1. What are OTC medicines in Germany?
1.1 Definition and Classification

OTC-Arzneimittel (OTC medicines) (“Over-the-Counter”) are drugs that consumers can purchase without a doctor’s prescription. In Germany, there are two main categories:

Apothekenpflichtige OTC-Produkte (Pharmacy-only OTC products): These may only be sold in pharmacies or online pharmacies. Consultation with pharmacists strengthens trust in the brand.

Freiverkäufliche OTC-Produkte (Freely available OTC products): These are also available in drugstores, supermarkets, or on marketplaces like Amazon. This provides a broader reach but requires a strong digital sales strategy.

1.2 Why This Matters

The classification directly influences the distribution strategy. While pharmacy-only products benefit significantly from professional advice, freely available products can be effectively promoted through Retail Media on marketplaces.

1.3 The German Consumer Mindset

German consumers rely on safety, transparency, and consultation. At the same time, the trend toward online purchasing is growing. Successful brands combine credibility with digital visibility through Retail Media.

2. Retail Media as a Key Strategy for OTC Brand
2.1 Why Retail Media is Crucial for OTC Products

Retail Media is one of the most effective levers to increase the visibility and sales of OTC products on digital marketplaces.

Advantages of Retail Media for OTC brands:

✅ Targeted advertising – Consumers with high purchase intent are reached.

✅ Maximum visibility – Sponsored Ads place products in prominent positions.

✅ Higher ROI – Campaigns can be optimized based on data.

2.2 The Most Important Retail Media Channels for OTC Products

Amazon Advertising: Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Display Ads.

Retail Media in online pharmacies (DocMorris, Shop Apotheke): Ad placements, newsletter features, category pages.

Google Ads & Social Commerce: Search engine marketing & performance campaigns on Facebook, Instagram & TikTok.

2.3 Success Strategies for Marketplaces & Online Pharmacies

Keyword-optimized product pages: SEO strategies for better visibility.

Data-driven ad optimization: A/B testing for creatives and keywords.

Reviews & customer engagement: Active management of reviews and Q&A.

3. Regulatory Framework – Compact & Practical
3.1 The Heilmittelwerbegesetz (HWG) & Digital Advertising

Advertising for OTC products must be factual, verifiable, and legally compliant:

Mandatory disclaimer in advertisements: (“For risks and side effects…”). No fear-based or pressure advertising (e.g., “Without this product, you risk your health!”). No unfounded healing promises or exaggerations.

3.2 Implications for Retail Media

Amazon & online pharmacies: Ad texts must comply with HWG regulations. Terms like “best cure” or “guaranteed effect” are not allowed. Google & Social Media: Influencer marketing must be transparent, and claims must be verifiable.

3.3 BfArM & Product Classification

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) regulates OTC products.

The classification as OTC or Rx (prescription-only) determines distribution and advertising opportunities.

4. Where Can Consumers Buy OTC Products? 
4.1 Pharmacies & Online Pharmcies

Physical pharmacies: Consultation is the primary focus.

Online pharmacies (e.g., DocMorris, Shop Apotheke): Important platforms for digital OTC sales, combinable with Retail Media campaigns.

4.2 Marketplaces & E-Commerce

Amazon: A key sales channel for OTC products, optimizable through SEO & Advertising.

Drugstores & retail: Platforms like dm or Rossmann also offer growth opportunities.

5. Best Practices for Retail Media & Marketplace Optimization
5.1 Success Factors for Amazon & Online Pharmacies

1️⃣ Utilize Sponsored Ads & Brand Stores Higher ranking in search results. Strengthening brand presence through dedicated Brand Stores.

2️⃣ Optimize Product Pages with SEO & Compliance Clear, informative descriptions with compliant statements. High-quality images & videos for higher conversion rates.

3️⃣ A/B Testing for Retail Media Campaigns Testing ad formats, visual elements & keywords. Performance optimization through data-driven decisions.

5.2 Data-Driven Optimization of Retail Media Strategies

Analysis of click & conversion rates for audience targeting: Using retargeting campaigns to recover abandoned shopping carts.

Omnichannel strategy: Combining Social Media, Content Marketing & Marketplaces.

6. Why Pharmaceutical Consultation & Digital Visibility Go Hand in Hand
6.1 Trust Through Professional Advice & Digital Channels

Pharmacists play a central role in product recommendations.

Online pharmacies & marketplaces supplement advice through expert reviews, customer testimonials & product information.

6.2 Brand Loyalty Through Strategic Communication

Targeted brand building: Pharmacy partnerships & digital guides.

Seamless experience between offline & online channels: A product recommended in a pharmacy should be directly available online.

6.3 Partnerships & Retail Media for Sustainable Success

Collaborations with pharmacies & marketplaces enhance brand presence. Targeted Retail Media strategies link pharmaceutical consultation with purchasing decisions.

Conclusion: Retail Media as a Growth Driver for OTC Brands

The German OTC market offers enormous potential, but it requires a clear strategy:

✔️ Utilize Retail Media for maximum digital visibility

✔️ Implement regulatory requirements in advertising campaigns

✔️ Combine data-driven campaigns with continuous optimization

The German OTC market offers brands a large, health-conscious consumer base—but it also demands strict regulatory compliance and high product information standards. Understanding classifications such as pharmacy-only and freely available, complying with the Heilmittelwerbegesetz, and leveraging Retail Media for distribution are all essential components of a successful strategy.

