When you run a marketplace, chances are you’ve used apps like Uber Eats or Rappi to drive more sales and exposure. These apps offer quick access to customers, but what if I told you there’s a downside?
Beneath the convenience, these apps hide costs that could be eating into your profits and weakening your brand without you even noticing. In this blog, we’ll uncover three of the biggest hidden costs and show you how to avoid them while keeping your marketplace thriving.
Commission Fees That Stack Up Fast At first ⎯⎯
marketplace apps seem like a win: they handle the tech and bring in customers. But here’s the catch—they charge commission fees that can soar up to 30% per order. That might not seem like much for one sale, but over time, those fees seriously eat into your revenue.
Why It Hurts:
How to Avoid It:
-
Consider launching your own ordering platform. With your own system, you pay a flat fee with no hidden commissions, letting you keep more of your hard-earned profits and reinvest in scaling your marketplace.
Loss of Customer Data and Direct Relationships
When customers order through UberEats or Rappi ⎯⎯
the platform holds the data—not you. That means you’re missing out on crucial information about your customers’ preferences and habits.
Why It Hurts:
-
You can’t build loyalty programs or personalized marketing campaigns.
-
It’s harder to encourage repeat business when you don’t know your customers.
-
Marketplaces lose the ability to create consistent, direct relationships with their customer base.
How to Avoid It:
Branding Takes a Back Seat
Marketplace apps put their own brand front and center ⎯⎯
Your marketplace becomes just another option in a long list, making it tough to stand out. Plus, any issues with delivery—whether it’s late food or a missing item—reflect poorly on your marketplace, even if it’s not your fault.
Why It Hurts:
-
Your brand identity gets diluted by sitting in someone else’s marketplace.
-
Negative experiences on the app can damage your marketplace’s reputation.
-
Customers associate the ordering experience with UberEats or Rappi, not your marketplace.
How to Avoid It:
-
Marketplaces thrive when their brand is front and center. Using your own branded app or website keeps your marketplace identity intact. You can customize everything—from the look and feel to the customer experience—so your brand shines and customers associate great service directly with your marketplace, not a third-party app.
Stop Putting Your Brand in Someone Else’s Marketplace
Marketplace apps might seem like an easy fix, but their hidden costs can quietly undermine your marketplace’s success.
Why keep putting your brand in someone else’s marketplace when you can own the entire experience? By investing in your own ordering and delivery platform, you gain more control over your profits, customer relationships, and brand consistency.