Top 10 online stores in Germany
Some of the highest ranking online stores in the top 10 online stores in Germany, are local pure online players like Otto and Zalando. This illustrates that German online stores have been able to grow into strong (inter)national players.
List of top 10 online stores in Germany
The top 10 of online stores in Germany is a mix of international and local sellers. However, local sellers have been able to maintain high positions in the list. Based on their online turnover in 2022, the biggest online stores in the country are:
| 1. Amazon | 14.4 billion euros |
| 2. Otto | 4.5 billion euros |
| 3. Zalando | 2.6 billion euros |
| 4. MediaMarkt | 1.8 billion euros |
| 5. Apple | 1.4 billion euros |
| 6. Ikea | 1.3 billion euros |
| 7. Lidl | 966 million euros |
| 8. H&M | 900.2 million euros |
| 9. Saturn | 897 million euros |
| 10. About You | 895 million euros |
Looking for ecommerce software to start selling in Europe? Webador and Shopify are platforms that are well optimized for cross-border ecommerce.
Information about the main online sellers
Amazon is the most dominant online seller in Germany, with a turnover that is three times higher than that of the seller in second place, Otto. Research in 2023 showed that Amazon even influences offline retail spending in the country. More than one third of all purchases in physical stores are preceded by a search for information on the marketplace.
Below, we have highlighted some of the local online sellers that made it to the top 10:
Otto
Otto started out as a mail-order company, and it has grown into an online marketplace. It sells clothing, furniture, as well as domestic electronic appliances, beauty items and more. The platform’s marketplace partners generated one third of the revenue in 2023.
Zalando
This online platform started out as an online shoe store. It grew quickly and expanded into other countries and expanded its product categories. It is now a well-known international online marketplace, selling shoes, clothing, accessories and beauty products. The company is also launching extra services to support its partner sellers, like fulfillment.
MediaMarkt
MediaMarkt is a German chain of stores selling tech products, like phones, laptops and TV’s. It started out as a physical retailer, but it has significantly grown its online presence. In the fiscal year of 2022 to 2023, third-party sales on the European online marketplace were worth 137 million euros.
The rest of the top 10 online stores
Other significant online sellers in Germany are international players Apple, Ikea, and H&M. Lidl is a local supermarket, which has recently been expanding its online presence as well. About You is an online fashion company, owned by the Otto Group. While it was still able to reach the top 10 because of its revenue, it ended the fiscal year of 2022 with a loss of 137 million euros.
Marketplaces dominate German ecommerce
When looking at the top 10 online sellers in the country, it is evident that marketplaces are the most dominant players. The top 3 is entirely made up of the online platforms. And what makes the German market stand out, is that it is dominated by local online marketplaces. In 2023, more than half of all German online sales were generated on marketplaces.
As there are many established online sellers in Germany with a large market share, it can be difficult to reach an audience in that country as a new online store. However, by joining an online marketplace like Amazon, you will be able to reach a larger group of consumers quickly.
Do you want to sell cross-border in Europe? It ain't easy but with the right ecommerce software, online marketing channels and European fulfillment companies market leadership is surely possible.
