Otto has grown faster than the ecommerce market in Germany over the past fiscal year, largely thanks to its popular marketplace. “The strong growth over the last 12 months gives us the utmost confidence that we are turning a corner after two challenging years”, says CEO Marc Opelt.

A majority of German ecommerce businesses are not happy with how the industry is performing. Only 6 percent of online sellers are ‘very satisfied’, which is the lowest that has been recorded since 2015. At the same time, the share of ‘very dissatisfied’ sellers has increased from 15 to 21 percent in one year.

Last year, Dutch consumers spent 36 billion euros online. This was an increase of 5 percent, compared to 2023. At the same time, the number of orders fell by 1 percent. For the first time, the majority of international purchases were placed with Chinese platforms.

The European online DIY market reached a revenue of 66 billion euros last year. Compared to the total market of online and offline DIY sales, the online share was 17 percent. The total market value came to 388 billion euros.

One in fifty visits to medium-sized and small online shops in Germany results in a purchase. The conversion rate on desktops is slightly higher than on mobile devices. The differences between industries are significant.

Online spending in Romania reached 11.7 billion euros last year with 7.7 billion euros spent on products. This was an increase of 10 percent. Growth remains strong and is expected to continue this year.

Marketplace solution provider Mirakl has generated over 162 million euros in annual recurring revenues in 2024. Its GMV also showed a year-on-year growth of 30 percent, reaching 10.3 billion euros.

The average shipping costs of the 100 largest online retailers in Germany have increased from 3.92 euros to 4.39 euros over the past two years. Fewer and fewer retailers offer free shipping as a standard. Nearly a quarter of companies charge return fees in some form.

Polish online marketplace Allegro announced that it generated 2.6 billion euros in sales in 2024. This was an increase of 7 percent compared to a year earlier. The company’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) increased 10 percent, to 15.3 billion euros.

For several years, German Amazon customers have been able to return products without packaging. No shipping box or parcel label is required, making it easy for buyers. Now, the market leader is further incentivizing box-free returns: customers who use a box must pay a fee.

Ecommerce giant Temu has announced a partnership with Correos, the national postal service of Spain. As a result, sellers in Spain can take advantage of fulfillment solutions. Consumers will get more delivery options.

Well-known German sportswear manufacturer Adidas has grown its online presence. Last year, the company realized online sales of 4.3 billion euros. This was an increase of 6 percent.

The European Commission has conducted an investigation into online traders of second-hand goods. A majority of the companies involved in the so-called sweep may be in breach of European consumer rights and will be further investigated.

Online personal shopping platforms Lookiero and Outfittery have announced that they are joining forces. The Lookiero Outfittery Group wants to become a European market leader in assisted online shopping.

Zalando looks back on a successful year, with higher revenue, increased profits, and more customers. The company expects growth acceleration, driven by its successful ecosystem strategy. Zalando will also expand into three new countries this year: Portugal, Greece, and Bulgaria.