Many people have decided to start a career as an online seller. Of course, finding the best market to start selling online is important. Here are a few tips for people who want to start selling online on the European Amazon market.
Antonia Klatt
Last Updated on 18 February 2022
Where to start with your FBA Business?
Many Amazon sellers decide to choose one of Amazon’s FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon) types.
So, starting on Amazon Europe – which marketplace(s) is the best for the start? Maybe one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to expanding to Europe.
Long story short: it depends. On the one hand on your product and on the other hand on the market(s) you are targeting.
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Start your online selling in UK or Germany
Until recently it made sense to start in the UK or in Germany. Starting in the UK made sense especially for sellers from other English-speaking countries, so you could start selling in Europe without having your listings translated and with a higher feeling of control over your supply chain.
This is no longer the case. Deliveries from the UK to European countries are no longer intra-community deliveries but imports and exports ever since the UK left the European Union. Selling in the UK is, therefore, equal to selling in the US when it comes to the bureacratic complications. The UK is also no longer part of the Pan-EU FBA program.
Why should I start as an online seller in Germany?
Apart from Germany being an integral part of the European Union, the big advantage of starting in Germany is the big size of the market. About 87 million people are living there and the purchasing power is big. Since it is more or less right in between all other European marketplaces, the delivery times to your customers are rather short and the earlier a customer gets his order, the more satisfied he is.
Positive reviews and customer satisfaction are also a must if you want to grow.
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Advantages of small markets
Not only the “big” marketplaces in Europe are worth striving for. Starting in smaller marketplaces can bring several advantages as well, such as identifying niche opportunities or the lower need for inventory investment. That’s why you should always start with a proper market research.
Furthermore, if you want to expand across Europe and reach customers in different European countries, you will have to ask yourself if either the European Fulfillment Network (EFN), the Amazon Central Europe Programm or Pan European Fba (PAN EU) is the solution which fulfills your expectations.
Check out our blog posts about the different fulfilment types. Here a very brief introduction on EFN and PAN-EU.
European Fulfilment Network (EFN) vs. PAN-European FBA
Here is a short comparison of the European Fulfilment Network (EFN) and PAN-European Fulfilment by Amazon (PAN-EU):
| European Fulfilment Network (EFN) | PAN-European FBA |
| Storing in one of Amazon’s 7 possible marketplaces within the EU | Storing in up to all 6, formerly 7, European Amazon marketplaces, the UK is no longer part of the PAN-EU program |
| Just one VAT number required – in the country you store your goods in a Fulfillment Center | VAT number required in every country you are storing good in a Fulfillment Center |
| Delivery to customers abroad takes more time | Fastest delivery to all customers within Europe |
| Higher cross-border fees | You always pay the local fulfillment costs |
| Listing on all marketplaces with one account | Listing on all marketplaces and due to Prime higher visibility |
| Easy inventory management | Even easier inventory management: stock can be calculated more efficient |
| Easier to manage | More complex but more profit |
Starting to become an online seller in Europe or expanding your Amazon business is always a great opportunity. The e-commerce market is growing, and growing while the purchasing power is on a constant high.