Our Retail Media agency helps OTC brands overcome these challenges and establish a strong market position on digital platforms. By combining Retail Media, SEO, data-driven advertising & strategic partnerships, we maximize the success of your OTC brand.

What are Sponsored Reviews?

Sponsored reviews are paid endorsements from customers who have purchased and used a product. These reviews are prominently displayed to enhance the product’s credibility and attractiveness to potential buyers. On Cdiscount, these reviews can significantly boost a product’s visibility and sales performance. You can compare it so Amazon’s VINE program, which is a bit similar.

Benefits of Sponsored Reviews

• Increased Visibility: Sponsored reviews are given priority placement, making them more visible to potential buyers. This can lead to higher click-through rates and, ultimately, more sales.
• Enhanced Credibility: Reviews from real customers build trust. When potential buyers see positive reviews, they are more likely to make a purchase.
• Better Conversion Rates: Products with numerous positive reviews tend to convert better as they provide social proof that the product is reliable and satisfactory.

How It Works

• Choosing the Right Products: Not all products are ideal candidates for sponsored reviews. Focus on products with strong potential for positive feedback and high sales volume.
• Setting a Budget: Determine how much you are willing to invest in sponsored reviews. This budget will influence the number of reviews and the overall impact on sales.
• Monitoring Performance: Track the performance of your sponsored reviews. Analyze metrics such as increased visibility, click-through rates, and conversion rates to gauge the effectiveness of your campaign.

Pricing Structure

The cost of sponsored reviews on Cdiscount varies based on the product’s price range. Here is a breakdown of the pricing:

Implementation Tips

• Clear Communication: Clearly communicate your expectations to reviewers. Ensure they understand the importance of providing detailed and honest feedback.
• Incentivization: Provide incentives for reviewers, but ensure they comply with Cdiscount’s policies to avoid any ethical or legal issues.
• Follow-Up: After the review is published, follow up with the reviewer to thank them and address any potential issues or questions they might have had.

Conclusion

Sponsored reviews on Cdiscount Ads can be a game-changer for sellers looking to boost their product’s visibility and credibility. By strategically selecting products, setting a reasonable budget, and actively managing the review process, sellers can significantly enhance their sales performance. Start leveraging the power of sponsored reviews today and watch your sales soar.

Introduction

In the bustling world of online and in-store shopping, advertising plays a pivotal role. Retail media, the practice of brands advertising within retail environments, is segmented into two main types: endemic and non-endemic retail advertising. Endemic vs Non-Endemic Retail refers to whether the product ads appear alongside their own sales environments or elsewhere. This intro lays the groundwork for understanding how these Retail Media Strategies differ, the benefits they bring, and the importance of recognizing their distinctions for effective marketing campaigns. As we delve into the intricacies of Endemic Retail Advertising and non-endemic approaches, we’ll see how each harnesses unique benefits for brands and retailers alike.

Decoding Endemic Retail Media

Endemic retail media, aptly named, refers to ads that are inherently relevant to the platform they appear on, such as a lawnmower advertised on a home improvement store’s website. This type of advertising is a staple in Retail Media Strategies, using exclusive first-party data to target shoppers right where they make their purchases. A notable example is Walmart Connect, which empowers brands with endemic ad placements and data-driven ad campaigns within Walmart’s ecosystem. The inherent benefit of this approach is its direct connection to the consumer in a shopping mindset, potentially leading to immediate conversions and providing retailers with valuable additional revenue streams from Types of Retail Media Platforms.

Another supermarket example: During lunch, screens, handheld scanners or shopping carts can display an ad for special lunch boxes made the supermarket. Think “Promotion: Sandwich + Soft drink for 5 euros”. By properly targeting the audience at the right times, customers can be enticed to make more purchases or purchases they might not otherwise make.

Unpacking Non-Endemic Retail Media

In contrast to its counterpart, non-endemic retail media advertising capitalizes on the audiences of platforms unrelated to the product being sold. It’s a strategy that expands brand reach to new, relevant audiences, as witnessed by Amazon’s 2022 policy change allowing for non-endemic brands to purchase sponsored display ads. This move highlights the shift in Retail Media Strategies, bringing brands into the view of potential customers who, while not directly seeking their products, might find them related to their interests or needs. For instance, GoPuff’s non-endemic partnership benefits were on full display through a robust alignment with Hulu, yielding a fruitful engagement rate by tapping into shared customer bases.

A good example of what might work is a university whose goal is to get young people to come to its open house. Supermarkets near schools are flooded with young people in the 14-17 age category who come to get a sandwich during break. By using screens, a university with good creatives can encourage young people to come to the open house. Supermarkets and universities are not directly related, but supermarket customers are thus a highly relevant target group.

Strategy Deep Dive – Endemic Advertising

Endemic retail advertising weaves products into the shopping experience, making them a natural part of the customer’s journey. Utilizing first-party data, retailers like Walmart Connect offer brands targeted ad campaigns which are strategically placed to catch the shopper’s eye at critical decision points. As Endemic vs Non-Endemic Retail advertising continues to evolve, a potent strategy emerges from the precise use of this underpinning data. This turns browsing into buying, using technology that tunes into customer preferences. With the cookieless future on the horizon, solutions like those from Digilant are paving the way for endemic retail media strategies to remain effective in a privacy-first advertising landscape.

