Marketplaces overview

Looking for a robust, all-in-one shipping solution that seamlessly integrates with your online marketplace? Sendcloud APIs enable your merchants to create and print labels by connecting them to 160+ shipping carriers, and a host of reliable and flexible shipping methods for both domestic and international delivery. Our Shipping and Service Point APIs provide all the components you need to connect your sellers, and their customers, with service point delivery methods, customizable tracking notifications and multi-carrier services. You can easily integrate your marketplace with Sendcloud and have real-time order updates and status changes automatically synced between both platforms. Not only does Sendcloud help your merchants to process orders into shipments, but our core features are designed to boost conversion rates and drive return sales. Integrating with our APIs allows you to focus on your core business model without losing time and money from needing to build shipping into your platform infrastructure.

Marketplace guidelines

We’ve identified three different integration models to suit the needs of every marketplace. In these guidelines, we provide example workflows and discuss the key benefits of each integration model, so you can make a reliable decision about which setup works best for you.

Tip: Alongside our APIs, Sendcloud provides plug-and-play apps for the most popular online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Bol.com, Ebay, Etsy and Mirakl. These apps allow individual sellers to quickly integrate their Sendcloud account with their marketplace account in a matter of minutes.

Integration types

There are a few different ways you can choose to integrate Sendcloud with your marketplace, depending on your business and invoicing model, and the needs of your particular customer base. We’ve identified three different setups and account options:

Centralized integration (Single Sendcloud account)
Decentralized integration (Standalone Sendcloud accounts)
Hybrid integration

	Centralized integration	Decentralized integration	Hybrid integration
Sendcloud account holder	The marketplace has a central Sendcloud account.	Individual merchants have their own Sendcloud accounts.	Central Sendcloud account for new users. For merchants with higher parcel volumes, they can create their own Sendcloud accounts to customize their workflow.
Label creation	Merchants purchase labels through the Marketplace.	Labels are created by the merchant via their own Sendcloud account.	Two possible flows; purchase labels via the Marketplace, or process orders via the individual merchant’s Sendcloud account.
Business mode	Most suitable for C2C and C2B marketplaces.	Most suitable for B2C and B2B marketplaces.	Most suitable for B2C and B2B marketplaces.
Parcel volume	Most suitable for merchants who ship low volumes of orders on an ad-hoc basis.	Most suitable for merchants shipping high volumes of parcels per month.	Provides two separate, scalable workflows so merchants won’t outgrow your platform.
Direct carrier contract	The marketplace can ship on their direct carrier contract rates.	Individual merchants can ship on their direct carrier contracts.	Combination, depending on chosen workflow.
Customer care	Marketplace supports merchants.	Sendcloud supports merchants directly.	Marketplace, or Sendcloud, depending on setup.
Invoicing	Marketplace is invoiced for labels by Sendcloud. Marketplace can transfer costs to their users.	Merchants are invoiced for labels directly by Sendcloud.	Combination of a centralized and decentralized billing model, depending on workflow.
Development effort	Average	Average	Higher
Documentation	Centralized integration guidelines	Decentralized integration guidelines	Hybrid integration guidelines

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Getting started

Shipments

Addresses

Orders

Dynamic Checkout

Returns

Service points

Parcel tracking

Marketplaces

Archive

Marketplace guidelines

Integration types

​Marketplace guidelines

​Integration types

Marketplace guidelines

Integration types