Marketplaces
These are sites where many sellers list, like the big regional marketplaces. They give you traffic, but you compete with thousands of sellers, they charge high per-sale commissions, and the customer belongs to the platform, not to you.
- Pro: established traffic and trust
- Con: commissions, heavy competition, little brand control
Traditional e-commerce platforms
They let you create a full store with cart, payments, and shipping. They're powerful, but they involve high monthly fees, a learning curve, and many features a small business won't use.
- Pro: full control and advanced features
- Con: cost, complexity, and setup time
Social media
Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp are great for showcasing and chatting, but they aren't built to manage a catalog or organized orders. You end up selling by hand, amid messages and screenshots.
- Pro: where your customers already are, free
- Con: no real catalog or order management
Digital catalog with a link
It's the ideal middle ground for businesses that sell on WhatsApp and Instagram: your own page with products, prices, and orders, but without the complexity or commissions of traditional e-commerce. You share a link and the customer buys.
Vallen is this type of platform: a professional catalog in minutes, free to start, with WhatsApp orders and 0% commission on your sales. Ideal for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
There's no single best platform, only the best for your case. If you sell on social media and want something simple, professional, and commission-free, a digital catalog with a link is usually the most cost-effective option. Start there and scale when you need to.