Strategy Deep Dive – Non-Endemic Advertising

Non-endemic advertising is dynamic, allowing brands to step out of traditional bounds and tap into new audiences. It’s about identifying opportunities, such as Non-Endemic Partnership Benefits, where a collaboration can unlock mutual value. Taking GoPuff’s partnership with Hulu as an example, analysis confirmed an audience overlap, enabling non-endemic ads to hit the mark. The success of this engagement reveals how strategic data analysis and innovative technological approaches facilitate broader reach. When brands select the right Types of Retail Media Platforms, like GoPuff did with Hulu, they harness the power to connect with consumers in places they hadn’t before.

The Upshot of Endemic Advertising

With endemic retail advertising, the connection between ad placement and purchase intent is clear. When customers encounter ads during their shopping experience, the journey from discovery to purchase is streamlined. Echoing Retail Media Strategies, using endemic ads ensures relevance and can lead to higher click-through and conversion rates, particularly in the context of RMNs like Walmart Connect. This precision targeting is not just about one-off purchases; it blends into the broader journey, influencing habits and bolstering brand loyalty. Plus, the dual benefits for retailers and suppliers in creating an efficient and personalized shopping ecosystem underscore the long-term value of endemic advertising.

The Upside of Non-Endemic Advertising

Non-endemic advertising opens doors to infinite possibilities for diversified brands. These non-endemic partnership benefits extend beyond the typical retail landscape, offering significant advantages. Brands which might not necessarily be sold within a particular retail ecosystem, can still enjoy visibility and recognition in these non-endemic retail environments. Imagine, for instance, an outdoor gear brand appearing on a health and wellness retailer’s platform. Suddenly, a new segment of health-conscious consumers is exposed to a brand they might have otherwise missed. By tapping into the various types of retail media platforms, advertisers can target similar audience demographics, which could lead to a new wave of customer interest and engagement. This aligns closely with strategies suggesting non-endemic advertising as a game-changer in the retail industry, facilitating brand discovery through intelligent placements.

Selecting the Optimal Retail Media Platform

The choice between endemic vs non-endemic retail strategies often boils down to specific marketing goals and understanding your target audience. When selecting the most suitable types of retail media platforms, analyzing market behavior and customer needs can guide advertisers to the most effective environment—whether through endemic retail advertising within a shopping context or non-endemic platforms that reach wider audiences. Using marketplace management tools, including performance dashboards and analytics, can help decode the data essential for fine-tuning ad campaigns. And as the boundaries between the two advertising realms blur, platforms are increasingly offering flexible solutions to accommodate both endemic and non-endemic needs.

Conclusion

Embarking on the right retail media strategies, whether endemic or non-endemic, requires a keen understanding of the landscape and a nimble approach to market changes. As retailers evolve and consumer habits shift, the differentiation between endemic vs non-endemic retail becomes more nuanced. Crafting a robust strategy that leverages the strengths of both can provide a competitive edge. Marketers must stay attuned to these dynamics and the emerging technologies that make retail media an exciting frontier. Remember, the future holds endless possibilities for those who are willing to adapt and explore the full spectrum of retail media advertising.

ABOUT YOU: A promising marketplace

Over the past few months, our marketplace experts at Nakoa have taken a close look at the performance of many of our fashion customers on the ABOUT YOU marketplace. The results were extremely promising and offer valuable insights for brands looking to expand their presence on marketplaces.

1. Lower cost per click (CPC) – More visibility: One of the outstanding features of ABOUT YOU is the comparatively lower cost per click (CPC) compared to other marketplaces such as Zalando. On average, CPCs on ABOUT YOU are about four times lower. This means that fashion brands can gain more visibility and traffic here at a fraction of the cost. A lower cost base makes it possible to use marketing budgets more efficiently and achieve greater reach.
2. Impressive Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) – Maximum profitability: Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is a key measure of advertising campaign profitability. For some of our clients, we achieved impressive ROAS results on ABOUT YOU – often more than double that of Zalando and sometimes even in the four-digit range. These figures illustrate the enormous potential of ABOUT YOU as an efficient advertising platform for fashion brands. Here, investments in advertising can generate a significant profit.
3. Challenges of scaling – Sponsored Products: While ABOUT YOU undoubtedly offers many benefits, there are also some challenges, especially in terms of scaling. One of the challenges is that the algorithm usually favors wholesale brands. This means that smaller fashion brands have to work harder to increase their visibility in the marketplace. In addition, there are fewer ad placements overall on ABOUT YOU compared to other platforms.
4. Our conclusion: ABOUT YOU as a promising marketplace: our experience with ABOUT YOU shows that this marketplace is an excellent option for fashion brands to achieve impressive performance even with a limited budget. The lower CPCs and high ROAS values make ABOUT YOU a promising marketplace and advertising channel for fashion brands.

