investing in online stores is profitable, suppliers should be considered as an asset, not a background factor. It is often the stability of supplies that determines a store’s competitiveness in the long run.

Market Contradictions: When Profit Turns into Risk

Online retail in 2025 is not just about trends but also about instability. Changes in legislation, rising logistics costs, currency fluctuations — all affect the profitability of investments. Adaptability is what drives success. Owners who use omnichannel sales, manage assortments through AI, and build personal brands show revenue growth 35% higher than the market average.

Problems have not disappeared — they have transformed. Returns, overspending on advertising, demand unpredictability — these are standard turbulence points. However, a systematic approach reduces risks. For example, testing a niche at the MVP stage can save up to 40% of the launch budget.

Online vs. Offline: Who Survives in 2025

Physical retail continues to lose ground. The profitability of offline points has decreased on average by 12% according to Retail Rocket. Online shows the opposite trend. It is easier to scale, launch promotions, and has lower costs. The market gradually absorbs those who have not adapted.

A marketplace is a viable channel, but it has limitations. With the right strategy, a proprietary online store offers higher profitability. It better retains customers and strengthens the brand. Is it profitable to invest in online stores? Yes — with a strategy, automation, and flexibility in place.

Is Investing in Online Stores Profitable: Conclusions

In 2025, investing in online stores is not a trendy move but a calculated business decision. With a smart strategy, niche selection, and expense control, e-commerce demonstrates sustainable profitability. Success belongs to those who automate processes, adapt to the market, and build a brand rather than just going online.

Is investing in online stores profitable? Yes, if the approach is systematic and actions are backed by analytics rather than assumptions.

Formal economic education provides a foundation, but rarely helps build confidence in personal financial decisions. Academic courses cover macroeconomics, capital theories, and market behavior models, but often miss the applied level.

As a result, even those who studied at economic faculties continue to believe in common myths about investments. Meanwhile, these myths hinder the development of a personal strategy, the proper assessment of investment risks, and capital management.

The Illusion of Knowledge: How False Confidence Is Formed?

One of the dangerous paradoxes is the feeling that knowledge about interest rates and GDP automatically provides an understanding of personal investments. However, investments for beginners require skills, not just theory: calculating returns, evaluating bonds, comparing stocks, analyzing portfolios. The formal approach replaces practice, and as a result, graduates do not know how to start investing in real instruments.

Myths about investments are often reinforced by the education system: students study models that work in ideal conditions but do not address real-life situations. As a result, simple things like choosing a broker, assessing risk, and asset purchase strategy remain overlooked.

Myth #1. Financial Education Guarantees Success

The notion that a diploma provides an advantage in investments is not supported by practice. Investment myths include the belief that education fills all gaps. However, real income depends not on theories but on decisions. The ability to analyze, develop a strategy, manage emotions, and allocate capital is more important than academic knowledge.

#2. Invest Only When You Have Excess Funds

In academic circles, the thesis often heard is: save first, then invest. In reality, the earlier you start the investment journey, the better the results. Even small amounts invested regularly yield long-term effects through compound interest. Investments for beginners are not about millions but about starting with a minimal deposit and discipline.

#3. All Risks Must Be Eliminated in Advance

The idea of complete predictability is a typical investment myth. Investment risks cannot be completely eliminated, but they can be calculated, accepted, and factored into the portfolio. In reality, actions taken with calculated risk lead to growth, while trying to avoid any fluctuations leads to stagnation. This is where academic principles contradict practice.

#4. Investments Require a Lot of Time and Daily Market Analysis

This myth is even supported in the educational environment, creating an image of a person constantly watching charts. In practice, one can choose a conservative or automated strategy, minimize involvement, and achieve stable profits. Investments do require a lot of time—an assertion refuted by real investor cases working through index funds and automatic contributions.

#5. The Most Reliable Asset Is Real Estate

Many still believe that investing in property is the only way to preserve money. However, real estate is a less liquid asset that requires significant costs upon entry and exit. Unlike securities, selling property quickly and without losses is not guaranteed. Investment myths related to “bricks and mortar” are outdated in the digital economy.

#6. It’s Better Just to Save

Amid uncertainty, the advice to “just save” is often heard. However, without growth, capital loses its value under inflation pressure. Even the most reliable savings depreciate if they are not working. A properly selected portfolio of stocks and bonds allows for capital preservation and growth with moderate risk.

#7. Putting Money in a Deposit Is Better

Many students and graduates unfamiliar with practice rely on banking instruments. However, the actual profits from deposits are often below the inflation level. In the long term, such investments lead to stagnation. Even investments for beginners through funds offer higher efficiency!

#8. All Investments Are Complicated

A myth formed in the educational environment: investments are stressful and only risky people engage in them. However, there are tools with predictable income, regulated by the government, suitable even for the most cautious individuals. Minimizing risks in investments is achieved through tools, not by avoiding participation.

#9. A Successful Investor Is a Market Guru

Reality shows the opposite: the most stable investors are not those who predict trends but those who regularly invest and hold portfolios long-term. The image of a “trading genius” is a myth promoted by the media. In real practice, a simple strategy yields better results than complex speculations.

#10. Investing During a Crisis Is Not Advisable

A crisis is not a stop sign but an opportunity. It is during downturns that assets can be purchased at reduced prices. Investment myths that instill fear during turbulent periods hinder seeing the growth potential. The history of the stock market shows that recovery periods always follow declines.

Why Doesn’t the School of Economics Teach Investing?

The reason is simple: the university’s goal is to provide a foundation, not to develop practical skills. Practice, thinking, and strategy are developed independently. Investment myths persist precisely because they are rarely questioned in the educational environment.

They do not teach how to analyze the stock market, how to allocate income, how to set up a personal investment plan. Real instruments like bonds, trading, dividends, coupon mechanics are not explained.

What Is Truly Important to Know at the Start to Avoid Investment Myths?

The School of Economics does not provide the following fundamental principles necessary for every investor:

• Investing can and should be done with minimal amounts;
• Strategy is more important than the amount;
• Risks are not enemies but factors to be managed;
• A broker is not just an intermediary but a key to the platform;
• Coupons and dividends are the basis of stable passive income;
• Liquidity and distribution are more important than “loud” assets;
• Stocks are not enemies but the main driver of portfolio growth;
• You don’t have to be an expert to start;
• Analysis is more important than intuition;
• Discipline is more valuable than prediction.

Understanding these principles forms a solid strategy and dispels false financial beliefs.

Conclusion

Investment myths persist not only in the minds of unprepared individuals but also within the education system. The lack of practical tools, the substitution of reality with models, the ignorance of decision-making psychology—all hinder the development of a personal strategy.

However, understanding the essence, knowledge of mechanisms, discipline, and a sober assessment of risks allow for the creation of a sound investment model. This is not taught at the university—and this is what becomes the foundation of financial independence!