Evgenia Koptyug
Research expert covering the German market
Online retailers in Germany - statistics & facts
Online retailers offer modern consumers numerous convenient shopping options. These include being able to browse online selections and purchase items independently of opening hours, as well as, usually, the choice between several payment methods and delivery options. Consumers can also vary between shopping at home or on the go, thanks to mobile devices.
These days seemingly everything can be bought online and then delivered to the customer’s front door or picked up when convenient within a certain time frame. Certain product groups enjoy particular popularity among German online shoppers. The leading three are clothing and apparel, electronics and household items. The most popular online retail payment methods include by invoice, with PayPal or by direct debit.
Online shopping users and what they buy
Online shopping has now become an integral part of using the internet and many people cannot imagine life without it. The majority of German internet users are also online shoppers. Based on surveys, although online shopping was used by most people in almost all age groups, the largest share of online customers in Germany were aged 25 to 45 years old. These are internet users who had purchased or ordered products online within the last three months at the time of the survey.These days seemingly everything can be bought online and then delivered to the customer’s front door or picked up when convenient within a certain time frame. Certain product groups enjoy particular popularity among German online shoppers. The leading three are clothing and apparel, electronics and household items. The most popular online retail payment methods include by invoice, with PayPal or by direct debit.
Leading online retailers
When looking at the popularity of online shops in German, Amazon tops the list. Ebay, in second place, and Otto, in third which is headquartered in Hamburg, selling fashion items, furniture and consumer electronics online. Their revenue has grown steadily in recent years, reflecting the increasing popularity of online shopping. Zalando, which deals in the sales of clothes, shoes and beauty products, is another established player among German online shoppers. The fashion retailer, which was founded in Germany, has also generated increasing revenue year after year.
