According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), approximately one in four companies with more than 10 employees operates on ecommerce channels in Spain, generally via online selling platforms. While other options are available, most businesses prefer these ecommerce solutions because of their simplicity, security, and scalability.

These sales channels in Spain share some characteristics but also present significant differences worth knowing. In this article, we walk you through the available ecommerce solutions so you can choose the approach that is right for your business.

Key takeaways:

• There are four main types of digital sales channels in Spain, including marketplaces and buying and selling apps, whose operation varies significantly.
  
• Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Shopify are some of the most popular online selling platforms in Spain due to their scalability and security.
  
• The best platform adapts to the operating model, is simple to use, and allows you to accept numerous payment methods.
  

Types of online selling platforms in Spain

When it comes to selling in the digital environment, there are several types of ecommerce tools available that work in different ways. They fall into the following categories:

Marketplaces

Marketplaces are digital sales channels that provide other companies with the infrastructure to sell their products or services over the internet.

In today’s ecommerce landscape, marketplaces rank among the leading online selling platforms and fall into multiple types. Depending on the offering, they can be horizontal (with products across different categories) or vertical (specializing in certain types of products or services).

Based on their management model, they can also be classified as pure marketplaces (if they do not hold their own stock) or hybrid marketplaces (if they sell both their own products and third-party products). For example, PcComponentes is a hybrid marketplace that offers its own-brand computer products and also allows other vendors to sell on its site; Uber Eats, on the other hand, is a pure marketplace where restaurants offer food delivery.

Social media

For some time now, social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have evolved beyond mere virtual meeting places and have become one of the ways to discover new products and brands. In fact, per INE data, almost 70% of companies with more than 10 employees that use social media offer their products or services through these channels.

Buying and selling apps

These are sites intended for both individuals and professionals who want to sell goods or services.

Although their use is usually associated with the sale of used items, many Spanish companies offer new products, including clothing stores that have clearance sales of items from previous seasons or garments with minor aesthetic defects at reduced prices.

Own online store

Having your own digital storefront is one of the best ways to sell on the web in Spain, as it is not subject to external limitations and allows you to manage the business with greater freedom. For instance, when designing a store, you can add as many products as desired to the catalog.

Furthermore, some platforms allow you to create an online store in Spain without writing code: ideal for self-employed individuals or enterprises that do not have the knowledge or technical resources needed to develop it from scratch.

Some of the leading options are PrestaShop, Shopify, and WooCommerce. This type of platform makes it straightforward to take advantage of the benefits of selling online in Spain, such as reduced costs and access to a larger volume of potential buyers. To choose the right tool, make sure it adapts to your needs, integrates easily with your current solutions, and guarantees a high level of security.

Most popular online selling platforms in Spain

To maximize customer lead conversion, the goal is to sell online on the channels preferred by the target audience. Let’s take a look at the most popular option of each type in the country:

Amazon

Amazon is a marketplace with two clearly differentiated business models: on the one hand, business-to-consumer (B2C), i.e., products sold by Amazon and shipped directly to end consumers; on the other hand, it offers its services as an intermediary to companies that sell goods or services to customers via the business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) commerce approach.

Amazon’s revenue in Spain exceeded €8 billion in 2024. Moreover, it offers ample opportunities for international expansion: 75% of the more than 17,000 Spanish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that sell on Amazon invoice foreign companies.

TikTok Shop

This platform is the perfect example of the joint impact between social media and ecommerce. In its first year after launch, TikTok Shop added 12,000 Spanish stores.

Since then, it has experienced exponential growth, partly driven by its affiliate partnership system, in which influencers work with brands to promote their products in exchange for a commission on sales.

In some cases, creators or brands host live broadcasts where they talk about a product, and under a live commerce approach, viewers can buy it without leaving the broadcast.

Wallapop

This secondhand goods app focuses on the peer-to-peer (consumer-to-consumer, or C2C) buying and selling model. However, it also allows Spanish companies to sell their products to consumers (B2C) via its ecommerce service “Wallapop Envíos,” which generated €74 million in revenue in 2024.

Shopify

This all-in-one platform lets you create a digital storefront and sell to customers worldwide without programming skills.

Since early 2021, the number of Spanish businesses using Shopify has almost tripled, reaching over 55,000 online stores.

How to choose the best online selling platform in Spain

Selecting the right online selling platform in Spain is an influential operational decision due to its implications: it directly affects the ability to scale your ecommerce business and the customer experience your company provides.

No single digital sales channel works for every business; the right choice depends on the operating structure, target audience, and the products or services you sell. When choosing a platform, consider the following factors:

Regulatory compliance

The platform selected must comply with the regulations governing ecommerce in Spain and Europe, such as the Law on Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce (LSSI) and the General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users. This aspect is central, as regulatory noncompliance can lead to penalties and negatively affect a startup’s reputation and market position.

