Zooplus eyes pan-European marketplace

After introducing a marketplace model in France, Zooplus has now also opened up its website to customers in Germany. The online pet retailer has pan-European platform ambitions, as its seller registration page makes clear: “Become our partner and unlock new markets across Europe!”

In June 2024, it became clear that Zooplus was working on an online marketplace to expand its product range in both breadth and depth. Marketplace sales started at the end of that year. Not in Germany, where Zooplus originates, but in France. The launch tripled the selection available to customers.

Ten thousand new products

It took more than a year and a half for Zooplus to officially expand its Mirakl-based marketplace to its largest market, Germany. The assortment on Zooplus.de has been expanded with ten thousand new products, 65 percent of which are in the growing pet accessories category.

‘We are ready to accelerate our marketplace expansion’

“Marketplaces represent an efficient way for us to quickly respond to the evolving needs of our customers and localize our assortment across different countries”, said Chief Merchandising Officer Pierre-Yves Delforge. “With two marketplaces in Germany and France now launched, we are ready to accelerate our marketplace expansion.”

Pan-European ambitions

Zooplus’ pan-European marketplace ambitions are evident from its registration environment for sellers in Germany: prospective partners are told that they can unlock new markets across Europe. Under the heading “Scale and Grow”, the company points to online sales potential in “more than 25 EU countries”.

Sellers from across the EU

Partners on Zooplus’ French and German marketplaces do not have to be based in those countries. To sell on the platforms, companies must have a registered business entity and VAT number in the European Union, as well as hold stock in the EU. In addition to a monthly fee of 39.90 euros, partners pay a sales commission of 16 percent, according to recent information from marketplace integrator ChannelEngine.

Subscription program

With annual trading volume running into several billion euros – precise figures have not been disclosed since the 2021 takeover – Zooplus describes itself as “Europe’s biggest online pet shop”. In 2023, the pure player introduced a flexible subscription program in Germany and Austria, which was later expanded to other markets.