Australians are learning that a familiar brand logo no longer guarantees the shopping experience they expect. Major brands including Bunnings, Kmart, Woolworths and Big W now run online marketplaces where third party sellers list products alongside retailer-sold items.
“These ‘endless aisles’ philosophy dramatically expand product range, but they also create confusion around returns, delivery, quality and accountability,” said Vanessa Walker, managing editor of Money magazine.
Complaints appear across online reviews about these online retailer marketplaces, with shoppers pointing to split shipments, extra fees and inconsistent delivery timelines for purchases made on trusted retailer websites.
“Many consumers don’t realise they have crossed from a retailer to a third-party marketplace, and that gap in understanding is where confusion and risk creep in,” said Walker.
According to e-commerce company Pattern’s research, only 39% of consumers are aware Big W operates a marketplace, 36% for Woolworths and just 33% for Bunnings and Kmart. More than one in four Australians were unsure which major retailers operate marketplaces at all, while 6% believed none of them did.
Marketplaces run by well-known retailers such as Bunnings and Big W are becoming more common because they allow retailers to add more product lines, but without the same obligations to consumers. While retailers enjoy the benefit of expanded range without holding stock, third-party sellers carry responsibility, often based overseas, making disputes harder to resolve for consumers.
Meanwhile, mega-site Amazon remains the benchmark, largely because it integrates logistics and customer guarantees. One third of Australians shop on Amazon for ease and speed, and 44% prefer Amazon over Temu even at higher prices.
“Amazon’s fulfilment centres allow it to control delivery standards, and its A-to-Z guarantee offers a safety net when sellers fall short, an accountability layer many Australian retailers have yet to match,” said Walker.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) stresses that consumer rights remain unchanged for online marketplaces: goods must be acceptable quality, match their description and be fit for purpose. What has changed is who consumers need to deal with. In most marketplace transactions, consumers must deal with the third-party seller first, then the marketplace operator, if needed.
Consumers are urged to check who the seller is before buying and escalate issues through their State or Territory fair trading agency or ACCC if disputes remain unresolved.
First published in Money magazine March 2026 issue.
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