Ecommerce in Germany expected to reach €42.8bn this year

The ecommerce industry in Germany is about to finally surpass the 40 billion mark. As a matter of fact, the expectation is that this industry will be worth 42.8 billion euros at the end of this year. Last year, the share of online sales in the total retail industry was 8.4 percent, but according to IFH this share will be 9.4 percent this year.

Thanks to cross-channel more products are being sold online, which contributes to the continued online growth, IFH Köln writes. That industry will – again – grow in double digits, but this growth will not be as strong as in previous years. The IFX expects a growth rate of 13% this year, while the ecommerce industry grew by 14% last year.

The expected 9.4 percent share of ecommerce in the total retail may be even higher, when not looked at basic necessities such as food and drugstore goods. “In the coming years we will continue to have a growing online share”, says Hans Jürgen Heinick, senior consultant af IFH Cologne. “By 2020, ecommerce may have a 15% market share of the total retail industry.”

Popular product categories in Germany
The industry analysis by IFH also reveals that certain product categories have experienced significant growth in the last five years. The online share of Fashion & Accessoires for example grew from 6,2% to 18,9%. Other popular product categories are Consumer Electronics (8.9%-19.8%), Stationery & Office Supplies (5.8%-18.3%) and Leisure & Hobbies (9.7%-18.4%).