Top 10 eCommerce Companies in Germany

1) Overview of E-commerce Companies in Germany 

Did you know that you can find some of the best ecommerce companies in Germany? These companies handle products from multiple industries, provide a wide range of services and are paving the way for the future.

There’s a reason why business experts the world over are looking at ecommerce companies in Germany with a magnifying lens! So what is it that makes Germany so appealing to eCommerce? With all of this information bubbling at our fingertips, it’s impossible to not have some curiosity about the ecommerce website businesses in Germany that are serving millions.

2) Top 10 eCommerce Companies in Germany [2024 Updated List with Reviews, Services & Features]

German companies cater to a wide variety of audiences and industries making it difficult to pinpoint any one reason for the country’s ecommerce success. To give you more perspective on the state of market competition in the German e-commerce landscape, here are the Top 10 eCommerce Companies in Germany.

2.1) Lidl 

Lidl, another German success story, founded in 1930, is a budget grocery chain that sells groceries and other items and has become a household name throughout Europe. With estimated monthly traffic of 21.5 million visits, Lidl's e-commerce website has helped the company get a stronger footing in the German market, allowing customers from all across the country to shop their selection of low-cost groceries and commodities.

2.2) Obi 

Obi is a German home improvement supply retailer with a global reach. Obi is the largest chain of brick-and-mortar DIY stores in Germany and Europe, with locations across the continent. It sells tools, construction items, home and garden equipment, furniture, and related services.

obi.de is a website that provides information on a variety of topics. 9.5 million visitors and 384.73 million in global net states are estimated for the year 2020-2021

2.3) Amazon 

Amazon is a US-based e-commerce behemoth that has been in operation since the 1990s which slowly has become the uncontested global leader in e-commerce. Amazon in Germany has captivated the German market by selling just about anything you can think of, from books to digital media, clothes, electronics, and even video streaming and cloud computing. Amazon.de is the industry leader in Germany, with e-commerce net sales of US$ 16,836 million expected in 2023 and with estimated monthly traffic of 434.5 million visits.

2.4) Mediamarkt 

Media Markt is a German electronics retailer that began as a brick-and-mortar store in 1979 before expanding rapidly across Europe, reaching 12 new countries and achieving even greater success when the business went online. MediaMarket is owned by the MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group and is the world's second-largest consumer electronics retailer, trailing only Best Buy in the United States. With an estimated revenue of €21.4 billion, it attracts 30 million online customers

2.5) eBay 

eBay is yet another American ecommerce website that allows individuals and businesses to sell directly through its online auction platform. It is a pioneer of e-commerce. Since its founding in 1995, eBay has expanded to more than 20 countries, including Germany, where it organises the sale of products ranging from cars and vehicles to electronics and fashion, home and garden to sports and toys, business and industrial products, and even business and industrial products.

2.6) Otto 

Otto began as a traditional mail-order company in 1949, and the "Otto Catalogue" has become a household name. It sells a wide range of products in areas such as home, fashion, sports, electronics, and more, and appeals to a largely German audience, notably in the homeware, clothes, and electronics categories. The majority of sales are made through online trade. It accounts for almost three-quarters of Otto's revenue. With 57.27 million monthly visits, it has an estimated revenue of €13.4 billion.

2.7) Saturn 

Saturn is a German electronics retailer that sells home appliances, media, and home entertainment. Saturn, along with other brands such as Redcoon and blood, is owned by the retail trade firm MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group, which also owns MediaMarkt.

Saturn has grown online through e-commerce as well as internationally, with stores in Austria, Luxembourg, and Russia. It has a monthly traffic estimate of 13 million visitors, producing €874.29 million in global net revenues.

2.8) Tchibo 

Tchibo is a coffee products merchant and café chain with shops selling a variety of non-coffee items such as apparel, housewares, electronics, and electrical appliances that change weekly.

Tchibo has grown online to sell its diverse products as well as services such as travel, insurance, and mobile phone contracts, in addition to selling coffee around the world. Monthly traffic estimates are 10 million visits and euros 551.19 million 

2.9) Thomann

Thomann, which was founded in 1954, has grown to be a prominent participant in the e-commerce sector, with the site serving numerous nations and the ability to modify the language based on the audience's location.

It is an unusual addition to the top ten as a speciality retailer of music equipment, ranging from musical instruments to studio products such as lighting, pro-audio equipment, and anything else a musician, producer, or presenter could require. Attracting monthly traffic of 19.6 million visits generating €1066.41 million as revenue accounts for Thomann in the list of top 10 Best e-commerce companies in Germany. 

2.10) Zalando

Zalando is a German e-commerce company that specialises in fashion, shoes, beauty, accessories, and sports. It has evolved to be an online fashion megabrand across Europe since its founding in 2008 by Rocket Internet, with operations in fifteen countries and several overseas affiliate firms.

Zalando reiterates its enhanced projection for the financial year 2021, with an estimated number of monthly visitors of 23.96 million. The gross merchandise value (GMV) is predicted to increase by 31-36 per cent to 14.0-14.6 billion euros, while revenue is expected to increase by 26-31 per cent to 10.1-10.5 billion euros.

3) Essential Criteria to Choose the Best eCommerce Company in Germany?