Tips for success on marketplaces

In addition to the specific advantages of ABOUT YOU, there are some proven strategies that can help fashion brands market successfully and profitably on marketplaces:

• Optimization of product information: A detailed and appealing product description, high-quality images, and correct pricing are critical to gaining customer trust.
• Targeted advertising: Use the advertising options on marketplaces to increase your visibility. Be sure to use the right targeting to best appeal to your target audience.
• Manage inventory: Efficient inventory management is essential to ensure high customer satisfaction and avoid negative reviews due to delivery issues.
• Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service to resolve customer questions and issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Leverage feedback: Analyze customer reviews and use feedback to continuously improve your products and services.
• Multi-channel strategy: Consider a multi-channel strategy that includes building your own e-commerce website in addition to marketplaces. This provides additional flexibility and independence.
• Regular analysis: Monitor the performance of your products and campaigns on marketplaces continuously and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conclusion

Selling successfully and profitably on marketplaces like ABOUT YOU requires a well thought-out strategy, clear positioning and continuous adjustments. The lower cost per click and impressive ROAS values make ABOUT YOU a promising option for fashion brands. Through a combination of targeted advertising campaigns, high-quality products and excellent customer service, fashion brands can successfully take off on marketplaces and grow their business.

Target group and niche

ManoMano targets a specific DIY audience that has a passion for DIY, renovation and gardening. If your brand offers products in these areas, ManoMano is the ideal marketplace to score directly in front of your target audience. It is always easier to sell products when customers are already searching for them. This allows for a higher conversion rate and more relevant customer relationships.

Wider reach

Being on ManoMano opens the door to a broad customer base that you might not be able to reach through other sales channels. This means you expand your reach and have the opportunity to attract new customers. Do-it-yourselfers and garden enthusiasts from different regions can discover and buy your products.

Trust and credibility

ManoMano has an excellent reputation in the DIY and gardening industry. By listing your products on this marketplace, you can benefit from this positive image. Customers who trust ManoMano will also trust your brand when they see your products there. This can help you to gain the trust of new customer groups.

Marketing and visibility

ManoMano actively invests in marketing activities to promote the marketplace and attract customers. As a seller on ManoMano you can benefit from these marketing efforts without having to increase your own advertising budget. Your products become part of a targeted marketing campaign that increases your visibility and attracts customers to you.

Sales tools

ManoMano offers a variety of tools and features to help you manage sales and inventory. These tools make it much easier to process orders and deal with customer enquiries. This helps to keep your sales processes running smoothly and your customers happy.

Cross-selling

On ManoMano you can often present your products in combination with other relevant products. This enables positive cross-selling effects. For example, if a customer buys a lawn mower, you can also offer him matching accessories such as lawn seeds or garden tools. This will increase the average basket value and increase your sales

Internationalisation

ManoMano is already present in several countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain. This gives you the opportunity to sell across national borders and expand your international presence. You can reach customers in different countries and offer your products worldwide.

Launch on ManoMano

ManoMano offers e-commerce companies the opportunity to present DIY and garden products to a specific target group. But what is the best way to be successful on ManoMano?

• Step 1 – Strategy on ManoMano
  Whether you want to focus on a specific niche or pursue a quality strategy, our marketplace team at Nakoa Digital | Scaling Marketplaces can help you choose and develop a tailored product and marketplace strategy. A clear strategy is crucial to succeed on ManoMano.
• Step 2 – Setup & Integration on ManoMano
  Integration on ManoMano can be done via the API or an integration partner such as ChannelEngine. It is important to ensure a smooth integration so that your products can be presented in the best possible way on the marketplace.
• Step 3 – ManoMano Fulfillment
  ManoMano even offers its own fulfilment programme that can help you manage the logistics and shipping of your products efficiently. This takes the pressure off you and keeps your customers happy.
• Step 4 – SEO & Content on ManoMano
  Search engine optimisation (SEO) and content optimisation are crucial to maximise your visibility and reach on ManoMano. You should ensure that your product pages are optimised to rank well in search results. Furthermore, engaging and informative content is important to attract customers.
• Step 5 – Retail Media
  We can develop your appropriate marketing strategy to increase your sales. This can be done through sponsored products, onsite display ads or offsite campaigns on platforms such as Facebook and others. A targeted marketing strategy will help maximise your presence on ManoMano and generate more sales.

Conclusion

ManoMano offers companies in the DIY sector an excellent opportunity to present DIY and garden products to a specific target group. With the right strategy, integration and marketing efforts, you can succeed in this emerging marketplace and benefit from the many advantages it offers. If your brand offers products for DIY and gardening enthusiasts, it’s time to put ManoMano on your radar and take advantage of the opportunities this marketplace offers.

The cDiscount Marketplace isn’t just a digital arena; it’s a conduit for sellers to reach a vast customer base. It comes bolstered by the platform’s infrastructure, marketing tactics, and customer support services. Sellers are free to list a diverse array of products spanning electronics, household gadgets, fashion pieces, and more. Customers, in turn, enjoy the freedom to browse and purchase from various sellers, often scoring competitive prices and a wide selection.

In the toolkit that cDiscount provides, you’ll find tools and features to help sellers keep their listings in check, manage orders, and stay connected with customers. The platform further facilitates secure payments and offers customer service assistance. Altogether, the cDiscount Marketplace offers a promising channel for businesses and individuals aiming to make their mark in the online French market.

