Let's talk Marketplace

What does bol have that Amazon doesn't? Or to put it another way: Why is bol so far ahead in the Netherlands? Ingrid and Valerie explore this question in the new episode together with Thomas Philip-Bashar, Product Manager at the Dutch solution provider Channable. They discuss how bol has benefited from the fact that large players like Amazon have long ignored the small country, but that the Netherlands, with an internet penetration rate of 95%, is a very well-developed market. They discuss the role of logistics in defending the market position after Amazon entered the market in 2020. And they delve into the similarities and differences in the advertising options for both platforms. Thomas also expects a new advertising format at bol in the second half of the year.Note to the sponsor MediaMarktSaturn:With a turnover of 22.4 billion euros, MediaMarktSaturn is one of Europe's leading consumer electronics retailers. Since launching its marketplace in Germany in 2020, the company has been pursuing an international strategy and is now represented in Spain, Austria, Italy, and the Netherlands – and has also recently launched in Belgium. Poland will follow this year. The range includes around 2 million products in categories such as IT, TV, household, gaming and more. With additional services such as easy marketplace integration and individual support, MediaMarktSaturn makes it easier for its approximately 1600 retailers to do business on the marketplace. And if you want to know more, take a look at our detailed marketplace portrait of MediaMarktSaturn. https://marketplace-universe.com/marketplace-portrait-mediamarktsaturn/ Chapters:00:00 Introduction to the Deep Dive Episode06:29 Exploring the Dutch Marketplace Landscape12:40 The Role of bol in the Dutch Market18:54 Amazon's Impact and Strategy in the Netherlands24:49 Advertising Strategies: bol vs. Amazon30:35 Future of Marketplaces in the Netherlands

A fresh spring wind is blowing through the “Let's talk Marketplace” podcast! For the second season, Ingrid and Valerie have slightly changed the podcast concept: there is now a dedicated news episode once a month – so there is finally enough time to dive deeper into the most relevant news of the last few weeks. This episode is the first pure newsflash episode dealing with the most breaking marketplace news in February: Ingrid and Valerie - have looked extensively at the background to the launch of TikTok Shop in Germany, France and Italy - discussed the consequences of the new US customs policy – both for the US market and for European markets. - They also analyzed Amazon's 2024 figures - and examined the reasons for the end of the sports marketplace Colizey.Note on our upcoming webinar:Do you want to expand your marketplace business but don't know which marketplaces are worthwhile for you? Then take part in the webinar “Mastering Marketplaces: Strategies to choose your ideal Platform” on March 18 at 11 a.m. Online and for free, you will receive an indispensable guide to successful B2C marketplace expansion from marketplace experts Johannes Blindhuber from PlentyONE and Valerie Dichtl, offering actionable insights and a checklist for optimizing your strategy. The webinar, which will be held in English, is aimed at brands and companies in the consumer electronics, home & living, DIY, sports and toys sectors. Register here: https://marketplace-universe.com/events/webinars/webinar-plentyone/Note from the sponsor exporto:Cross-border e-commerce is booming. However, international expansion still involves complex logistical and customs challenges for many companies. Service providers such as exporto, which specializes in cross-border e-commerce logistics in Europe, are there to help. With powerful technology and a strong partner network, exporto ensures that online retailers can ship their goods internationally just as smoothly as in their home market. The plug-and-play solutions cover everything from automated customs clearance and tax processing to local delivery over the last mile. More than 200 brands, including Mr. Speck's, Outfittery and Snox, already rely on exporto's all-in-one solution to drive their international growth. Find out more at exporto.de https://www.exporto.deChapters00:00 Introduction to Season Two02:47 Changes in Podcast Format06:01 TikTok Shop Expansion in Europe09:06 US and EU Responses to Chinese E-Commerce12:00 Impact of US Tariffs on Marketplace Sellers15:08 Amazon's Financial Results and Marketplace Insights17:04 Analyzing Amazon's Sales Performance24:45 The Shift Towards Refurbished and Circular Economy28:01 The Closure of Colizey and Market Challenges31:39 Reflections on Market Trends and Future Insights

