Germany Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in germany, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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eCommerce
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eCommerce  

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 2024, total revenue was estimated at USD 100.6 billion, which translates to 3.8 percent growth compared to 2023. It is expected that the number of users of eCommerce in Germany will increase from 47.68 million in 2025 to 51.77 million by 2029. In 2025, e-commerce had a penetration rate of around 66 percent in Germany. In a 2023 survey, key reasons for consumers to shop online included home delivery (67 percent), cheaper prices (58 percent), and all-day access (55 percent). German consumers are rather risk-averse and expect high quality products. Websites and online stores are expected to be in German language. Smartphone penetration in Germany lies at 97 percent, with a social media penetration of 82.9 percent. The role of social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube or Instagram continues to be of high importance.  

Challenges  

Most laws related to ecommerce and the digital economy are set at the EU level. The Digital Economy Chapter of our Country Commercial Guide for the European Union provides a more comprehensive overview.  

In Germany data privacy is taken very seriously and overseen both at the state and federal level. Each state has its own data protection agency, which has jurisdiction over companies and public authorities within the state. At the national level, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information oversees federal public authorities and the telecommunications and postal sector. Overall, EU data privacy is regulated by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Popular e-Commerce Sites  

In 2024, the most popular online retailers in Germany by net sales were amazon.de (USD 15.76 billion), otto.de (USD 4.54 billion), zalando.de (USD 2.71 billion), mediamarkt.de (USD 1.89 billion), and ikea.com (USD 1.50 billion).  

Product Categories  

As of June 2024, the most popular products purchased online include clothing (64 percent of online shoppers), shoes (51 percent), drugstore & healthcare products (43 percent), and books, movies and music (37 percent). German consumers, faced with higher inflation, have begun to shift their preferences towards essential items, such as groceries, home care and beverages. They have made the biggest cuts in apparel, home appliances, and luxury fashion, which make up larger shares of e-commerce business. Despite this, the German e-commerce market is expected grow 7,13% annually from 2025-29, reaching a market volume of USD 142 billion by 2029.  

Online Payment  

When it comes to payment, the most common methods are purchase on invoice, PayPal, mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, direct debit and credit cards. Many websites accept bank transfers or invoice/buy now, pay later. Online customers have the right to cancel orders and return goods or services within 14 days, for any reason and with no justification. As a result, Germany is known for its high return rate, particularly in the fashion industry, where it is estimated that 15.3 percent of products purchased were returned in 2023.  

Mobile e-Commerce  

The strong e-commerce market in Germany can be attributed to the considerable proportion of the population who owns smartphones (97 percent). In 2023, 64 percent of online purchases were made via smartphone. This growth is likely to continue as retailers improve their mobile websites and provide more convenient ways of shopping on mobile devices.  

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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