As a seller on cDiscount Marketplace, you have a handful of options at your disposal to ramp up product visibility and entice potential customers. Here are some key strategies you can tap into:

1. Sponsored Products: Boosting Visibility for Impact

The Sponsored Products programme within cDiscount is like reserving a premium spot in a bustling marketplace. With a payment, your products take centre stage in search results and product detail pages. This isn’t just about visibility; it’s about making an impactful first impression. By appearing prominently, you’re catching the eye of potential customers, inviting more clicks, and setting the stage for potential conversions. This strategic investment in prime real estate on the platform can effectively pave the way for increased sales and business growth.

2. Deals and Promotions: Seizing the Allure of Savings

At the heart of e-commerce success lies the psychology of a good deal. Crafting special discounts, offers, or promotions for your products is a surefire way to resonate with customers. cDiscount’s toolkit goes a step further by enabling you to set up flash sales, clearance events, and bundled offers. These promotions, plastered across the platform, act as virtual beacons, enticing customers to explore further. The allure of savings is universal, and by capitalising on this, you’re encouraging customers to not only explore but to potentially convert – turning browsers into buyers.

3. Advertising Campaigns: Guiding Traffic with Precision

Advertising campaigns on cDiscount act as digital signposts amidst the bustling marketplace. These banner ads, strategically positioned, can be precisely targeted. Whether it’s by product category, customer demographics, or specific search keywords, you’re steering more traffic towards your product listings. It’s akin to ensuring that your offerings are right where potential customers are looking. This calculated approach ensures that your products not only catch attention but also engage with customers who are actively seeking what you have to offer.

4. Featured Placement: Standing Out in the Digital Crowd

Imagine a virtual billboard, one that showcases your products on the platform’s homepage or specific category pages. Featured Placement is just that – an opportunity to secure prime visibility for your offerings. While it comes at a cost, the potential payoff is substantial. By being prominently displayed in areas where customer traffic is concentrated, you’re significantly increasing the chances of potential buyers noticing your products. It’s akin to standing out in a crowded marketplace and grabbing the spotlight.

5. Customer Reviews and Ratings: Building Trust Brick by Brick

In the digital era, trust is a priceless commodity, and customer reviews and ratings are its currency. Encouraging satisfied customers to share their feedback on your product pages does more than just enhance credibility – it builds a relationship of trust with potential buyers. Positive reviews act as endorsements, reassuring new customers that they’re making a reliable choice. This avenue isn’t just about attracting clicks; it’s about nurturing long-term relationships that are based on trust.

6. Optimization and SEO: Elevating Your Product’s Online Presence

In the digital realm, visibility is paramount, and this is where optimization and search engine optimisation (SEO) come into play. Crafting product listings with carefully chosen keywords, high-quality images, and comprehensive descriptions helps elevate your products’ search rankings. When potential customers search for products, your optimised listings rise to the surface, ensuring they don’t go unnoticed. In essence, this is about making sure your products are in the spotlight when customers are seeking them out.

Incorporating these strategies into your cDiscount journey isn’t just about boosting visibility; it’s about crafting a comprehensive approach that resonates with customers, builds trust, and increases the likelihood of conversions. By harnessing the power of Sponsored Products, Deals and Promotions, Advertising Campaigns, Featured Placement, Customer Reviews and Ratings, and the art of Optimization and SEO, you’re equipping yourself with a toolkit that navigates the dynamic landscape of e-commerce, helping you stand out and succeed on cDiscount’s bustling marketplace.

Keep in mind though that cDiscount Marketplace’s promotional options and features might evolve over time. New tools could emerge, while existing ones could change. To stay in the know, it’s wise to regularly check the cDiscount seller platform for the latest promotional opportunities and guidelines. Staying updated ensures you’re making the most of the promotional toolkit at your disposal.

In a nutshell, cDiscount Marketplace isn’t just a platform; it’s a space for sellers to strategically put their products on display. Each promotional avenue mentioned – whether it’s Sponsored Products, enticing deals, or shrewd optimization – contributes to a well-rounded strategy that grabs customers’ attention and drives sales. Armed with this insight, take the stage on cDiscount and let your products shine in the digital spotlight.

MediaMarkt Saturn fact check & what makes the giant tick

MediaMarkt Saturn is a well-known brand for consumer electronics and household appliances and has made a name for itself as a trustworthy supplier of quality products. With a strong presence in Germany and other European countries, it attracts a huge audience looking for the latest technological advances. This can also be clearly seen in the turnover. With over 23 million shop visits per month, the platform has so far achieved a turnover of over 21 billion euros.

How is this possible? Through the omnichannel approach! MediaMarkt Saturn owes a total of about 23% of its sales to shoppers who shop locally. However, what is interesting for us are the customers who buy products via the online shop, or both online and offline. These customers account for a total of 77 % of the advertising platform’s turnover. In the following paragraphs, you will learn how you as a retailer can profit from these circumstances.

What opportunities do you have as a seller at MediaMarkt Saturn?

MediaMarkt Saturn combines the best of two worlds with its online and offline approach. At Nakoa, we’re here to help you make the most of this omnichannel approach. As a seller, you can benefit from a 360° marketing approach that provides you with data-driven advertising opportunities that are 100% measurable.

Thanks to our marketing experts, you can use Sponsored Product Ads and Sponsored Brand Ads to successfully market your products. In addition, the platform offers the possibility to create A+ content to present your products and brand more vividly. To measure the success of your marketing efforts, we support you in evaluating the given consideration & action reports to assess and adjust your marketing strategy and to increase your sales.

Sponsored Product Ads – Targeted advertising for your product

At Nakoa, we can help you create successful Sponsored Product Ads for your products and display them on the MediaMarkt Saturn advertising platform. This type of advertising allows you to target specific products and have them appear prominently on MediaMarkt Saturn’s search results and product pages. This targeted advertising increases the visibility of your products and attracts potential buyers. This way, you as a seller can increase your reach and present your products to the broad audience of the consumer electronics giant.

Sponsored Brand Ads – increase your brand awareness in a targeted way

As with Amazon, Media Markt Saturn offers you the opportunity to set up Sponsored Brand Ads for your brand and products. These ads allow you to present your brands and products prominently on MediaMarkt Saturn. The aim of our marketing experts is to catapult your ads to the top positions of the search results pages and thereby increase the recognition value of your brand. They help you to increase your brand awareness and strengthen the trust of your customers.

A+ content for a convincing product presentation

MediaMarkt Saturn also has a lot to offer in terms of content. For example, the platform offers the possibility of presenting your products in great detail by creating A+ content. Our content experts are happy to help you optimise your product pages with appealing and informative content and increase your traffic. By integrating text, images, comparison tables and videos, customers get a comprehensive picture of your products. This improves the visibility and credibility of your offers and can also increase customer confidence in your products.

Consideration & action reports – important insights into your promotions

We have now covered what the MadiaMarkt Saturn advertising platform can do for you to market your products. But in the end, nothing is more important than tracking the success of these measures and adjusting your marketing strategy if necessary. The marketplace also offers a practical solution for this.

MediaMarkt Saturn provides valuable consideration and action reports that allow you to gain vast amounts of data and insights into the performance of your advertising campaigns and sales on the platform. Our experts at Nakoa can help you evaluate the success of your marketing strategies, identify areas for optimisation and, if necessary, adjust your strategy to make ads more effective. By constantly adjusting your budget, you can thus achieve better results.

Conclusion

MediaMarkt Saturn offers sellers a first-class platform to present their products to a broad audience and to sell successfully. The use of A+ content, Sponsored Product Ads, Sponsored Brand Ads as well as consideration and action reports offers you as a seller an ocean of possibilities to position and market your brand and products in an appealing way. If you are active as a seller on MediaMarkt Saturn, you can also benefit from the platform’s strong market position and large customer base to successfully assert yourself in the world of e-commerce. Do you need support selling on MediaMarkt Saturn? Then contact our Head of Retail Media to discuss how to proceed with your marketing goals.

The Customer Experience Model (CXM) is a monitoring tool to evaluate and manage partner performance at country level. This is to ensure that Zalando always offers a first-class shopping experience to all customers.

Important notes:

• Zalando Fulfillment Service (ZFS) partners and Connected Retail partners are currently excluded from CXM.
• If a partner sells through both its own fulfillment channel (non-ZFS) and ZFS in a given country (so-called hybrid partners), then only the performance of the non-ZFS channel is included in the CXM performance score.
• CXM applies to partners with more than 100 total orders over a rolling seven-day period.
• The negative consequences of not meeting KPI targets can be a reduction in the visibility of the non-ZFS item assortment in the respective Zalando sales channel or the deactivation of the non-ZFS items.

Partners can monitor their CXM performance in zDirect. The Orders module can be used to navigate to the Customer Experience Model. Here, partners can see their daily performance summary.

This provides an overview of overall CXM performance. The summary is organized by country or channel and lists all of your channels where you use self-fulfillment, your performance on each of the four CXM KPIs, and your current quality assurance (QA) test score:

• Cancellation rate
• On-time delivery (DoT)
• On-target refund (RoT)
• Tracking Coverage (TC)
• QA result

Orders that do not meet order quality requirements may result in the affected country having lower visibility compared to items sold by Zalando Wholesale or other partners with good performance, or being deactivated and non-ZFS items being taken offline.

The values in the Performance Summary are calculated daily over a rolling seven-day period, with an additional three days for data consolidation. The measured and calculated seven-day period is displayed in the upper left corner above the Country and Current Visibility columns.

The seven days measured always ends three days before the date you view your performance. It is updated daily between 00:00 and 05:59 CET. The timeliness indicator shows how long it has been since the KPI was last calculated. This data is usually updated on a daily basis.

This means, for example, that the visibility on August 10 results from the average performance between July 31 and August 6, since the data for August 7, 8 and 9 are not yet available on August 10.
Similarly, the visibility on August 11 results from the average performance during the period from August 1 to August 7, and so on.
This means that visibility can change on a daily basis, e.g. from normal visibility to low visibility, if the average performance in the rolling seven-day review period does not meet the CXM target.

The review period includes rolling seven-day data, beginning on:

• the 31st day after go-live for newly integrated partners, or
• the day of reactivation for active partners after temporary deactivation.

Performance for each KPI is assessed, and depending on whether the target for each KPI is met, the result corresponds to a traffic light:

• Good = Green
• Below average = Yellow
• Poor = Red

Targets are based on the following values:

• Good corresponds to performance that meets Zalando standards, i.e., the partner meets or exceeds the KPI target.
• Substandard corresponds to a performance that is below the Zalando standards. One can see what is considered substandard performance for each KPI by clicking Show KPI Targets.
• Poor corresponds to performance well below Zalando standards.