Ingrid and Valerie are proud to present: the 100th episode of the “Let's talk Marketplace” podcast! And that's why, in this episode, Ingrid and Valerie looked back on what they have achieved and revealed their visions for this year (spoiler: a real community for the marketplace people in Europe). They looked back on their biggest failures and their favorite guests. They talked about the importance of gut feeling, about trust and their “No Bullshuit Policy”. And they looked at the rapid pace at which they have been on the road with our Marketplace Universe for about a year. With episode 100, the second season of “Let's talk Marketplace” begins with some innovations, such as our own news episodes. Enjoy the anniversary episode and thank you so much for your loyalty!Note from the sponsor Channable:If you’re selling on Amazon or bol, you know that running ad campaigns can be complex - but also highly rewarding. Both platforms offer similar campaign structures, but there’s a key difference: On Amazon, a product can appear in both sponsored and organic search results. On bol, once you win the sponsored spot, you lose your organic ranking. Automation can make campaign management much easier. With tools like Channable, you can scale campaigns for a wide range of products, automate keyword selection, and optimize bidding strategies. If you would like to know more about the differences on ad campaigns an bol and Amazon, read our how-to article at Marketplace-Universe.comor listen to episode 102 in mid-March with Thomas Philip-Bashar, Product Manager at Channable, as guest.Note on our upcoming webinar:If you're selling on marketplaces, you've probably asked yourself already, how will shoppers buy in in 2025? Where does the journey begin, the shopping journey, what factors influence the decisions? The questions are the topic in the webinar „How marketplace shoppers buy in 2025: key insights“ together with ChannelEngine.When: March, 6th, 4 p.m.Who: Jorrit Steintz, CEO and Founder ChannelEngine, and Valerie Dichtl, Marketplace UniverseWhere: online and for freeRegister now here!https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0gnXPM0 Chapters:00:00 Celebrating 100 episodes: A Milestone in Podcasting02:53 Reflections on Podcasting Journey and Learnings06:00 Favorite Guests and Memorable Moments08:30 Podcasting Challenges and Lessons Learned13:55 Transitioning to Season Two: New Structure and Focus17:20 Transitioning to Marketplace Universe24:46 Monetization Strategies and No Bullshit Policy29:00 Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Community Focus35:00 A heartfelt Thank You

For brands, it could become the crucial question: should they ride the (successful) wave of Temu or should they ostracize the nasty low-cost competition? Some have already taken the plunge, some with the help of Valentin Hauß, CEO of the German marketplace agency com-create, which specializes in technological connections to platforms like Temu. This gives Valentin a direct line to Temu and valuable insights. In the podcast, he talks about how hard Temu is trying to work with European brands and retailers, that Temu seems willing to change its pricing policy, and that the cheap image is to be shed. He also talks about the very different strategies brands are using to react to the pricing pressure on Temu, which categories he considers worthwhile, and why Temu sometimes pays its sellers more for a product than the online shopper on the platform.Note from our sponsor bol:Bol is a leading marketplace in the Netherlands and Belgium, offering over 42 million products in 28 categories to more than 13 million customers. Its focus on customer satisfaction and innovation has made it the regional market leader. The platform attracts retailers from neighboring countries by offering personalized support and local consumer insights. Retailers can benefit from bol's logistics service, returns management, and retail media options.A special promotion is available until February 28th: retailers receive a 50% discount on account creation fees and variable commissions through integrators like ChannelEngine, Rithum, Tradebyte, or Channable, valid until June 30th, 2025. Curious to learn more? Tune into podcast episode 97 next week to hear Alex Ciorapciu, Director of International Business, discuss selling on bol. Note on our upcoming webinar:If you're selling on marketplaces, you've probably asked yourself already, how will shoppers buy in in 2025? Where does the journey begin, the shopping journey, what factors influence the decisions? The questions are the topic in the webinar „How marketplace shoppers buy in 2025: key insights“ together with ChannelEngine.When: March, 6th, 4 p.m.Who: Jorrit Steintz, CEO and Founder ChannelEngine, and Valerie Dichtl, Marketplace UniverseWhere: online and for freeRegister now here:https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0gnXPM0Newsflash:-        Amazon is experimenting with re-directing search queries to brands' webshops outside of its own app. -        Amazon opened its first brick-and-mortal pharmacy and beauty store in Milan, Italy.-        MediaMarktSaturn plans to increase the Space-as-a-Service concept which enables wholesale and marketplace retail partners to rent space in the brick and mortal store of the retail chain to present their products.-        The French sports marketplace Colizey has ceased trading.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Temu Marketplace02:08 Valentin Hauß: Insights from com-create05:54 Newsflash12:00 Omni-Channel Strategies in Retail17:22 Deep Dive into Selling on Temu22:10 Building Collaborative Relationships with Temu23:56 Seller Requirements and Integration on Temu26:24 Understanding Temu's Pricing System31:01 Strategies for Brands on Temu33:49 Evaluating Product Performance on Temu

