Let's talk Marketplace

The marketplace business continues to produce remarkable success stories – such as those of Carolin Langer and LaCaTho. With an average shopping cart value of only $4, her business is profitable, scalable, and growing. In this episode, she talks about how she started out on eBay and now supplies over 40,000 customers a year with bee-friendly seeds. For her, automation is a must, not an option. Many tools make her work easier, but they are all reviewed every six months. There are clear responsibilities in her small team, with everyone having a specific area of responsibility – for eBay, Amazon, and Shopify. And because Carolin loves to shoot short videos of seeds, flowers, trees, and bees everywhere she goes, she is able to market her products without expensive ads – which are simply not feasible with such low-priced products. Instead, they generate a decent amount of sales in their own shop via TikTok. She also reveals how she manages her time – she works full-time as a mechanical engineer.Note from  the sponsor exporto:Internationalization and its challenges are a big concern to brands and sellerrs. Shipping, returns processing, tax regulations and one-stop shop procedures – all of this can cause quite a headache. Service providers such as exporto can help. exporto has spezialised cross-border e-commerce logistics in Europe. With automated technology and a strong partner network, exporto ensures that online retailers can ship internationally as smoothly as they do in their home market. And the best part? Exporto has an attractive discount for you: If you register with exporto by August 31 and sign a contract, you won't pay any basic fees for the first two months. Register right now here: https://mag.exporto.de/marketplace-universe-offer Note from  the sponsor base:Base is a SAAS e-commerce solution provider originally founded 2006 in Poland. The platform offers features such as automations for order management, inventory management and fulfilment, a marketplace management tool for lots and lots of B2B and B2C channels, and integration options to include other backend tools in real-time. Base is present in 11 countries, the solution is already used by companies such as OBI, Kärcher, MediaMarkt, Samsung, Decathlon, Intersport, Develey. If you would like to learn more about Base, join us at our Connect Event with Base on September 17 in Cologne. Register right now: https://webforms.pipedrive.com/f/1wBV5bM8AALuEq8GfFLwj7tLJ80w9AZL4cf4DN1nvG4uMLrSOfA5NxaV1X0qvNAC7 Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Marketplace Dynamics02:46 Carolin Langer's Journey: From Side Hustle to CEO06:38 The special market situation of LaCaTho12:27 Marketplace Strategies: Automation and Customer Experience17:32 Volume in the main and off-season21:06 Bestsellers and the tricks of algorithms24:31 The power of Videos and of TikTok31:46 Scaling and Future Plans for LaCaTho

ChatGPT is testing in-chat shopping – from product search to recommendations and even checkout via Stripe. No webshop, no marketplace – just conversation. Shopify reacts immediately, blocking AI shopping agents. The battle for the customer interface has officially begun. In this episode, Ingrid and Valerie discuss how AI agents are shifting the power dynamics in e-commerce – and what this means for marketplaces, sellers, and brands. They also unpack the stories behind these headlines:Galaxus pushes international expansion despite heavy lossesTesco builds a massive new distribution centerbol.com opens up to non-EU sellersZalando & About You – merger approved, but many questions remain Note from the sponsor eBay:Selling internationally sounds easy – but the reality often tells a different story. Because shipping abroad is not the same as being truly ready to scale across borders. That’s why our partner eBay has put together a super helpful whitepaper that helps you check your international readiness with a detailed checklist and gives concrete advice on pricing, customer service, inventory, returns – and even how to identify the right markets and products. One highlight: With the eBay Product Research Tool, you can analyze three years of sales data by country and category. So if cross-border commerce is on your radar, download the free whitepaper “From Germany to the World” by eBay right now: https://www.ebay.de/sml/whitepaper-internationalverkaufen Note from  the sponsor base:Base is a SAAS e-commerce solution provider originally founded 2006 in Poland. The platform offers features such as automations for order management, inventory management and fulfilment, a marketplace management tool for lots and lots of B2B and B2C channels, and integration options to include other backend tools in real-time. Base is present in 11 countries, the solution is already used by companies such as OBI, Kärcher, MediaMarkt, Samsung, Decathlon, Intersport, Develey. If you would like to learn more about Base, join us at our Connect Event with Base on September 17 in Cologne. Register right now: https://webforms.pipedrive.com/f/1wBV5bM8AALuEq8GfFLwj7tLJ80w9AZL4cf4DN1nvG4uMLrSOfA5NxaV1X0qvNAC7 Chapters:01:00 AI's Impact on Marketplace Shopping07:40 Galaxus's Internationalization Strategy09:41 Tesco's New Distribution Strategy11:49 Zalando and About You Merger15:30 Bol's Expansion to Non-EU Sellers

