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.
FAQs
Fashion sells best in German eCommerce. The category consists of apparel, bags & accessories and footwear, and accounted for total revenues of US$28.3 billion in 2023. Hobby & Leisure is a close second, with US$27.5 billion in revenues. In third place is Electronics, which reached US$24.3 billion.
What products are in high demand in Germany? ›
Among German consumers the two most popular categories for online purchases are Clothing and Shoes. 50 percent and 39 percent of consumers respectively chose these answers in our representative online survey. The survey was conducted online among 6,002 respondents in Germany, in 2024.
What product groups ranked by online retail revenue in Germany? ›
According to Statista, clothing, electronics and telecommunications are among the top-selling product groups in German online retail. The clothing segment accounts for almost a quarter of total turnover in B2C e-commerce. The global e-commerce sector will continue to grow according to forecasts by Statista.
What is the best product in Germany? ›
Famous German products
- Contact lenses.
- Christmas trees.
- Jeans.
- Bicycles.
- Record players and records.
- Mayonnaise.
- Accordion.
- Coffee filters.
amazon.de leads this market with revenues of US$17,068.4 million in 2023. Followed by otto.de with sales of US$5,553.8 million and then zalando.de with sales of US$2,714.8 million. Together, the top three online stores account for a market share of 40.4% of the top 100 stores in the German eCommerce market.
What does Germany sell the most? ›
The main German export product: motor vehicles
Accounting for 17.0% motor vehicles and parts thereof of exports, was Germany's main export product in 2023. Machinery (14.2%) and chemical products (8.9%) ranked second and third, respectively, among the most important export items.
What business is booming in Germany? ›
Healthcare and Biotechnology. With a rapidly ageing population and growing demand for innovative healthcare solutions, Germany's healthcare sector presents plenty of investment prospects.
What is Germany's biggest product? ›
Yearly Trade
The most recent exports are led by Cars ($149B), Packaged Medicaments ($74.8B), Motor vehicles; parts and accessories (8701 to 8705) ($61.8B), Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures ($45.5B), and Refined Petroleum ($25.7B).
Which products are getting more expensive in Germany? ›
In 2023, dairy products and eggs were around 16 percent more expensive than the year before. Meat and meat products saw a price spike of roughly 8.3 percent and vegetables cost some 13 percent more.
What is the top selling online retail category? ›
The top online shopping categories around the world in terms of total revenue are:
- Fashion: $990 billion.
- Electronics: $910 billion.
- Toys, hobby and DIY: $780 billion.
- Beauty, health, personal and household care: $400 billion.
- Food: $350 billion.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com is the undisputed leader in the U.S. online retail sector, boasting impressive sales of US$135.2 billion in 2023, far surpassing its competitors. Dominating the market for years, Amazon's influence in American eCommerce remains unchallenged.
What is the trend in eCommerce in Germany? ›
At the time of the survey, 95 percent of internet users stated they had bought or booked something online in the past 12 months (2020: 96 percent; 2019: 94 percent; 2018: 97 percent; 2017: 96 percent). This corresponds to 84 percent of the German population aged 16 and above, i.e., 58 million German citizens.
What is the most in demand in Germany? ›
10 most in-demand jobs in Germany
- Software Developers. ...
- IT Professionals. ...
- Healthcare Professionals. ...
- Engineers. ...
- Financial Professionals. ...
- Marketing and Sales Professionals. ...
- Human Resources Professionals. ...
- Educators.
Germany has 20,000-25,000 castles. The first printed book was printed in Germany, a Latin language Bible by Johann Gutenberg. Germany was the first country in the world to adopt Daylight saving time – DST, also known as summertime.
What products to import from Germany? ›
Why Do We Import So Much From Germany?
- Boilers and other machinery.
- Electrical equipment.
- Precious stones (pearls)
- Pharmaceutical goods.
- Medical equipment.
- Iron/Steel.
- Aluminium.
Germany has one of the largest e-commerce markets in Europe. The number of e-commerce consumers, internet penetration and average amount spent per year is above the European average. In 2022, total sales were estimated at USD 141.2 billion, which translates to 11 percent growth compared to 2021.
What is the trend in ecommerce in Germany? ›
At the time of the survey, 95 percent of internet users stated they had bought or booked something online in the past 12 months (2020: 96 percent; 2019: 94 percent; 2018: 97 percent; 2017: 96 percent). This corresponds to 84 percent of the German population aged 16 and above, i.e., 58 million German citizens.
What sells the most on online? ›
That's why we are listing the trending niches of 2024 so that you can find the top-selling items online.
- Shapewear.
- Travel accessories.
- Healthy and beauty products.
- Smart watches.
- Health Care.
- Skin Care.
- Hobbies and Craft.
- Lamps and Shades.
