Online retail revenue from selected product groups in Germany 2019-2023

In 2023, the best-selling category was clothing with a revenue of almost 14.6 billion euros; however, it did experience a significant decrease compared to the previous year.

Shopping paradise 

The revenue figures for these product groups were most likely significantly influenced by the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown in Germany, with online shopping replacing some former brick-and-mortar purchases. Online shopping in Germany has enjoyed consistent success even before the pandemic due to its many convenient features for the customer. To name a few: 24/7 availability, browsing and buying independently of a location (whether in terms of the retailer or the shopper), home delivery, and the opportunity to compare various retailers easily. In 2022, 91 percent of German internet users shopped online. When it came to shopping events such as Black Friday, the overwhelming majority of German shoppers made their purchases online. Only eight percent of consumers went to physical stores in 2023, whilst almost 60 percent shopped online.

Amazon rules 

Certain online shops are especially popular in Germany, recording impressive revenue figures year after year. Like most of the world, Germans also shop on Amazon. In fact, when looking at Amazon’s net sales, Germany was the second-largest market, making almost 38 billion U.S. dollars. The convenience of Amazon’s platform is what makes it so attractive to consumers. There are a variety of different categories from which consumers can make purchases, such as electronics, homeware, and even fashion. The popularity of Amazon is also reflected in consumer opinions. When surveyed about favorite online stores, Amazon came out on top, with 78 percent of respondents having bought something from there in the past 12 months. Ebay and Otto.de followed in the ranking.