There are more online marketplaces than just Amazon
Many brand manufacturers and sellers from Germany sell their products through their own web shop or use the online marketplace Amazon for this purpose. In principle, this approach is logical because you can reach a very broad target group via Amazon . However, it gives the impression that most sellers only focus on this marketplace and completely overlook other sales platforms.
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In Germany, the range of online marketplaces has increased significantly in recent years. Sellers now have a wide range of choices, including category-specific marketplaces that may be a much better fit for your target audience.
Think outside the box
OTTO, for example, is the second largest marketplace in Germany. In certain categories, OTTO is also larger than Amazon. If you sell fashion or furniture, OTTO is therefore the better choice for you. The advantages are obvious: OTTO has more convenient (filter) options for customers and better logistics for large furniture (two-man handling). In addition, OTTO recently expanded its range of advertising services. Sponsored product advertisements and advertising campaigns are now also possible on the OTTO website.
In addition to OTTO, however, platforms such as Wayfair and Home24 are also interesting for the furniture industry. The two marketplaces offer their customers a wide selection of furniture and other furnishings such as lamps, home accessories and home textiles.
Wayfair has grown particularly strongly in the USA, where it already offers the opportunity to advertise its own products in a more targeted way through various retail media activities. The new advertising options will soon follow in Germany as well. With Home24, as a third-party provider, you not only benefit from target group markets in continental Europe and Brazil, but also from the company’s technical infrastructure.
The auction platform eBay has also developed into an online marketplace in recent years. More and more commercial traders are using eBay to offer their products to a wide audience in this way. The product categories are as varied as on Amazon and cover almost every area. Sellers also have the option of displaying advertisements to their customers via special targeting or setting up their own eBay shop.
As a fashion company, use special fashion marketplaces
Do you specialize in fashion and fashion? Then you better direct your gaze to Zalando and About You . With its portal, Zalando not only offers you a good sales platform for shoes and other fashion items, but now also products in the beauty sector. With the ZFS program (Zalando Fulfillment Solutions), suppliers also have the option of storing their products directly at Zalando. In this way, you also benefit from fast and uncomplicated shipping processing. With the Zalando Marketing Service (ZMS) you can also advertise your products on Zalando and increase your level of awareness. Various types of advertising are available to you for this purpose, including the option of controlling display campaigns.
About You, which belongs to the OTTO Group, offers fashion products for a young audience and primarily uses fashion influencers to do so. In this way, you can bring specific outfit creations closer to your target group. About You also has the option of placing sponsored product ads in order to increase sales.
The digital transformation of traditional brands
More and more stores in Germany, including traditional department stores such as Galeria Kaufhof and REAL.de, are transforming their business into a third-party online platform, giving you easy access to new audiences. Both Galeria Kaufhof and REAL.de continue to rely on the department store principle. Customers will find everything they are looking for here. The assortment ranges from electronics to household goods to fashion products. With these marketplaces, too, it is important that you tailor the content individually to your target group and manage stock levels well.
The Douglas perfumery chain has now also opted for the popular marketplace model and started an exclusive partner program. The beauty retailer is thus expanding its online range without having to build up additional inventories. In return, selected partners from the beauty, accessories, jewelery and lifestyle sectors benefit from Douglas’s reputation and market position. For example, you get access to around 44 million Douglas Beauty Card customers and use the existing technical infrastructure.
Don’t become dependent on an online marketplace
In recent years, the range of online marketplaces has increased rapidly. We therefore recommend that you not only limit yourself to Amazon, but strategically spread your business activities across several platforms and thereby expand your target group. Or even consider selling bol.com in the Netherlands. In addition, you do not make yourself dependent on a marketplace provider if they change their business model or can no longer deliver properly, such as Amazon recently in Germany and France. This is how you ensure the sale of your products and the satisfaction of your customers.
Need help?
Patrick is our Head of Retail Media. With many years of experience in selling on marketplaces, he advises you on marketing and content. He also supports you with the right marketplace setup to accelerate the growth of your business. Contact him by mail or by phone at +49 89 215 276 60.