“The upswing is here”, writes bevh above a report on online retail spending in Germany. According to the industry association, consumers spent 39.84 billion euros on products online in the first half of this year. This marks a 3.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The growth was even stronger in the second quarter.
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.
Compared to other European countries, the Netherlands has the highest share of online shoppers. In the last quarter of 2024, at least 86.7 percent of Dutch consumers bought something online. It means that hundreds of thousands started online shopping last year.
German seller of furniture and home decorations Westwing has recently entered three new markets. It has launched in Croatia, Finland and Slovenia. The company is now present in 18 European countries.
Buying second-hand products online has become common in Germany: 55 percent of consumers bought a used product online last year. Additionally, most Germans are active sellers of used products: 52 percent offered something for sale, mainly fashion, books, and electronics.
German online beauty and perfume store flaconi has recently launched in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Czech Republic. Next month, it will also launch in Italy. As a result of these launches, the company is now active in 12 countries in Europe.
Between 2023 and last year, Zalando’s online sales revenue in Switzerland has increased slightly. It remains the biggest online retailer in the country. With its current online growth, it is expected that Galaxus will take over first place during this year.
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.”
Bad user experience on websites leads to high percentages of abandoned carts. Gamification, the process of applying game principles to online stores to encourage participation can increase conversion, and customer loyalty. Ecommerce News spoke to Claspo about helpful ways to implement these pop-ups.
The European online consumer electronics market was worth 112 billion euros in 2024. This was an increase of 24 percent compared to the year before. Consumer electronics now represent 13 percent of total online retail sales.
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.
Spanish wholesale platform BigBuy has found a new financial partner, Kaazar Capital. BigBuy told Ecommerce News that the investing company has acquired a minority stake. From now on, Kaazar Capital will contribute to the company’s financial and growth strategy.
For the first time in years, Dutch online spending on products is on the rise again. In the first quarter of this year, consumers spent more than 9 billion euros online. This is an increase of 4 percent, which was driven by the increased online spending on products.
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.