The Main Difference Between Selling On Amazon Vs Shopify With Alex Speian From Sellerboard

Amazon vs Shopify — which one is right for you?

It’s the big question that comes up for almost every new seller.

Both platforms can help you build a thriving business, but they work in very different ways — and those differences can directly impact your success.

To unpack this, I sat down with Alex Speian from Sellerboard.

We talked through the core contrasts between Amazon and Shopify, why advertising is such a game-changer on Shopify, and how tools like Sellerboard provide first-party data to help sellers make smarter decisions.

We also explored the unique challenges and opportunities of each platform, plus how Sellerboard for Shopify gives sellers clearer insights into ad performance and customer behavior — which is becoming essential in today’s shifting ad landscape.

In this article, I’ll share highlights from that conversation, so let’s delve right in.

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The Amazon Advantage: Traffic Is Already There

Amazon remains one of the most powerful marketplaces in the world for one simple reason: customers come to Amazon ready to buy.

As Alex put it, “On Amazon, you have people coming to the marketplace and searching for specific products and your job is to just be there.”

That means your main tasks are:

1. Optimizing SEO: Ensuring your product listingsy rank well for the right keywords.

2. Running Amazon Ads: Investing in PPC campaigns to boost visibility.

3. Maintaining Competitive Offers: Pricing, reviews, and fulfillment all play into customer trust and visibility.

In other words, Amazon has built-in traffic.

People are already on the platform searching for what they need.

As a seller, you don’t have to generate demand from scratch — you just need to make sure those customers can find you.

This is one of the reasons so many new eCommerce businesses start with Amazon.

The barrier to entry is lower when it comes to traffic acquisition, and the learning curve for customer acquisition is far less steep than building a brand from scratch.

-: Curious how Sellerboard can grow your Amazon business? Just click the image to find out. :-

The Shopify Challenge: You Have to Bring Your Own Traffic

Selling on Shopify is a different story entirely.

Unlike Amazon, where people are actively browsing for products, Shopify is simply a platform for hosting your store.

As Alex explained: “With Shopify, it’s a totally different story. You need to set up campaigns to advertise all over the Internet — however you can — to bring customers to your website.”

That means traffic generation is 100% your responsibility.

Whether you use Google Ads, Meta Ads, influencer marketing, or SEO for your website, you need to craft a strategy to attract potential buyers.

And this isn’t just about bringing people in — it’s about bringing in the right people who are likely to convert.

It’s not uncommon for new Shopify sellers to spend big on ads but fail to generate meaningful sales because their campaigns aren’t optimized or they’re not reaching the right audience.

That’s why return on investment (ROI) becomes such an important question.

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-: Gentle Reminder :-

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Once you start running campaigns to drive traffic to your Shopify store, you need to know whether you’re getting value for your ad spend.

Alex emphasized that this is where many sellers struggle: “A big question arises — how well are you using that advertising budget? Are you profitable with your campaigns or not? What’s your number of conversions and your ROI?”

In today’s eCommerce environment, this has become even trickier because of changes in how online advertising works.

The Shift Toward a Cookie-Free World

Digital advertising used to rely heavily on third-party cookies — small bits of data that tracked user behavior across different sites.

But with increasing privacy regulations and tech companies like Apple and Google limiting third-party data collection, marketers now face a new challenge:

1. Less reliable targeting data from platforms like Facebook Ads.

2. Reduced visibility into where traffic originates and how users behave before purchasing.

This means Shopify sellers can no longer rely on third-party data alone.

They need a better way to collect and analyze their own customer data.

-: Click the image below to start your free trial and discover how Sellerboard can help you integrate third-party data with your Shopify store. :-

Why First-Party Data Is More Important Than Ever

First-party data is more essential than third-party data.

Unlike third-party data, which is collected by advertisers, first-party data comes directly from your customers when they interact with your site.

Alex pointed out that Shopify stores offer a huge advantage here: “Having your website set up is the place where you gain your first-party data. This is a lot more beneficial and a lot more accurate than relying on external data sources.”

With first-party data, you can track:

1. Where customers came from (source channels).

2. Which campaigns brought them in (UTM parameters).

3. When they arrived and what pages they visited.

4. Which campaigns or ads actually drove sales.
   

This is exactly the kind of data you need to make informed decisions about ad spend and customer acquisition strategies.

Using Sellerboard for Data Collection

Sellerboard allows you to track customer journeys across multiple channels, giving you insights into:

1. Which campaigns are delivering traffic.

2. How much you’re spending versus what you’re earning.

3. Which ads or campaigns are actually profitable.

In other words, it gives you a clear picture of your ROI.

With that information, you can double down on what’s working and cut what’s not, ensuring your advertising dollars are spent wisely.

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-: Gentle Reminder :-

Sellerboard 2 Months Free Trial for Shopify

Sellerboard 2 Months Free Trial for Amazon

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Amazon vs Shopify: Which Is Right for You?

So, which platform is better?

It depends on your goals.

1. If you want built-in traffic and a simpler starting point, Amazon might be the right choice. You’ll compete with other sellers, but you’ll benefit from Amazon’s massive customer base.

2. If you want full control over your brand and customer experience, Shopify is the way to go. But be prepared to invest more in advertising and strategy to bring customers to your store.

Ultimately, many successful sellers use both: Amazon for volume and Shopify for brand building and long-term customer relationships.

-: Want to see how accurate Sellerboard is? Tap the image below to check out my results. :-

Final Thoughts

The choice between Amazon and Shopify comes down to control vs convenience.

Amazon brings you traffic but limits your brand-building capabilities.

Shopify gives you full ownership but requires significant effort (and smart data-driven advertising) to generate sales.

As Alex summed up, the key to success — especially on Shopify — is knowing how your campaigns are performing and using tools like Sellerboard to make data-driven decisions.

Want to learn more about improving your eCommerce profitability?

Check out Sellerboard for Shopify to see how first-party data can help you turn traffic into sales and maximize your advertising ROI.

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