What do you do when wholesale for brick-and-mortar sales suddenly causes you to lose the Buy Box? There's only one thing to do: get out of brick-and-mortar sales. That's exactly what Anna Maria from BabyForte did after large online pharmacies snatched the Buy Box away from her on Amazon. Local pharmacies reacted immediately and negatively to her cautious price adjustment. Since then, she has been focusing fully on her online business again. In this podcast episode, she talks about the three phases a D2C brand goes through when it is being built up, why she continues to invest in her web shop, why she relies on a clearly defined brand portfolio, and why she is not looking for investors at the moment. She also reveals why her team spends every week analyzing click rates.Takeaways: Anna Maria Zillinger elucidates the necessity for D2C brands to pivot away from brick-and-mortar sales when faced with the loss of the Amazon Buy Box. The significance of a meticulously defined brand portfolio is underscored by Anna Maria as vital for sustaining competitive advantage in e-commerce. Investment in a web shop remains a strategic priority for Anna Maria, emphasizing the importance of direct consumer engagement. Anna Maria's team employs weekly click rate analyses to optimize product visibility and enhance marketing effectiveness on digital platforms. Note from the sponsor Taxdoo:Every marketplace trader can tell you a thing or two about it: different tax rates, different responsibilities, tax advisors who are inexperienced in e-commerce. The taxtech company Taxdoo wants to remedy this situation. Taxdoo offers a comprehensive platform for online retailers who need to carry out legally compliant and efficient sales tax reporting and accounting processes. The software analyzes all sales, fees, and payments, resulting in a transparent and audit-proof solution, is seamlessly integrated with many marketplaces and can handle all EU and UK sales tax processing, including OSS exports. If you want to know more about VAT, read our blog article, in which you will also find a table with all VAT rates in the EU, UK, and Switzerland. Find out more here:https://marketplace-universe.com/vat-traps-7-critical-rules-every-marketplace-seller-in-europe-needs-to-know/Note from the sponsor MediaMarkSaturn:Even though it's only summer, Cyber Week is coming around faster than you think! That means: Plan early. Because the time between November 24th and December 1st is not just a sales boost – it’s a full-on operational challenge. The most common mistakes? As Alexander Klinger from MediaMarktSaturn knows it’s not enough stock, no prep for returns and customer inquiries, poor product content and shipping KPIs all over the place. MediaMarktSaturn shares participation details 4 to 6 weeks ahead. Secure visibility, top homepage deals are handpicked – only sellers with strong KPIs and competitive prices stand a chance. And use Retail Media wisely. They work, but only if you book them early. For more practical tips see the full interview on Marketplace Universe:https://marketplace-universe.com/good-cyber-week-preparation/

What happens when a traditional company like plant protection specialist Neudorff enters the international D2C market? Sure, the first step is Amazon. But what's the second? Local heroes like bol in the Netherlands. In this episode, Tamer Memis and Hassan Imran report on how a digital offshoot becomes a speedboat, why in-house logistics is part of the core business, and how it is possible to go live on bol in less than three weeks. (Spoiler: They did their homework beforehand.) Patricia Lay from bol explains why this is only the case for a few sellers, how bol helps foreign retailers get started, and why bol now also allows non-EU sellers. Note from the sponsor Taxdoo:Imagine this: 1,000 orders and one incorrect VAT rate, and suddenly you've lost $4,000. This is a real risk for many cross-border sellers in Europe. That's because VAT in e-commerce is complex. That's why we've teamed up with our partner Taxdoo to break down what marketplace sellers really need to know about VAT. In our detailed analysis, we discuss when OSS helps and when it doesn't, when a marketplace collects VAT and when you as a seller are still liable, and why an incorrect VAT rate has a direct impact on your prices and margins. You can find the article with a complete overview of EU VAT rates as well as tax rates for the UK and Switzerland here: https://marketplace-universe.com/vat-traps-7-critical-rules-every-marketplace-seller-in-europe-needs-to-know/ Chapters:00:00 Introduction to bol and Neudorff07:55 The Onboarding Process for International Sellers10:47 Underestimated market: Netherlands14:27 Market Dynamics: The Dutch E-commerce Landscape21:22 Challenges for International Sellers in the Dutch Market25:01 Future Prospects for bol and International Sellers27:05 Turning logistical necessity into a success