The combination of performance for each KPI affects the visibility of the item assortment on Zalando catalog pages, and thus how and where customers can see your item assortment.

Summary table of possible results in CXM

What does this mean for new Zalando partners?

Newly integrated partners benefit from normal visibility for a total of 40 days after going live in a sales channel. The 40 days includes a 30-day grace period and ten days for Zalando to consolidate data from the initial rolling seven-day period, plus the usual three days for data verification.

During the 30-day grace period, partner performance is not assessed as part of the daily CXM review, nor does it negatively impact CXM KPI results.

What does this mean for recently reactivated affiliates?

Reactivated affiliates receive normal visibility for ten days from the day the reactivation request is accepted. These ten days include the usual seven-day data assessment period and the three-day consolidation check. Beginning on the 11th day after reactivation, daily CXM KPI assessment and resulting consequences will resume.

Why do I receive email notifications?

If the visibility of any of your sales channels is below normal, you will receive an automated email.

Summary of the CXM process

Normal visibility

If you have met or exceeded the KPI target and all requirements have been met in the latest QA test order, the performance is displayed with a white background in the Daily Performance Overview.

In this case, the Current Visibility column says Normal. This means that no action is being taken to reduce the visibility of your item assortment.

Low visibility

If one or two KPIs in a country have been rated below average (highlighted in yellow in the corresponding KPI column in your daily performance overview), the item assortment on the Zalando website will have low visibility for this country. This means that items sold by Zalando Wholesale or partners with a good CXM performance will appear before your items on the Zalando catalog pages.

In the Current Visibility column, Low is listed here, which means that the items have reduced or low visibility in this sales channel.

Affiliates can review which orders contributed to their underperforming or low score by clicking on the Order Performance page.

Customers’ search results are not affected by this low visibility when they search directly for a brand name.

Low visibility plus risk of deactivation

If three KPIs are underperforming (highlighted in yellow) or one to three KPIs are performing poorly (highlighted in red in the corresponding KPI column), the item assortment has lower visibility and is at risk of deactivation.

In the Current Visibility column, you will see Low – Deactivation Risk, which means that the items have low visibility in this sales channel and that the partner has 30 days to improve the underperforming KPIs.

If within these 30 days three of the KPIs remain below average or one of the KPIs is poor, there is an option to request an extension (by clicking on the arrow next to the deactivation risk notification) to notify Zalando that improvement actions have been taken. The extension grants the partner an additional 21 days, allowing Zalando to consolidate the data and monitor the improvement. It should be noted that only one extension request can be made per 30-day period.

Deactivation

If four KPIs in a country are poor (highlighted in red in the corresponding KPI column) or below average (highlighted in yellow) or a combination of both, that country will be deactivated, meaning that all non-ZFS items will be taken offline.

To resume sales after deactivation, an improvement plan and reactivation request must be submitted to and approved by Zalando.

In this case, the Current Visibility column says Deactivated, which means that the items in this sales channel are no longer online.

To be reactivated, a reactivation request must be submitted along with an improvement plan that addresses the underperforming KPIs.

Conclusion

Zalando’s Customer Experience Model (CXM) is an important tool for evaluating partner performance at the country level and ensuring that customers enjoy a first-class shopping experience. The clear structure with four KPIs enables partners to monitor their performance and take action to improve as needed. By continuously reviewing the quality of services, Zalando increases customer satisfaction and further strengthens its position as a leading online retailer.

The fashion marketplace is witnessing an exciting competition between two emerging Chinese companies: Shein and Temu. While Shein has been present in Western retail for several years, Temu is pushing hard into the European e-commerce market. These two manufacturer-to-consumer platforms are challenging traditional players and upending the established order in the fashion industry.

Shein – The fashion disruptors with AI power.

Shein, originally founded in 2012, has become a global brand in a relatively short time. With sales in 165 countries, over 5,400 contracted manufactures and more than 11,000 employees in 19 countries, the company has made the fashion industry sit up and take notice. Although specific business figures have not yet been released, there is speculation of a GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) of around $20 billion.

Shein’s secret to success lies in its intelligent use of data and extremely short production cycles. Through the use of advanced machine learning technology, current fashion trends in social media are recognized and analyzed. Based on this, Shein quickly produces new, matching products in small quantities and launches them on the market. Customer response to these test batches is immediately incorporated into production, resulting in continuous product improvement. The entire process from development to sale can be completed in less than two weeks.

Another key to Shein’s success is local customization. The company analyzes the needs and preferences of each market and produces fashion that fits perfectly. By diversifying production in different countries, Shein can also guarantee fast delivery times. In addition to China, products are now also manufactured in Brazil, Turkey, Mexico and soon in India.

Temu – The Social Media Commerce Platform

Temu, part of the PDD Holdings group, which also owns the popular Chinese online commerce platform Pinduoduo, has a different approach to the fashion marketplace. Temu is not a pure shopping app, but a social media commerce platform that relies on gamification, affiliate codes and social media marketing. The company has only recently entered the European market and is now pushing into the spotlight with low prices and a wide range of non-food items.