Many leading ecommerce solutions comply with current regulations, but some options lack transparency. Namely, certain dropshipping-based setups do not sync inventory in real time, which can result in the sale of out-of-stock products and canceled orders that violate consumer regulations.

Compatibility with the business model

There are many ways to sell products or services, so another notable aspect is choosing an ecommerce solution that suits operational needs.

In general terms, online selling platforms support the standard operating structure in Spain: B2C. Still, if your company operates with more complex business models, including subscription or B2B wholesale, prioritize channels that have the specific features or capabilities needed.

For example, if you sell wholesale, make sure the site allows purchase-volume discounts (as most B2B marketplaces do). In contrast, if you sell online services, look for an ecommerce solution with strong automation capabilities.

Adaptation to smartphones

Given that 83.6% of people who shopped digitally in 2024 did so—at least once—via their smartphones, it’s important that your web store is viewable correctly on these devices.

To adapt a strategy to mobile commerce in Spain, update the sales channel for mobile: use single-column layout with vertical scrolling, avoid side scrolling and zooming, keep checkout fields to a minimum, and let customers enter saved information with a single tap.

Simplicity and speed

Make sure the online selling platform in Spain is straightforward for shoppers to use, so they can add products to the cart, apply discount coupons, and complete checkout in just a few steps.

An intuitive process can help reduce shopping cart abandonment, especially if it takes less than two minutes, since 62% of customers say they abandon their purchases if it takes any longer.

To expedite this process further, ensure the site runs smoothly throughout the entire sale: fast loading times not just improves the customer experience but also search engine ranking.

Integration of the payment gateway

Some digital sales channels in Spain have their own payment gateways, while others require integration with an external provider. If this applies to you—or there is a preference to integrate an external payment gateway—the checkout process must be simple.

To illustrate, in just a few steps, you can quickly and efficiently integrate Stripe Payments into your web store. Additionally, you can use payment pages hosted on your social media profiles, including Payment Links.

Acceptance of payment methods

The online selling platform must offer a wide variety of payment methods at checkout. Some of the most common in the country are digital wallets (e-wallets), Bizum, direct debit, and installments.

Stripe Payments lets you accept these and other ecommerce payment methods preferred by your customers. In addition, Payments dynamically improves the checkout experience to show the most relevant choices to pay for each customer, based on factors including location or device type.

Availability of different shipping methods

In Spain, customers typically choose between several shipping methods for their online purchases based on factors such as convenience, flexibility, and security.

For instance, those who value the security of paying upon delivery often opt for cash on delivery, while in-store or point collection is one of the most popular options due to its low cost and the freedom of not having to wait for the courier to arrive. For this reason, the digital sales channel chosen must offer multiple shipping options.

Data collection and management

In the field of ecommerce, data makes all the difference. Therefore, opt for a tool that collects various metrics on user behavior, advertising performance, or the effectiveness of acquisition channels. By analyzing this data, you can adapt marketing strategies and enhance processes based on real information, rather than assumptions.

SEO on search engines and social media

Both search engines and social media are valuable sources of information for users who want to make web purchases: according to the “Ecommerce Study 2025,” two of the strongest factors on the buying decision are search engines and social media, accounting for 54% and 23%, respectively.

For that reason, look for a platform that lets you control key parameters for positioning across both channels, including meta descriptions for search engines and Open Graph tags for social media.

Price

In Spain, basic online selling platform plans cost around €30 per month, though many providers also charge sales commissions. Namely, Shopify offers plans that include website hosting, with monthly costs plus a small commission for each payment processed.

It’s also possible to access some channels for free as a professional. For example, businesses can sell online for free through sites such as Wallapop and Milanuncios, though with various limitations.

For a less restrictive experience, you can also opt for a paid subscription. However, keep in mind that the costs associated with using the platform will increase as sales increase.

How Stripe helps you manage payments on online selling platforms

The trust and security your business conveys positively influences purchase decisions. As a result, using an advanced payment gateway, such as Stripe Payments, will help an ecommerce store grow.

Stripe Payments allows you to accept more than 100 ways to pay and complies with all current regulations, enabling you to accept payments from customers in more than 195 countries, making it easier to expand operations outside of Spain. What’s more, it has PCI DSS Level 1 certification, the strictest security standard in the card payments industry.

The integration of Stripe Payments has directly contributed to the success of some online selling platforms in Spain, including Shopify and PrestaShop. Specifically, PrestaShop is one of the apps available on the Stripe App Marketplace, where you can find this and many other solutions tailored to certain operational needs.