LTM 98: How to manage the cashflow of your marketplace business feat. StorfundWhat is often preventing marketplace sellers from growing? A lack of liquid funds, because a lot of money is either tied up in inventory or sits with the marketplace operator for weeks before it is paid out to the seller. That's why Ingrid and Valerie are dedicating this episode to the topic of financing and managing working capital. They are joined by Ann-Kristin Lipsky, who sells various of her own brands on marketplaces, and Joep Backx, Director of Sales at Storfund.Storfund has developed a concept to help sellers out of financial bottlenecks. In the podcast, they speak very openly about emergencies and the lack of support from banks. And Ann-Kristin explains how a competitor used a minor violation of terms of service to take her out of the race in Europe for months.Note from the sponsor MediaMarktSaturn:With a turnover of 22.4 billion euros, MediaMarktSaturn is one of Europe's leading consumer electronics retailers. Since launching its marketplace in Germany in 2020, the company has been pursuing an international strategy and is now represented in Spain, Austria, Italy, and the Netherlands. Belgium and Poland will follow in 2025. The range includes around 2 million products in categories such as IT, TV, household, gaming and more. With additional services such as easy marketplace integration and individual support, MediaMarktSaturn makes it easier for its approximately 1600 retailers to do business on the marketplace. And if you want to know more, take a lookat the detailed marketplace portrait of MediaMarktSaturn. Newsflash:Amazon had a good, if not exceptional, result for 2024It is said that Temu requires local European distributors to price 15% lower than Amazon. Chapters12:08 Marketplace Strategies and Expansion Plans13:45 Understanding StoreFund's Role in Financing18:02 Newsflash28:02 The Importance of Financing for Growth30:08 Understanding Product Portfolios and Market Risks32:01 The Struggles of Female Entrepreneurs in Funding36:27 Innovative Financing Solutions for E-commerce42:14 The Cost of Financing and Its Impact on Growth46:32 Expanding to New Marketplaces

If you want to sell in the Netherlands via marketplaces, you can't get past the top dog bol. While the market leader used to have a reputation for being very restrictive in its selection of sellers, the platform is now opening up to international sellers. Alex Ciorapciu, Director International Business at bol, reveals in this episode what foreign merchants can expect at bol: AI tools that help with translating product information, and bol's own logistics that ensure competitive delivery times for the demanding Dutch customer base. And customer service can now be provided in English instead of only in Dutch. bol's stated goal is to maintain long-term, good, and profitable relationships with its sales partners so that they can benefit from the Dutch market in the best possible way. To this end, bol currently has a special offer up its sleeve: anyone who sets up a bol account via one of the integrators Channable, ChannelEngine, Tradebyte or Rithum by the end of February will receive a 50% discount on the setup fee and a 50% discount on the variable sales commission until the end of June. The point of contact is Alex Ciorapciu. Note on our next Marketplace Universe Connect Event: Are you a brand, manufacturer or e-commerce head of? From the areas of DIY, home & living, sports, CE or similar? Then mark February 18 in your calendar and register now for the “Marketplace Universe Connect x plentyone Berlin Edition”! What do you get? Direct exchange, valuable contacts, drinks & food in a relaxed atmosphere in a cool location and short presentations by Katrin Wießner, marketplace manager at Jack Wolfskin, and Malte Karstan, marketplace expert at Berlin Brands Group. But be aware: Not everyone who registers will automatically be accepted – we carefully review each registration to ensure an optimal experience for all guests. You want to be there? Then sign up here! https://webforms.pipedrive.com/f/1AEq12z4w3UgrhelE8SJfg1wbYkSpXaynZBndKVazpjhMqXKOLqYtToZNrgc3bWfh? Note from the sponsor Channable: Do you know the e-commerce solution provider Channable? Channable offers a solution that can map trade on more than 2,500 platforms - including marketplaces, of course. Products can be managed, promoted, sold and analyzed across channels and teams. This means that the marketplace team, the e-commerce team, the social media team, performance marketing, all work with the same software. The solution focuses on automation. In addition, integrations are available for common shop systems such as Shopify, WooCommerce or Lightspeed. And: Channable is one of the bol integrators, so you can get your 50% discount through us. Find out more at https://www.channable.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to bol Marketplace 07:01 Alex Ciorapciu's Journey in E-Commerce 11:58 The Significance of bol in Dutch Culture 20:01 AI and Technology in bol's Operations 29:29 Selection of new partners 40:09 Challenges for International Sellers on bol 43:59 Cooperation with the bol team

