Smaller online businesses in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are not benefiting from the restored growth in online spending. On the contrary, their revenue is decreasing. “It is becoming increasingly difficult for smaller online stores to maintain their position in the market.”
Bol, the largest online sales platform in the Netherlands, is allowing sellers from outside the European Union to join for the first time. This year, the first 100 non-EU sellers are expected to join. The company emphasizes strict quality control for offerings from countries such as China. Products must be stocked within Europe.
Amazon is doing a lot of good for the European economy, says Mariangela Marseglia. According to the Vice President of EU Stores, there are over 127,000 European SMEs thriving on Amazon. “Thanks to a company like Amazon, their job is simplified because we allow them to export to foreign countries in a very easy way.”
About You has revamped its marketplace. It has launched a new seller center. The onboarding process for external sellers has been adjusted, making it easier for other companies to sell on the growing platform.
Bevh, the German association for distance sellers, is requesting to reconsider European regulations regarding online platforms. The interest group argues that large platforms are being regulated too strictly and claims that this results in discrimination against these platforms, compared to physical competitors.
Chinese online marketplace AliExpress is launching Local+, a fulfillment solution that allows retailers to outsource shipping. The platform has partnered with several warehouses in Europe. As a result, shipping will be quicker.
Last year, Amazon earned 23.6 percent more from ads in Germany, while the company’s total revenue in the country grew by 'only' 8.7 percent. Amazon continues to capitalize on its reach, outpacing its competitors.
The three largest marketplaces in Austria account for 52 percent of the total online spending in the country. Amazon stands head and shoulders above the rest, with a 41 percent share of the total. Zalando and eBay follow, while Chinese platforms are gaining ground.
Austrian online retailers are facing increasing competition from international online stores, particularly those from Asia. One in three orders is now placed with platforms from that continent. The Chamber of Commerce is calling for concrete measures against platforms such as Shein and Temu.
In the first two months after its launch, German consumers have not embraced TikTok Shop in large numbers. TikTok Shop is known by one in three consumers, but only one in forty Germans has made a purchase, according to research by media agency OMD.
Temu has now been active in Europe for two years. According to a recent survey by the Chinese marketplace, German customers said that they have average saving of 27 percent on purchases they placed on Temu in 2024. And 41 percent wonder why identical products cost more on other platforms.
The German Retail Association (HDE) is increasing its forecast for ecommerce for this year. It predicts a four percent increase. The German ecommerce market is expected to reach a total value of 92.4 billion euros in sales by the end of this year.
The Otto Group has found its way back to profitability. The company refers to the past financial year, which ended in February, as an “extremely convincing financial year”. The retail and services group generated a net profit of 165 million euros. Otto is optimistic about the future and expects further growth, particularly from its successful marketplace.
Online consumer spending in Switzerland increased by 3.5 percent last year, while brick-and-mortar retail saw a slight decline of 0.2 percent. As in many other countries, the share of online sales within total retail continues to rise.
After launching in the United States and the United Kingdom, TikTok Shop now aims to enable the trade of second-hand products on its platform elsewhere in Europe. The company is currently recruiting a program manager who will be responsible for defining and implementing the pre-owned category strategy across the European Union.