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BCG on how specialty marketplaces are reshaping eCommerce

A panoramic shot of a large conference stage with a wide screen. Two male speakers are on stage; one in a light-colored jacket stands on the left, and another in a dark suit stands on the right, gesturing toward each other. The screen behind them is split into three sections. The center section shows a man in a blue shirt standing at a podium. The left and right sections show white diagrams on a dark background. The Mirakl logo is visible on the far left and right of the stage. A large audience is seated in the foreground, facing the stage.

At the 2025 Mirakl Summit in New York City, BCG Managing Director and Partner, Retail, Khaled Tawfik, and Partner Tanmay Jain shared why retailer and distributor‑led specialty marketplaces are gaining ground on the “everything stores.” 

Specialty retailers now use the same platform model that made Amazon and Walmart market leaders to curate deeper, more relevant assortments for loyal audiences.

The result is category-rooted experiences, fast time to market, stronger unit economics and richer data that sharpens first part assortment and retail media.

Watch this on‑demand presentation to learn:

  • Why shoppers increasingly prefer specialty marketplaces that deliver category‑specific journeys, stronger service and loyalty, backed by trusted retail brands.

  • How marketplace models speed time to market and expand choice by onboarding sellers quickly, enabling resource‑light teams to scale with agility.

  • The economics that set marketplaces apart, including profit‑accretive take rates, retail media upside and the data to sharpen first‑party assortment.

  • What leaders get right: CEO‑led strategy, a smart balance of 1P and 3P, curated seller selection, store integration for returns and pickup and an early focus on GMV to unlock the retail media and personalization flywheel.

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A wide shot of a stage at a conference, featuring three male speakers seated in chairs. The man on the left, wearing a dark jacket, is gesturing with his hands while speaking. The man in the center is wearing a blue jacket, and the man on the right is in a grey long-sleeved shirt. Behind them, a large screen displays the Mirakl Accelerate logo in the center. On either side of the screen, there are headshots and names of "Russell Scott" and "Aaron Cheris" on the left, and "Rick Watson" and "Russell Scott" on the right. The audience is visible in the foreground, with several people holding up phones to take pictures.

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A man and a woman are seated on a stage, facing each other in conversation. The man on the right, in a dark suit, holds a microphone and gestures with his hands. The woman on the left is wearing a shiny black jacket and a long, red and white striped skirt. A small table with two bottles of water sits between them. A large screen behind them shows a close-up of the man's face and a graphic with the name Olivier Bron, his title, and the Bloomingdale's logo.

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