Market Express vs Amazon
A curated marketplace with vetted vendors vs. an open platform where anyone can sell.
Calculate Savings Against All Amazon Programs
Interactive comparison with FBA, Accelerator, Global Selling & more
The Fundamental Difference
Amazon is an open marketplace — anyone can list products, leading to counterfeits, arbitrage sellers, and a race to the bottom on price. Market Express is a curated gateway — we vet every vendor to ensure quality, safety, and legitimacy. No resellers. No dropshippers. No arbitrage.
Feature
Market Express
Amazon FBA
Vendor Vetting
All vendors vetted, no resellers
Anyone can sell
Referral/Commission Fees
10%above $125K GMV
8-45%category dependent
Annual Platform Fee
$24,0002-year commitment$30K for 1-year
$480Professional plan only
Import Duty Optimization
40-60% duty savings via transfer pricing
Pay full duty on retail value
Container Shipping Flexibility
Mixed vendor containers, partial containers, shipments as small as 1 standard pallet — no extra fees
Full container shipments, strict inventory requirements
US Entity Formation
Nevada LLC included (foreign vendors)
DIY or third-party
Vendor Support
Real humans, 8AM-6PM PST
Automated, difficult to reach humans
Customer Data Ownership
Your customers, your data
Amazon owns the customer relationship
Brand Protection
No competing resellers on your listings
Anyone can piggyback your listing
Private Label Competition
No "Market Express Basics" — we don't compete with you
Amazon Basics competes directly
Search & Discovery
Honest results — no promoted house brands
Amazon products promoted over yours
Account Suspension Risk
Partnership approach, clear communication
Algorithm-driven, sudden suspensions
Market Express is Best For:
- Manufacturers wanting to sell direct in the US
- Brands seeking quality marketplace positioning
- International vendors needing US entity + compliance
- High-volume sellers ($125K+ GMV) wanting lower fees
- Vendors wanting personalized service and support
Amazon May Be Better For:
- Low-volume sellers (<$125K/year)
- Sellers prioritizing maximum traffic over margins
- Commodity products where price is the only differentiator
- Sellers comfortable with self-service operations
Cost Comparison: $500,000 Annual Sales
Market Express
Annual Membership (2-year):$24,000
GMV Fee (10% on $380K above floor):$38,000
Import Duty (25% on 50% value):$62,500
Total Cost:$124,500
Effective rate: 24.9%
Amazon FBA
Annual Fee:$480
Referral Fee (15%):$75,000
FBA Fees (~$5/unit × 5,000):$25,000
Import Duty (25% on 100% value):$125,000
Total Cost:$225,480
Effective rate: 45.1%
Save $100,980/yearwith Market Express at $500K GMV
Ready to Compare Your Numbers?
Use our calculator to see exactly how much you could save with Market Express based on your specific products, volume, and country of origin.