Contents
What?
Latest data from the EHI Retail Institute and ECDB shows that the ten largest online retailers are responsible for the lion's share of e-commerce growth in Germany.
Why is this important?
The concentration of revenue among the leaders is changing the rules of the game: smaller players are finding it harder to maintain growth rates, and brands must consider channel diversification and entering marketplaces.
Who is it for?
online store owners , marketing and sales teams, operations directors, manufacturers planning D2C expansion, and anyone building a digital strategy.
Background:
After several weaker years, the German market is returning to growth. According to EHI and ECDB, revenues for the 1,000 largest e-tailers reached €80.4 billion in 2024 (+3.8% year-on-year) , with the Top 10 growing by around 8% , while the remaining stores on the list grew by "only" just over 1%. The Top 10's share of the ranking's total turnover rose to 38.8% , and the Top 100 now generate 70.7% of sales. Amazon remains number one, ahead of local players Otto and Zalando.
Concentration is growing: what drives leaders, and where do smaller ones lose out?
The largest players benefit from operational scale and a broad product range, allowing them to regain growth faster than mid-market players. This is further enhanced by their advantage in media purchasing, fulfillment networks, and the ability to test new formats. Smaller players, although more flexible, struggle with rising traffic acquisition costs and margin pressure. As a result, the "snowball effect" reinforces the leaders' results, and the barrier to entry into new categories increases.
Marketplaces in Germany: Amazon's dominance and new challenges
In terms of GMV, Amazon leads the way, followed by eBay, Otto, Zalando, and the dynamically growing Temu, which increased sales to €3.4 billion For brands, this means a parallel strategy: developing their own channel (online store) and a presence on marketplaces. Amazon further strengthens its position with advertising revenue, which raises the threshold for campaign effectiveness.
How do these results translate into decisions in the digital world?
Firstly, scale. The largest companies dictate the pace, so smaller online stores must invest in product specialization and unique service. Secondly, omnichannel. Integrating marketplaces with your own channel is becoming mandatory. Thirdly, data and automation. Analytics and attribution models are key to campaign effectiveness.
Check out the Technologies and Solutions in the Digital World to learn about practical tools for online business.
How to Counter the "Top 10 Drives Growth" Trend - An Action Plan for Businesses
1) Define the role of the marketplace
Establish break-even points for each category, analyze commissions, fulfillment, and advertising. Plan promotions seasonally to better control costs.
2) Organize your D2C offer in your online store
Your store should showcase your brand values and unique product bundles. A/B test and improve your UX to increase conversions.
3) Strengthen logistics and customer service
Fast delivery, easy returns and real-time communication of order statuses become competitive differentiators.
4) Focus on loyalty and repeat purchases
Loyalty programs and CRM increase customer value and reduce acquisition costs. Retention is key today.
5) Optimize your advertising campaigns
Separate growth and efficiency budgets. In marketplaces, build visibility based on branded phrases and categories, and optimize product pages.
What to expect in 2025 on the German market?
EHI predicts 5.3% growth for the 1,000 largest e-tailers, and HDE – 4% . This is a signal for Polish brands to combine their presence on marketplaces with the development of their own online stores and invest in logistics and visibility.
You can find more similar analyses in our Digital World knowledge base .
What are the risks for smaller sellers and how can they be mitigated?
High advertising costs and marketplace commissions can limit margins. It's worth adopting a hybrid strategy —marketplaces for bestsellers and sales, while leaving the full offering and premium service in the online store. At the same time, develop loyalty programs and build independent traffic.
Want to learn more?
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Kornelia Makowska
e-commerce specialist
A marketing and management expert specializing in digital marketing and e-commerce, she has extensive experience managing online stores, developing online sales, and building brand presence in digital channels. She effectively creates and implements comprehensive marketing strategies, focusing on optimizing sales activities, increasing conversions, and long-term brand image enhancement. She combines expertise with a practical approach based on data analysis and insight into the latest market trends.
