Macy's Marketplace vs wholesale: what changes for your brand

This page is part of the sell on Macy's Marketplace guide.

Last reviewed: October 8, 2026 · Based on Macy's public information.

How is Macy's Marketplace different from wholesale?

In wholesale, Macy's buys the inventory and sets the retail price. On Macy's Marketplace, you own the inventory, you price items competitively, and you ship each order from a U.S. warehouse within 48 business hours.

Marketplace listings appear identical to Macy's own listings, except for a "Shipped and sold by [seller]" badge. Items sit in the relevant site taxonomy. Customer questions about marketplace items go to you first. Cases escalate to Macy's if seller service-level terms are not met or the customer is dissatisfied.

Why can't marketplace items duplicate Macy's own assortment?

Marketplace sellers can list only items not currently sold through Macy's own assortment, and only in the categories agreed in the contract. That rule keeps the marketplace from repeating what Macy's already buys.

When Macy's announced the program in November 2021, it said the marketplace would expand the assortment in existing categories and introduce new ones. The September 2022 launch named more than 20 categories. The point of the shelf is the gap, not a second copy of the wholesale line.

See Macy's Marketplace categories.

Where does drop-ship fit?

Retailers also work with brands through drop-ship arrangements, where the retailer sells the item and the brand ships it. Acenda connects to Macy's both as a marketplace and as a drop-ship channel.

Drop-ship is a different commercial relationship from the marketplace. On the marketplace, the listing carries your name as the seller. In drop-ship, Macy's is the seller of record and you ship. Confirm which relationship a given item belongs to before you build the catalog.

Which model fits your brand?

Neither model is better for every brand. Use the work, not a slogan, to decide.

• Marketplace. You want to own inventory, set a competitive product price, ship within 48 business hours, and handle first-line customer service, and your items are not already in Macy's own assortment.
• Wholesale. You want Macy's to buy inventory and set the retail price.
• Drop-ship. Macy's sells the item and your warehouse ships it, under that separate arrangement.

A brand can work with a retailer in more than one way. The marketplace contract still limits categories, and marketplace items still cannot be items Macy's already sells itself.

Frequently asked questions

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