Which red flags have indicated the end of Wayrfair in Germany? Why is XXXLutz so successful in the marketplace business? Why are marketplace fees sometimes ridiculously high? Valerie discussed all these questions in this episode with Philip Kehela, co-founder and managing director of the furniture brand mokebo. Philip follows this strategy: If a new marketplace has points of contact with our categories, we will use it because our business model is designed to scale very quickly and with very little personal investment in marketplaces. He explains why mokebo produces almost exclusively in Germany, is growing much faster than the market and why he considers DIY marketplaces to be very worthwhile players. Newsflash: - The bevh is forecasting a slight increase in German e-commerce this year and attributes this growth almost exclusively to marketplaces - There are new indications that TikTok Shop could soon launch in Germany Note from the sponsor bol: Bol is a leading marketplace in the Netherlands and Belgium, offering over 42 million products in 28 categories to more than 13 million customers. Its focus on customer satisfaction and innovation has made it the regional market leader. The platform attracts retailers from neighboring countries by offering personalized support and local consumer insights. Retailers can benefit from bol's logistics service, returns management, and retail media options. A special promotion is available until February 28th: retailers receive a 50% discount on account creation fees and variable commissions through integrators like ChannelEngine, Rithum, Tradebyte, or Channable, valid until June 30th, 2025. Curious to learn more? Tune into podcast episode 97 next week to hear Alex Ciorapciu, Director of International Business, discuss selling on bol.   Chapters: 02:28 Philipp Kehela's Journey and Moquebo's Growth 05:53 Marketplace Strategies and Expansion 10:12 Newsflash 20:51 Impact of Wayfair's Withdrawal and Market Consolidation 27:02 E-commerce Performance and Market Strategies 30:02Marketplace Presence and Expansion Plans 34:57 Marketplace Commission Structures and Profitability 37:58 Trends in Home and Living Marketplaces

How does a small brand manage to do good business in the US? Niko Moll from the children's sunglasses brand Mausito has shown how it's done and in this episode he talks about his strategy: he focused on Amazon, accepted the marketplace's support, learned a lot about logistics – and paid a price. For example, because he spent far too much money on advertising. Or because he thought that if he could do the business in Europe, he could do it in the US. Nevertheless, he is now successful and enjoys advantages such as no VAT, low return rates and lower Amazon fees. He is also expanding the B2B business as a further mainstay, putting out feelers to other marketplaces such as Allegro and bol, and pushing ahead with his own webshop. Note from Sponsor Base.com: Anyone looking to expand into Eastern Europe will encounter a different marketplace landscape than in Western Europe. And therefore needs different marketplace integrations! The e-commerce SaaS solution Base.com can help: the platform specializes in marketplace integration and the automation of e-commerce marketplace processes such as order fulfillment and inventory management and can offer connections to over 250 marketplaces. The company was founded in Wroclaw, Poland, and scores particularly highly in terms of its many connections to marketplaces in the CEE region. Find out more at https://www.base.com or in episode 85 of “Let's talk Marketplace”. Note from Sponsor byrd: byrd is an European logistics provider with operations in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, UK, France, Italy and Spain. With seamless integrations into platforms like Amazon, Shopify and WooCommerce, byrd helps merchants optimize supply chains, reduce costs and offer fast delivery. They have a proprietary dashboard which enables you to see to track all your orders in real time. Furthermore, they offer specialized services like organic product certification or dangerous goods, shipping or handling of products with expiry dates or serial number tracking for electronics. Clients like Refurbed, WeAreKnitters and Bababoo and friends trust byrd to streamline their fulfillment processes. Find out more at https://www.getbyrd.com. Newsflash: -        TikTok chaos in the US: Offline, online, extended deadlines - what happens next?  - Zalando's figures for the final quarter of 2024 are promising. -  Galaxus is happy with the development of its internationalisation. Galaxus.de performed well in 2024   Chapters: 02:58 Marketplace Updates and TikTok's Uncertainty 05:58 Introducing Niko Moll and Mausito 11:27 Newsflash 20:49 Mausito’s Marketplace Strategy and Expansion Plans 25:11 Pricing Strategies and Consumer Trust 29:10 Logistics Challenges in the US 31:03 Sales Performance and Market Differences 32:13 Lessons Learned from Market Expansion 40:13 Future Internationalization Plans

