Amazon continues to grow its international marketplace footprint, yet most sellers are not expanding beyond their home markets. Despite Amazon’s efforts to simplify global selling, nearly 70% of sellers remain active in just one country—missing out on less saturated markets with untapped potential.
Amazon Sellers Are Hesitant to Expand Internationally
According to research by Marketplace Pulse, a staggering 69% of Amazon sellers operate within a single marketplace, while less than 1% sell in 11 or more countries. Even among those actively scaling their businesses, only 6% have expanded into six or more marketplaces.
Amazon currently offers 23 active global marketplaces and provides a suite of international selling tools such as automated listings, global pricing strategies, currency management, and cross-border fulfillment solutions. Yet, many sellers remain hesitant to scale internationally.
U.S. Sellers Are the Least Likely to Expand
American sellers, in particular, rarely venture beyond North America.
- Only 12% have expanded into Canada
- Just 5% sell in Mexico
- Fewer than 1% sell in markets outside the U.S.
This reluctance exists despite Amazon’s recent marketplace expansions, including South Africa in 2024 and Ireland in 2025.
Challenges That Keep Sellers From Going Global
Several key factors contribute to this lack of international expansion, including:
✔️ Regulatory complexity—Europe’s VAT requirements, Brexit-related restrictions, and evolving product safety laws make compliance difficult.
✔️ Market size disparities—The U.S. Amazon marketplace alone receives nearly as much traffic as all 22 non-U.S. marketplaces combined. Many sellers perceive that focusing on the U.S. market alone offers the highest return with minimal effort.
✔️ Logistical challenges—While Amazon provides infrastructure for global fulfillment, sellers still face difficulties in managing supply chains, local regulations, and currency exchange risks.
Which Countries Have the Best Growth Potential?
While the U.S. remains the most profitable market, some smaller Amazon marketplaces offer better seller-to-traffic ratios:
- Saudi Arabia: 8,228 visits per seller
- South Africa: 8,065 visits per seller
- Singapore: 4,531 visits per seller
However, while these marketplaces provide higher traffic per seller, their total customer volume is lower, limiting overall revenue potential compared to major global markets like the U.S., UK, and Germany.
What’s Next for Global Selling?
Amazon has built a retail infrastructure designed to streamline international expansion, but cultural, regulatory, and operational barriers still prevent many sellers from taking advantage of global markets.
Yet, with rising uncertainty around tariffs, increasing fulfillment support, and a growing demand for localized product offerings, sellers who expand beyond borders in the coming years will gain early-mover advantages in less competitive regions.
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