For the past ten years, eCommerce companies in Germany have been rapidly increasing in popularity. Last year, online sales increased by about 15% across the board, and this trend is expected to continue. If you're beginning a business and selling items or services, you'll need an eCommerce site to take advantage of the tremendous development in online sales.

While you could engage a web developer to get your company off the ground, the costs of doing so may limit your potential to expand quickly. Choosing an eCommerce platform that has already been established saves you both time and money. Here are some essential criteria for choosing the best eCommerce platform for your business in Germany.

3.1) Cost

When looking for an eCommerce platform, pricing is the most important factor to consider. Whether you're a new small business or an established brick-and-mortar company migrating online, you need to know exactly how much you'll be paying. A monthly fee will be charged on almost all platforms. The costs will vary depending on the type of platform you choose (self-hosted vs. hosted). You should also take into account the platform's processing fees. Don't skimp on the essentials in exchange for a lower price. 

3.2) Integrations

When looking at eCommerce systems, you should also evaluate their connectors and plugins. Most platforms, like Shopify, will provide you with a robust set of tools to help you run your business. When it comes to picking which plugins will work best for you, your business demands will be a decisive factor. Consider what tools you'll need or already use for your business while looking at different platforms. Here are a few of the most common sorts of plugins to keep an eye out for:

• Accounting plugins to aid in the management of sales, taxes, revenues, and profits
• Email marketing plugins to help you stay in touch with your consumers
• Rewards plugins that allow you to reward customers for utilising your products.
• Shipping Apps, extensions and plugins that aid in the delivery of your goods

3.3) SEO 

Ecommerce companies are not immune to the need to improve their SEO. Having your store appear high in search results can be useful. When buyers are looking for products similar to yours, you want them to find you. When looking for an SEO-friendly platform, consider the following factors:

• Relevance of the domain name
• Incorporation of a blog into your site
• Customers' opportunity to provide feedback

3.4) Customer Service 

Customer service is an important element of any organisation. Traditional brick-and-mortar businesses have more control over how well their business runs because their experience is centred on a physical store.

Software outages and server downtimes are often beyond your control, preventing any of your clients from accessing your business. Your servers may likely crash at the most inopportune time. This might have an impact on your earnings as well as your brand's image.

3.5) Security

No one wants to put their credit card information on a shady website, which is why consumer security is becoming a major worry. While most software today comes with strong security built-in, ensure your platform supports HTTPS/SSL for a safe and secure checkout experience for your clients.

3.6) Mobile Compatibility

Did you know that mobile devices account for roughly 60% of all searches? Those searches frequently lead to a purchase made on a mobile device. This means you should seek systems that allow clients to effortlessly visit your website and make purchases while on the go.

3.7) Easy shop setup

Choose a platform that is simple to set up and customise. Take a look at the many templates each platform offers if you want to properly capture the sense of your distinct brand. Templates are fantastic because they save you money by not requiring you to engage outside help (which can be pricey!) and they don't require you to be a design genius to create a professional look and make a powerful statement.

3.8) Analytics 

Your online store is in the business of producing money (or will be very soon), and thus it's critical to keep track of its performance. Look for an eCommerce platform that keeps track of all the relevant data—number of sales, payment methods, order amounts, and so on—and presents the data in an easy-to-understand manner. The last thing you want to do as an eCommerce business owner is play a numbers game.

3.9) Easy to Navigate and Secure 

Don't irritate your customers by sending them to bed angry (and barefoot). Today's internet buyers demand a seamless, quick, and pleasant experience. Don't make them fly over Neptune and jump through fire rings to acquire your product because they're itching to spend money.

Also, make sure the eCommerce platform you're considering has top-notch security when it comes to payment processing. When a customer's credit card is stolen and they are charged $9,700 for a mahogany table that would never fit in their dining room, they become irritated. For a safe and secure checkout, look for a platform that supports HTTPS/SSL.

3.10) Tech Support 

If the concepts of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript make you think of abandoned naval ships, you should opt for an eCommerce platform with a strong customer care team. Your online store will be entirely digital, and if you're new to the scene, having real-live folks available to answer your queries is essential.

4) Final Words 

It is not easy to choose the best eCommerce firms with which to work and shop, but it can be made much easier by first narrowing down the top 10 best eCommerce companies in Germany. Instead of 120+ companies, you now just have to choose from the best ten. Then it's a matter of deciding which eCommerce platform can help you grow your business or meet your specific requirements. Make sure you know what services you'll need so you can save money by improving your operational efficiency.

Finding the perfect eCommerce company for you may seem tough with over 250 businesses to go through to close in on the best eCommerce companies in Germany. However, approaching an eCommerce company based on your business objectives and the exact services you desire is the best way to go about it.

5) FAQs

5.1) What are the most popular products on ecommerce platforms in Germany?

The German Market follows the trend that most European markets tend to follow. The most popular product category for ecommerce sales is Clothing and Apparel. The category accounts for about 19.27 billion euros of ecommerce sales across all platforms. Consumer electronics and telecommunication products come in at a close second in the German Ecommerce Market. 

5.2) What are the requirements to make an online Purchase in germany?

To make an online purchase in Germany, you will have to find a site that delivers to your current location or find a mailing address in the country. In the case of payment options, most Ecommerce companies in Germany accept payment through the online medium, although some of them do have the COD option. In order to complete the online payment, you will either need a German bank account, a German credit card or a Paypal account.