European E-Commerce Marketplaces to Consider for Greater Growth

Amazon may be a popular online shopping destination for many consumers, but the marketplace giant is far from the only place people purchase products. Across Europe, shoppers are frequently turning to a fast-growing array of e-commerce marketplaces. 

For some purchases, consumers use multiple marketplaces to compare prices. For others, the shopper might be exploring items in a particular niche such as fashion or electronics. Regardless of the reason, the implication is the same for every brand and retailer:

If you want to expand and grow, expansion is a must. Your consumers are using numerous e-commerce platforms — and you should be, too.

The problem? With so many options, it can be difficult to know where to begin. How can you be sure you’re selecting the most promising marketplaces for your products?

To help, we’ve identified five marketplaces that have proven to be highly profitable for sellers looking to expand beyond Amazon and eBay. This list is based on ChannelAdvisor’s experience with more than 2,700 brands and retailers handling $10 billion GMV worldwide. 

Fruugo

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to reach consumers across all of Europe, Fruugo is probably your best bet. This unique marketplace allows shoppers to purchase products from sellers located in countries around the world — all within one platform, using a single online shopping cart. The biggest benefit to sellers? There’s no need to worry about complications like translations and currency conversions. Because Fruugo’s goal is to meet the needs of customers worldwide, the platform will handle all of this and more for you. After year-over-year sales growth in excess of 100% for several consecutive years, this marketplace has proven to be a lucrative one for sellers looking to extend their reach across Europe.

Cdiscount

As one of the largest and most powerful marketplaces in France, Cdiscount has 16 million registered customers who shop across a wide range of categories. The marketplace averages 2 million visits each day from consumers who are drawn to the site for strong promotions and competitive prices. If you’re looking to tap into the spending power of shoppers in France, where online purchases are expected to reach $78 billion by 2022, Cdiscount is a solid channel to add to your marketplace mix. 

La Redoute

If you sell in the high-end home and fashion categories, La Redoute is another great option for reaching big spenders in France. As the country’s top marketplace for premium goods, La Redoute attracts more than 10 million visitors each month. Although it’s more selective than other marketplaces serving the region, the rewards are high for sellers lucky enough to be approved. 

OTTO

Looking to reach consumers in Germany? OTTO could be a great avenue for you to pursue. This European e-commerce marketplace is one of the country’s most widely-recognised sales channels and attracts millions of consumers each month. The primary focus is on categories related to home and lifestyle, with plenty of options for external brands and retailers.

Zalando

Per seller, Zalando is ChannelAdvisor’s strongest channel globally. Germany’s largest fashion-focused marketplace generates €5.4 billion in annual sales and attracts more than 300 million visits per month. So if you sell clothing, shoes and accessories that are desirable to young adult urban consumers, Zalando is a great avenue to pursue

In conclusion: 

These top online marketplaces are outstanding ones to consider for any brand or retailer that’s ready to expand beyond Amazon. Among the more than 110 marketplace options worldwide, these are five of the best to consider when your goal is to reach consumers in Europe.

Ready to get started? Before diving in, you’ll need to do a little more research to determine which of these five top recommendations are the best fit for your products. Each marketplace has its own set of requirements, prerequisites, target audiences and categories. You can find this information, along with other insights and helpful information, in our new white paper: Expand and Grow on European Marketplaces.