Temu entices customers with extensive discounts and free shipping. The company has set itself the goal of awakening customers’ needs and encouraging them to make impulse purchases. In doing so, Temu offers a huge selection of products at extremely low prices. According to experts, Temu’s prices are up to 80 percent lower than those of its competitors. However, consumers often consider the quality of the products to be inferior.

The platform relies on efficient logistics handling. By working with logistics service provider J&T Express, which has established a broad network in various countries, Temu can guarantee fast delivery times. The goods are airfreighted to the target markets and delivered via local mail and parcel services.

Shein vs. Temu – The battle for the fashion marketplace industry

Shein and Temu pose major challenges to traditional players in the fashion industry. They are setting new standards with their innovative business models and use of technology. Shein is known for its AI-driven product development and quick response to fashion trends. Temu, on the other hand, focuses on social media commerce and low prices.

For consumers, these new players offer a variety of options at affordable prices. However, they also have to compromise on product quality. Traditional retailers must respond to these challenges and rethink their own business models to compete.

The fashion marketplace industry is facing an exciting transformation. Shein and Temu show that innovation and technology are shaping the future of fashion retail. It remains to be seen how these two companies will evolve and how the established players will respond. The competition is on, and the fashion world will continue to change rapidly.

Why is multi-channel e-commerce useful?

Multi-channel selling has proven to be highly successful, as it allows merchants to expand their target audience and maximize their reach. By selling on marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay and/or operating their own online store, online retailers can diversify their sales opportunities and attract new customers. Multi-channel e-commerce also offers the opportunity to respond flexibly to changing market conditions and consumer trends, or to expand into new markets, for example.

Challenges of multi-channel e-commerce

While selling through a variety of channels brings numerous benefits, it also faces some challenges. Some of the biggest issues include:

• A consistent brand presence across multiple sales channels.
• Inventory management & product availability
• Overview of data across all channels
• Synchronization of inventory & automated fulfillment
• Optimal shipping & satisfactory returns

Of course, it is often almost impossible to deliver a consistent brand image across multiple sales channels. In many cases, this is not even desired. Branding can vary depending on the channel, as, for example, different priorities are set on Amazon than on a company’s own online store.

Most of the other pain points have to do with logistics in some form. It starts with inventory management. For example, if you use different fulfillment solutions from marketplaces, like Amazon’s FBA, you store your products separately for each channel. This increases the complexity of your logistics setup. Companies consequently spend a lot of time organizing different solutions and often lose track of the inventory in the different warehouses.

In addition, potential economies of scale are not exploited. Optimizing the warehousing and order processing of different logistics solutions causes a much greater overall effort than improving a central solution.

Shipping and, above all, returns management can also be carried out far more efficiently, quickly and uniformly with central fulfillment.

How can centralized fulfillment help?

Central fulfillment refers to the central handling of the entire ordering and shipping process for different sales channels in one place. Instead of managing logistics for each channel separately, all orders are consolidated in one fulfillment center or through one fulfillment company. As a result, centralized fulfillment enables efficient warehousing, optimized inventory management and smooth shipping. Merchants can send their products to a single fulfillment center, from where they are prepared for shipment to customers.

If your e-commerce business sells and ships orders in multiple countries, it makes sense to store products in multiple logistics centers, but manage and operate them centrally. This way, you shorten shipping routes and costs, while the network can be managed centrally.

Benefits of centralized fulfillment for multi-channel retailers

Using centralized fulfillment offers a number of benefits for multi-channel retailers:

• Consolidated warehousing: inventory is consolidated into one fulfillment center (network), resulting in lower storage costs and better use of available space.
• Optimized inventory management: by consolidating orders from different channels, the retailer gets a comprehensive overview and can better coordinate overall inventory. Consequently, bottlenecks and overstocks can be better avoided.
• Centralized fulfillment allows for a consistent post-purchase experience – regardless of which channel the purchase was made through. Packaging can thus be selected uniformly and marketing measures, such as the addition of flyers or the sending of e-mails, can also be better controlled.

Practical example:

A good example of the implementation of central fulfillment is the logistics processing for different sales channels such as Amazon (in this case, for example, via Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime), eBay and an own Shopify store. By integrating with a central fulfillment partner like byrd, merchants can send their products to a fulfillment center where they are stored, packaged and shipped to customers. Orders from Amazon, eBay and the Shopify store are automatically routed to and processed from the fulfillment center via pre-built interfaces. This enables seamless and efficient logistics processing for all channels and better control over inventory.

So, in this example, you benefit from the large number of visitors on Amazon, but you can still use branded packaging and inserts, for example, to convert new customers into loyal repeat buyers. At the same time, you can build and strengthen your own brand with your own online store. There are hardly any limits when it comes to connecting new sales channels.

It doesn’t matter if you want to go from being an Amazon seller to a multi-channel brand, or if you simply want to use more opportunities to reach new customers. In many cases, central logistics has the potential to simplify your logistics and make them more cost-efficient.

Conclusion

Centralized fulfillment offers multi-channel retailers the opportunity to organize their logistics efficiently and benefit from the advantages of centralized processing. By outsourcing logistics to a 3PL partner, for example, retailers can save time, resources and costs while increasing customer satisfaction. Centralized processing of orders from multiple channels allows for better warehousing, streamlined inventory management and smooth shipping. So if you’re a merchant active in multiple sales channels, this could be an attractive solution to increase your efficiency and maximize your success.