Trends hinterherzulaufen ist keine gute Strategie – vor allem nicht für die Auswahl von geeigneten Plattformen für das Marktplatz-Business! Doch wie lässt sich eine gute Auswahl an passenden Marktplätzen treffen? Darüber diskutiert Ingrid in dieser Folge mit Julia Kühnberger von Cherry Europe und Johannes Blindhuber von PlentyONE. Julia baut gerade das Marktplatz-Engagement von Cherry aus, der Middleware-Anbieter PlentyOne unterstützt sie dabei. Zusammen berichten sie ganz praxisnah, worauf es ankommt: Etwa auf klar definierte Unternehmensziele, akribische Recherche zu den jeweiligen Markplätzen und den direkten Konktakt zu ihnen, außerdem auf realistische SLAs der Marktplätze und die eigene Fähigkeit, diese einzuhalten sowie auf die Kosten und die technische Umsetzbarkeit. Julia plaudert dabei aus dem Nähkästchen und verrät auch, was für sie K.O.-Kriterien sind, die gegen einen Marktplatz sprechen, warum sie auf Local Heros setzt und auch Plattformen wie Alibaba, Twitch oder TikTok Shop auf dem Schirm hat. Hinweis des Partners Taxdoo: Mit dem neuen Jahr werden für Marktplatzhändler einige umsatzsteuerliche Themen wichtig: So kommt die für Anfang 2025 geplante einheitliche Umsatzsteuer-ID erst 2028. Die ersten Prüfungen beim One-Stop-Shop werden aber voraussichtlich schon in diesem Jahr durchgeführt. Wichtig ist auch, die OSS-Fristen strikt einzuhalten; es gibt keine Fristverlängerungen wegen Feiertagen! Neu bei Amazon: Für Leistungen, die von Amazon Deutschland erbracht werden, gilt nun der klassische Vorsteuerabzug und nicht mehr das Reverse-Charge-Verfahren. Aber Achtung: Für alle anderen europäischen Amazon-Marktplätze gilt das weiterhin. Hilfe bei solchen Fragen bietet der TaxTech-Anbieter Taxdoo: https://www.taxdoo.com Newsflash: -        Wayfair zieht sich aus dem deutschen Markt zurück -        Decathlon baut seine Plattform mit Services wie Reparaturhilfen, universellem Warenkorb und Mietservice aus -        Meta testet die Integration von eBay-Angeboten in den Facebook Marketplace   Chapters: 00:00 Einführung in die Marktplatzauswahl 05:47 Newsflash 12:06 Strategien zur Marktplatzauswahl 18:00 Erfahrungen und Herausforderungen bei Cherry 23:48 KPIs und Erfolgsmessung im Marktplatzgeschäft 24:51 Internationale Expansion und Zielgruppen 25:50 Strategien zur Ansprache von Gamern 27:06 Kriterien für die Marktplatzbewertung 28:58 Herausforderungen bei der Marktplatzintegration 30:34 Logistik und Fulfillment-Strategien 31:41 Neulinge im Marktplatzmarkt 34:32 Zeitrahmen für Marktplatzanbindung 36:25 Evaluierung und Anpassung nach Marktplatzstart

Welcome to 2025! In the first episode of “Let's talk Marketplace” this year, Ingrid and Valerie have ventured an outlook on the coming 12 months in the marketplace business. To do this, they asked various relevant marketplaces about their plans and to-do lists for 2025. The top topics on the agenda in 2025 will again be internationalization and the markets in Central and Eastern Europe. For example, Douglas wants to expand into Lithuania and Hungary, MediaMarktSaturn into Poland and Turkey. In addition, providers such as BOL and B&Q are courting partners from other European countries. Other topics include logistics, technological challenges and retail media, where Amazon is once again leading the way with video advertising. Note from the sponsor Taxdoo: With the new year, a number of VAT-related topics will become important for marketplace merchants: for example, the uniform VAT ID planned for the beginning of 2025 will not come until 2028. However, the first checks at the one-stop shop are likely to be carried out this year. It is also important to strictly adhere to the OSS deadlines; there are no deadline extensions due to holidays! New at Amazon: For services provided by Amazon Germany, the classic input tax deduction now applies and the reverse charge procedure no longer does. But be careful: it still applies to all other European Amazon marketplaces. The TaxTech provider Taxdoo offers assistance with such questions: https://www.taxdoo.com Chapters: 03:06 Reflecting on 2024: Achievements and Growth 08:57 Marketplace Players: Insights for 2025 11:56 MediaMarkt's Expansion and New Verticals 14:59 Kaufland's International Growth and Marketplace Efficiency 17:59 eBay's Strategy to Attract Younger Sellers 21:00 Scroutz‘s Success and Future Plans 23:01 International Marketplaces: Opportunities and Challenges 26:14 Local Heroes: The Case of Globus 27:50 Redcare Pharmacy: A Quiet Player in the Market 30:22 Douglas: A Shift Back to Core Competencies 33:08 B&Q: Expanding Horizons for International Sellers 34:45 Outlook 2025: Hot Markets and Categories 38:18 Emerging Services and Trends in E-commerce