Men focus on AI, women on community and content – that was the impression left by this year’s K5 keynote. While the male speakers see AI as the ultimate game changer that could make online shops obsolete and secure the dominance of large platforms, the female speakers envision the future in creator and content-driven commerce. In this episode, Ingrid and Valerie discuss these perspectives and highlight where the common ground lies: in action, in speed, and in the importance of content. They also take a closer look at a perspective that is often completely overlooked – that of the consumer who simply wants, - or needs- , to buy at the lowest possible price.Note from the sponsor PlentyONE:Selling on Amazon, Ott0, Zalando, or Kaufland? Then you already know: every marketplace has its own rules, fees, and expectations. But what if you had one clear, structured overview that compares them all – side by side? Our partner PlentyONE, has created exactly that: a free whitepaper that helps you find the right platforms for your products, categories, and strategy. It covers Marketplace access requirements, fees & commissions, fulfillment rules & SLAs - and much more – from Amazon to Zalando. It provides many insights into multichannel commerce and helps you to work out your individual roadmap for a successful multichannel strategy. Get the white paper right here: https://www.plentyone.com/de/multichannel-whitepaper?utm_source=marketplaceuniverse&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=CP_MKT_Whitepaper_Multichannel &utm_content=podcast-spoken-adNote from the sponsor bol:Bol has established itself as a local hero in the Netherlands and Belgium and has become the market leader in the region thanks to a clear focus on customer satisfaction and innovation. It offers more than 42 million products in 28 categories and access to more than 13 million customers. This also makes bol attractive for retailers from neighboring countries. Want to know more about bol? Then look forward to our podcast episode 119 next week, in which we talk to Patricia Lay, Partnership growth manager at bol and, Hassan Imran, e-commerce manager at Neudorff ePeformances, about his experiences with selling on bol.Note from the sponsor eBay:On July 10, we’re inviting a select group of decision-makers to join us for our final live Connect Event  before the summer break – the eBay „Entscheider Dinner“. This exclusive dinner is designed for meaningful conversations, new connections, and fresh marketplace insights in a relaxed setting. A few seats are still available for brand representatives who want to be part of this handpicked group. If you’d like to join us for an inspiring summer evening full of ideas, exchange, and excellent food – register now: https://webforms.pipedrive.com/f/2XDfDE0vbHe8h96aXSfyWrvp8zpVs4yHFNCmobskstDVlYZklO5oapv41ZpvF2zPJChapters:00:00 Adventures at K5 Conference03:10 Insights from the K5 Conference05:23 The Future of E-Commerce: AI and Shopping Agents12:00 The Role of Community and Content in Commerce18:03 Speed vs. Strategy in E-Commerce23:54 Understanding the Average Consumer30:01 Final Thoughts and Future Directions

"E-commerce isn’t complex." A bold statement – especially coming from the Vice President Marketplace at MediaMarktSaturn. But Christian Kollesch means it. In this episode, he explains what’s behind it: the strategic repositioning of the MediaMarktSaturn marketplace, the expansion into new verticals like DIY and Baby & Kids, and the ambitious goal to become Europe’s leading platform for refurbished electronics. He also shares how this transformation is being executed – with hands-on seller support, access to first-party data, and unique services such as Space-as-a-Service. Last but not least, he talks about the marketplace’s international rollout, which is recently live in Belgium and Poland and will soon expand to Turkey and Hungary, all while tripling GMV within just one year. For more Information: https://faq.mediamarkt.de/app/answers/detail/a_id/17006/~/was-ist-der-mediamarkt-marketplace%3F Chapters00:00 Introduction to MediaMarkt's Marketplace Expansion05:50 The Shift in Marketplace Strategy10:06 Marketplace Growth and Performance Metrics14:00 Seller Dynamics and Quality Management17:01 Competitive Pricing and Seller Advantages21:19 Marketplace Strategy and Seller Support25:06 Expanding into New Vertical Categories28:24 Brand Integrity and Customer Expectations30:00 Onboarding Process for Sellers32:46 Quality Control and Seller Performance35:34 Vision for Refurbished Products Market

Five marketplaces in one fell swoop – after 1.5 years of preparation, AlphaTrail is taking the next big step in multichannel distribution. In this episode, Valerie talks to Michael Grundwürmer, CEO & Co-Founder of AlphaTrail, about how the former Amazon-only brand has developed into an international premium brand for bicycle parts and is simultaneously launching on eBay, Otto, Decathlon, Alltricks, and bol. They discuss the biggest challenges, such as finding a suitable logistics provider, the unimagined possibilities of AI, and the power of clear focus – which always trumps pure speed. Note from the Sponsor ChannelEngine:Marketplace fees, middleware costs, pick & pack, shipping, returns processing, and even storage fees - anyone who sells on marketplaces knows that it's often not easy to understand what you're really left with at the end of the day. That's because hidden profit killers can lurk everywhere. To help you get more profit out of your marketplaces, ChannelEngine has compiled 5 tips for greater profitability on marketplaces in a new e-book. It shows how low-margin products can become real profit drivers and why clearly calculated minimum prices are crucial for your profitability. Click here for the 5 tips for greater profitability on marketplaces: https://marketplace-universe.com/5-tips-for-better-marketplace-profitability/Chapters:00:00 Introduction to AlphaTrail and Its Journey09:00 Diving Deeper into AlphaTrail's Product Strategy15:13 Marketplace Strategy and Expansion Plans20:28 Exploring Marketplace Strategies24:52 The Role of AI in E-commerce28:06 Understanding Customer Behavior Across Marketplaces33:16 Data-Driven Decision Making in E-commerce34:38 Maintaining a Lean Business Model37:15 The Future of AI in E-commerce

