Selling Through Online Marketplaces

An online marketplace is a website where you can sell goods in return for a fee or commission. You are responsible for listing your products and sending them to the buyer following their purchase. The marketplace provider will manage the processing of your transactions. It will also take a percentage of sales on any item sold on its platform.

UK shoppers spent £91 billion online in 2013 with internet retailing market growing by 16 per cent during the course of the year (Interactive Media in Retail Group, 2013). Increased use of mobile devices, such as phones and tablets has contributed significantly to the large number of online sales.

Two of the biggest online marketplaces are Amazon and eBay which offer opportunities for small businesses trading online. There are also a number of growing marketplaces including Etsy and Folksy that can offer opportunities for niche traders.

This guide within nibusinessinfo highlights the main benefits of selling through an online marketplace and explains how to start selling on certain platforms/marketplaces.
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Marketing ¦ Ardean

Flexible pensions to go ahead in 2015

In his March 2014 Budget, the Chancellor announced that there would be significant changes to allow individuals to have greater access to their pension funds from 2015.

The proposed changes have been consulted on during the summer and the Treasury have now published the outcome, together with draft pensions legislation, enabling the new flexible regime to commence on 6 April 2015.



The flexibility will apply to Defined Contribution (DC) Schemes such as Self Invested Personal Pensions. However, it will continue to be possible to transfer funds from certain Defined Benefit (Final Salary) schemes into DC Schemes to allow access to the new flexible rules. An Independent Financial Adviser should be consulted to consider the full implications of this course of action.

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Business Planning ¦ Ardean