The Rise of Third-Party Sellers on Amazon: External Sellers Drive Platform Growth

Third-party (3P) sellers are now the driving force behind Amazon’s marketplace, and the trend is accelerating globally. Amazon's business model shift hints at a wider development in global digital retail. By 2025, 67.1% of the platform's gross merchandise value (GMV) was generated by third-party, or external sellers.

Two-Thirds of Amazon Sales Now Come From Third Parties

Recent figures show just how significant the shift has become. Globally, third-party sellers account for 67.1% of Amazon’s GMV, up from 65.9% in 2023.

In practical terms, this means more than two-thirds of all sales on Amazon are generated by external sellers. These include small businesses, brands, and international merchants who use Amazon’s infrastructure to reach customers worldwide.

Asia's 3P Leadership Reflects Broader Patterns

Asia stands out as the region where third-party marketplaces dominate the most. Here, 83.9% of Amazon’s GMV is generated by external sellers.

This reflects a broader trend across Asian e-commerce markets, where marketplace platforms have long been the standard. Consumers are accustomed to buying from thousands of independent sellers operating on a single platform, which makes the 3P model particularly strong in the region.

Despite Differing Structures, the Americas Follow Suit

In the Americas, third-party sellers also represent the majority of sales and continue to expand their share. By 2025, third-party sellers account for 62.7% of Amazon’s GMV in the region. While slightly lower than Asia and Europe, the trajectory remains clearly upward.

This growth shows that even in markets historically dominated by large retailers, platform-driven selling models are becoming the norm.

Europe’s Strong Marketplace Presence

Europe sits slightly ahead of the Americas when it comes to marketplace dominance.

By 2025, third-party sellers generate 67.8% of Amazon’s GMV in Europe. This number reinforces how Europe is moving towards platform-based commerce across markets.

Why the Marketplace Model Is Spreading Globally

The rise of third-party sellers on Amazon reflects a wider redistribution of global GMV. Marketplace models are advantageous to both sellers and platform providers, offering several key advantages:

• Scalability: Platforms can add millions of products without owning inventory.

• Lower risk: Companies avoid the costs and risks associated with buying and storing goods.

• Greater selection: Customers gain access to a vastly larger catalog of products.

• Entrepreneurial access: Small businesses can reach global audiences with relatively low barriers to entry.

The Bigger Picture: Global Marketplace Shift

Marketplace ecosystems are becoming the primary growth engine of digital commerce. Platforms no longer need to own the products they sell. Instead, they provide the infrastructure, logistics, payments, discovery, and customer trust, while millions of independent sellers power the supply side.

As this trend continues, the future of e-commerce looks less and less like traditional retail and more like global digital marketplaces connecting buyers and sellers at massive scale.