International verkaufen? Für viele ein Angstthema, für MeineMarkenMode längst Alltag – wenn auch mit reichlich Narben. In dieser Folge sprechen wir mit Timo Bethlehem, Geschäftsführer von MeineMarkenMode, und Julius Komp, CEO & Co-Founder des Cross-Border-Dienstleisters Exporto, über die realen Herausforderungen der Expansion in europäische Märkte: Steuerregularien, Zollformalitäten, Retourenprozesse, Lieferzeiten – und die allzu bekannte Diskrepanz zwischen den Messwerten der Carrier und den Erwartungen der Marktplätze. Außerdem sprechen wir darüber, warum der britische Markt besonders anspruchsvoll ist, wie stark grenzüberschreitende Steuerpflichten interne Ressourcen binden können  und warum DHL für den Versand in die Schweiz nicht die passende Lösung war. Timo teilt seine Erfahrungen mit beeindruckender Offenheit – inklusive vieler schmerzhafter Learnings. „Ich verzichte darauf, alle meine Narben zu zeigen“, sagt er – doch in dieser Folge offenbart er doch einige. Chapters00:00 Einführung in die Internationalisierung08:20 Die Herausforderungen der Expansion11:49 Typische Stolpersteine bei der Internationalisierung19:04 Compliance und Steuerthemen als Hürden23:38 Management der Logistik und Carrier-Auswahl24:44 Herausforderungen im internationalen Versand27:13 Die Bedeutung von Dienstleistern in der Internationalisierung31:18 Ganzheitliche Lösungen für den europäischen Versand36:14 Marktherausforderungen und Strategien für den UK-Markt40:59 Zukunftsausblick und Expansionsstrategien  Chapters00:00 Introduction to International Expansion 08:20 The Challenges of Scaling Abroad 11:49 Common Pitfalls in Cross-Border Growth 19:04 Compliance and Tax Issues as Key Barriers 23:38 Managing Logistics and Choosing the Right Carriers 24:44 Operational Challenges in International Shipping 27:13 The Role of Service Providers in Successful Expansion 31:18 End-to-End Solutions for European Shipping 36:14 Market Challenges and Strategic Approaches for the UK 40:59 Outlook and Future Expansion Plans.

In this episode, Ingrid and Valerie discuss the most important marketplace news from May – and one topic clearly stands out: the proposed merger between Zalando and About You is now officially under scrutiny by the European Commission. Many brands have already received formal inquiries from Brussels. The two explore what this means for brands and the deal’s timeline – and talk about why About You pulled out of TikTok Shop after just four weeks.Also in this episode: Nike is back on Amazon as a 1P supplier, and e-commerce in Germany is growing again – but almost entirely driven by marketplaces. The same goes for the Otto Group, whose improved numbers are largely thanks to its marketplace business.And they take a look into the future: at gaming platform Roblox, which is entering e-commerce with Shopify, and at the potential impact Amazon’s AI shopping assistant Rufus could soon have. Chapters:00:00 Marketplace News Overview06:53 Merger Investigations and Market Impacts12:47 Nike's Return to Amazon13:56 E-Commerce Growth in Germany16:40 Roblox cooperation with Shopfy17:35 Emerging Trends in E-Commerce20:12 Community Building and Future Outlook

“If you can't do better than Allegro, stay at home.” A clear message from Marcin Czyczerski – and a warning to Western platforms that think they can just start up in Poland. The former CEO of CCC/Modivo describes the unique features of the marketplace landscape in Poland – one of the most exciting and challenging e-commerce markets in Europe. Marcin explains why Allegro is so dominant and why Western brands often struggle on Allegro. He assesses the opportunities for other players and reveals what makes Polish retailers and customers tick. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Polish Marketplace Landscape11:01 The Rise of E-commerce in Poland24:05 Challenges for Western Marketplaces in Poland24:33 Understanding Polish Consumer Behavior30:27 Allegro's Competitive Edge35:09 Challenges for Western Brands on Allegro42:48 The Future of E-commerce in Poland