SitesPlaced vs SmartBiz —
David vs Goliath?
Amazon's SmartBiz helps small businesses sell online with Amazon's infrastructure. SitesPlaced is built specifically for Instagram DM sellers. Here's how they compare.
SitesPlaced is better than Amazon SmartBiz for Instagram DM sellers because it offers WhatsApp checkout, 0% commission, your own branded store, and a full order management dashboard — free to build and publish, with ₹499/month only if you want a custom domain or to remove the SitesPlaced badge. SmartBiz is built for the Amazon marketplace; SitesPlaced is purpose-built for Instagram-to-WhatsApp selling.
TL;DR
SmartBizis great if you want to sell on Amazon's marketplace. But if you sell through Instagram DMs, it's the wrong tool. SitesPlaced is purpose-built for DM sellers — WhatsApp checkout, order tracking in a dashboard (not Amazon Seller Central), PDF invoicing with your business name, and lead generation. Zero commission. Your brand, your store, your customers.
What is Amazon SmartBiz and who is it for?
Amazon SmartBiz (formerly Amazon Easy) is Amazon's initiative to help small businesses and local sellers get online. It provides an Amazon-powered storefront, product listings, and integration with Amazon's logistics and payment infrastructure.
SmartBiz is powerful but it's designed for Amazon marketplace sellers, not Instagram DM sellers. Key limitations for DM sellers:
- • No WhatsApp checkout — customers buy through Amazon, not your DMs
- • Amazon branding everywhere — it's an Amazon store, not your brand
- • Amazon fees — referral fees, closing fees, FBA fees eat into margins
- • No DM workflow — not designed for order-via-DM businesses
- • Complex setup — GTIN, HSN codes, Amazon policies to navigate
What is SitesPlaced and how is it different from SmartBiz?
SitesPlaced is a DM-first selling platformbuilt for Indian Instagram sellers. It doesn't try to be Amazon. Instead, it gives you everything you need to run your DM business professionally:
- ✓Beautiful storefronts with your own branding and domain
- ✓WhatsApp checkout — customers send structured orders via WhatsApp
- ✓Order dashboard — track paid, pending, shipped, cancelled in one place
- ✓Inventory management — real-time stock tracking across all variants
- ✓PDF invoices with your business name and UPI/bank details
- ✓Lead generation forms to capture interested buyers
- ✓AI product descriptions to save time
- ✓Zero commission — free to build and publish; ₹499/mo only for a custom domain or to remove our badge
How does SitesPlaced compare to SmartBiz feature by feature?
Should Instagram DM sellers use SitesPlaced or Amazon SmartBiz?
If you sell via Instagram DMs…
Your customers find you on Instagram, message you on WhatsApp, pay via UPI/COD. You need a tool that fits thisworkflow — not Amazon's.
SitesPlacedgives you a beautiful storefront link for your bio, WhatsApp checkout, and a dashboard to track everything. Your brand, not Amazon's.
If you want to sell on Amazon…
SmartBiz makes sense. It plugs into Amazon's marketplace, logistics, and payment system. But you're building on Amazon's platform, not your own.
Amazon owns the customer relationship. You're a supplier on their marketplace. With SitesPlaced, you own the customer — their name, address, order history, everything.
How much does SitesPlaced cost compared to Amazon SmartBiz?
SitesPlaced
Build and publish free. ₹499/mo only for a custom domain or to remove our badge.
- ✓ 0% commission on every sale
- ✓ Free to build and publish your store
- ✓ Unlimited orders
- ✓ Your own branded storefront
- ✓ ₹499/mo adds a custom domain, removes our badge, and unlocks AI
Example: 100 orders/mo × ₹500 avg = ₹50,000 revenue. On Amazon, fees take a percentage; on SitesPlaced you keep all ₹50,000 — and pay nothing unless you want a custom domain or to drop the badge.
Amazon SmartBiz
But Amazon takes a cut on every sale
- • Referral fee: 3–15% per sale (category-dependent)
- • Closing fee: ₹5–30 per item
- • FBA fees if using Amazon fulfillment
- • Payment processing included
- • Returns handling by Amazon
Example: 100 orders/mo × ₹500 avg = ₹50,000 revenue. After ~10% fees → you keep ~₹45,000. At scale, fees add up fast.
Why do Instagram sellers choose SitesPlaced over Amazon SmartBiz?
Your Brand, Not Amazon's
Your store has your name, your domain, your branding. Customers associate the experience with you — not a marketplace. Build loyalty that lasts.
WhatsApp-Native Checkout
Indian customers live on WhatsApp. SitesPlaced checkout feels natural — a structured WhatsApp message, not an Amazon checkout funnel. Perfect for COD and UPI.
Zero Commission Forever
Free to build and publish, 0% commission. Sell ₹5,000 or ₹5,00,000 — you keep it all. Amazon takes a percentage that grows with your success. SitesPlaced doesn’t. Pay ₹499/mo only if you want a custom domain or to remove our badge.
2-Minute Setup
Add products, share your link, start selling. No GTIN codes, no HSN numbers, no Amazon policy reviews. Built for speed.
Is SitesPlaced better than SmartBiz for Indian Instagram sellers?
Amazon SmartBiz is excellent for what it is — an onramp to the Amazon marketplace. But if you sell through Instagram DMs, it's like using a truck to deliver a letter. Too heavy, too complex, and you're paying Amazon for the privilege.
SitesPlaced is built for your exact workflow. Instagram → storefront link → WhatsApp order → dashboard tracking → invoice → delivered. No marketplace fees. No Amazon branding. No complexity. Free to build and publish, with ₹499/mo only if you want a custom domain or to remove our badge.
Start free on SitesPlaced →Frequently asked questions about SitesPlaced vs SmartBiz
Is SitesPlaced as reliable as Amazon SmartBiz?
SitesPlaced is hosted on Vercel's edge network with CDN caching — the same infrastructure used by companies like Notion and Loom. Your storefront loads fast globally. For payments, you handle them directly (UPI/COD) — no middleman.
Can I use SitesPlaced AND sell on Amazon?
Absolutely. Many sellers use SitesPlaced for their Instagram DM business and Amazon for marketplace sales. They solve different problems. SitesPlaced owns your DM customer relationships; Amazon owns its marketplace.
Is SitesPlaced free? And what does the ₹499/mo plan add?
Building and publishing your store on SitesPlaced is free — your store goes live on a your-store.sitesplaced.com URL with a small ‘Made using sitesplaced.com’ badge, and you pay 0% commission. The ₹499/mo Ecommerce plan only adds a custom domain, removes the badge, unlocks AI, and raises product/storage limits. Compare that to SmartBiz: it’s ‘free’ but takes 3–15% on every sale plus closing fees — at 100 orders/month averaging ₹500, Amazon takes ₹5,000–7,500+.
Does SitesPlaced handle shipping?
Currently, SitesPlaced tracks orders and generates invoices. You handle shipping yourself (or via your existing courier partner). Shipping integrations are on our roadmap and coming soon.
Can I use my own domain with SitesPlaced?
Yes! Point your domain to SitesPlaced, verify it in the dashboard, and your store goes live on your own branded URL. All stores also get a free subdomain at your-store.sitesplaced.com.