E-commerce market volume in Germany 2006-2023

In 2023, Germany recorded nearly 80 billion euros in gross revenue from e-commerce goods, according to the German E-commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (bevh). This statistic highlights a comparison of market evaluations conducted by bevh and the German Retail Association (HDE) concerning the development of the German online retail sector.

Online retail industries

The growth of online markets and retail is primarily fueled by certain industries. While some categories, like groceries, are still predominantly purchased in physical stores, sectors such as electronics, fashion & accessories, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) have become most dominant in the online space. Electronics, in particular, held a significant share of online retail, outperforming other categories in terms of sales volume.

Online marketplaces

In 2021, e-commerce accounted for around 27 percent of total retail sales in Germany, with projections indicating this share could exceed one-third by 2026. The top online marketplace by net sales in Germany was amazon.de, followed by German online retail companies otto.de and zalando.de. While these platforms have seen consistent growth, online retailers have faced numerous challenges in recent years. Nearly three-quarters of online retailers viewed inflation in Europe and its impact on consumer spending as one of the most pressing issues.