The Top 10 Marketplaces in Europe

In short: generalist marketplace, covers the entirety of Europe, undisputed leader

Unsurprisingly, Amazon is the leading marketplace in Europe. If you want to reach a large number of buyers from all sectors, the best place to start is with this e-commerce giant. In the year 2022, Amazon EU generated a revenue close to €50 billion. Amazon’s biggest market in Europe is Germany, followed by the UK. But don’t get it wrong: Amazon is also the number one e-commerce website in France, Italy, and Spain.

A snapshot from Europe’s top e-commerce sites in October 2023 shows clearly Amazon’s dominance (source: Foxintelligence):

In short: generalist marketplace, covers the entirety of Europe, very strong in Germany, the UK, and Italy

Together with Amazon, eBay is something of an e-commerce veteran in Europe. Despite facing competition and market fluctuations, eBay’s enduring presence in Europe highlights its resilience and ability to meet evolving consumer demands. Monthly, over 460 million people visit eBay from its five largest European markets. The marketplace remains very strong in Germany (147.8 million), in the UK (232.8 million), and Italy (46.9 million).

Geographical breakdown of eBay top sellers as of June 2020 (source: Statista):

In short: generalist marketplace, covers the east of Europe, very strong in Poland

Allegro is highly popular in Poland, with customers purchasing over 1.2 million products daily, 95% of which are new, fixed-price items. Allegro has a diverse range of around 125,000 sellers, from major brands to hobbyists. The platform was originally an auction site when it started in 1999 and has evolved significantly since then.

In terms of visitor traffic, Allegro receives around 201.45 million visitors per month, making it one of the top marketplaces in Europe.

In short: fashion & beauty marketplace, covers the entirety of Europe, strongest market is still Germany

Sellers and shoppers alike can’t do without Zalando, Europe’s top fashion marketplace. With around 50 mio. active customers in over 25 European countries, the online platform is a main pillar of the e-commerce industry in Europe. More than 5,800 brands already sell on Zalando. Even if the year 2022 was a hard one for the marketplace with decreasing numbers, the focus on profitability in 2023 has shown results: During the first six months of 2023, Zalando achieved revenues of approximately 4.8 billion euros across the European market.

Web traffic analysis for Zalando’s desktop and mobile sites from November 2022 to April 2023, sorted by country-specific domains in millions of visits (source: Statista):

In short: generalist marketplace, covers Benelux, regional leader

Bol.com is the leading online retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium. The year 2022 saw bol.com experiencing a revenue increase of 5.6 percent in the third quarter, with a total revenue of 1.2 billion euros during that period. This growth was primarily driven by the contributions of over 51,000 third-party sellers on the platform, who accounted for nearly 60 percent of bol.com’s sales.

Since its launch in Belgium in 2022, Amazon has been competing with bol.com. For now, bol.com, also because of its heritage, is leading the game. Selling products in the Netherlands and Belgium only through Amazon is not the best way – look at the regional big players!

Traffic comparaison between amazon.nl and bol.com in November 2023 (source: Similarweb):

In short: generalist marketplace, covers Germany, regional leader after Amazon

In the fiscal year 2022/23, the Otto Group, which includes OTTO, reported a notable increase in the number of active customers, rising from around 52.7 million to over 54.4 million across its various distance selling companies. Despite challenging market conditions such as high procurement costs and inflation, the Otto Group’s e-commerce revenue was substantial at around 12.1 billion euros, a significant increase from the 8 billion euros reported prior to the pandemic in 2019/20.

The marketplace expanded its product range, hosting over 5000 partners and offering around 14.5 million products, including a substantial number of sustainable items. OTTO also reported having 11.3 million active customers in 2022.

In short: generalist marketplace, covers France, regional leader after Amazon

Cdiscount is a big player in France. The marketplace, which includes products from its own inventory as well as third-party sellers, is particularly strong in the Hobby & Leisure category. Most of its GMV is generated in France, with other countries contributing a smaller share.

In terms of its market impact, Cdiscount boasts a significant presence with 22 million visitors and 10 million active shoppers. The platform offers an extensive range of products, with over 100 million products listed by 13,000 sellers across various categories.

In short: DIY marketplace, covers the entirety of Europe, Leroy Merlin challenger

ManoMano, a specialized online marketplace for DIY, home improvement, and gardening products, has established a significant presence in the European market.

ManoMano’s revenue reached $1.76 billion in 2022. The marketplace also saw a substantial growth rate of 44% in the same year, indicating a strong upward trajectory in its business operations.

In short: marketplace for consumer electronic, covers France and Belgium, strong regional leader

Fnac/Darty stands as a premier marketplace in Europe, particularly renowned for its electronics and home appliances offerings. It has a substantial footprint across several countries including France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain. The platform boasts a significant customer base, with over 36 million active users and an expansive network of more than 1,000 stores, providing a robust and dedicated audience for sellers.

In France, the marketplace is a major e-commerce player, drawing in 20 million unique visitors every month, making it the country’s second most frequented online shopping site.

In short: DIY marketplace, covers the south of Europe, undisputed leader

As Europe’s number one on the DIY market, Leroy Merlin is a powerful marketplace for sellers in the category “home & garden”. The website operates, among others, in France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal. It is therefore the best way to reach shoppers in south Europe. Leroy Merlin is not present in the UK or Germany. Sellers interested in German-speaking countries should rather try home24.

The power when combining Leroy Merlin with Lengow is shown in the video below: