Germany is not only one of the largest e-commerce markets in Europe but also in the world, with many well-established market players and strong pressure on prices. The number of e-commerce consumers is steadily increasing, but growth is lower than in markets where e-commerce is not yet as well accepted. Competition is intense due to the high level of maturity. At the same time, purchasing power is strong and the average purchase by German consumers is at a high level.

German consumers are increasingly using mobile devices instead of the computer when shopping online. Consequently, apps for online stores and mobile-friendly websites have become increasingly important for e-tailers. In addition, digital voice assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, which may eventually become important sales and marketing channels, have gained in popularity in recent years.

German e-commerce is dominated by a number of large marketplaces. The two largest are Amazon.de and Otto.de, where Amazon is the clear leader with a market share of almost 50 %. Amazon is therefore an extremely important channel for e-tailers who want to become established in Germany, especially since many consumers also use the platform as a search engine.

Olof Källgren, Market Information Manager, Direct Link

Image and information above taken from the latest ”E-commerce in Europe” report.