When global brands think about ecommerce expansion in Europe, Amazon often dominates the conversation. But the truth is, Europe is a patchwork of distinct consumer habits, languages, and shopping preferences. Local marketplaces – like Bol, Allegro, Kaufland, Otto, Veepee, ManoMano, and B&Q – aren’t just alternatives to the big players. They’re key enablers of sustainable growth, deeper community engagement, and margin optimization.
In fact, in many European countries, local players completely overshadow Amazon in market share and customer loyalty. By embracing them, brands can unlock a treasure trove of opportunities that competitors often overlook.
Below are 7 data-backed tactics to help brands dominate the European market while leveraging the strategic power of these local heroes.
1. Gain the pioneer advantage
The concept of the “pioneer advantage” might be off the table for Amazon or eBay – those landscapes are already saturated – but Europe offers dozens of ripe, less crowded channels where you can establish yourself as a market leader.
Take Kaufland in Germany or ManoMano in the DIY and home improvement sector. These marketplaces are growing quickly, but still have space for category leaders to emerge. Enter early, and you can become the brand that local shoppers automatically think of first.
In practice, this means:
- Identifying marketplaces in early growth stages in your vertical
- Rapidly listing your products, optimizing in the local language
- Building brand familiarity before competitors flood in
2. Go for your prime targets
Subscription programs like Amazon Prime, Bol Select in the Netherlands, and Allegro Smart! in Poland lock customers into a marketplace ecosystem. Shoppers with these subscriptions tend to filter their searches to include only eligible products, which means if you’re not part of the program, you’re invisible to a large chunk of your audience.
While joining these programs might mean using marketplace fulfillment (and accepting the related fees), the payoff is high:
- Improved seller performance scores
- Access to a loyal, high-intent audience
- Increased chance of winning the “buy box” equivalent on local sites
Pro tip: Even in local marketplaces without global-scale fulfillment networks, programs like Bol Select can be game changers for visibility and trust.
3. Win big with local heroes
Europe’s ecommerce ecosystem is hyper-localized. Consider the numbers: in Poland, 81% of online shoppers head straight to Allegro, while only 17% choose Amazon. In the Netherlands, consumers spend almost four times more on Bol than Amazon.
Local marketplaces succeed because they:
- Speak the local language fluently (literally and culturally)
- Offer preferred local payment methods
- Match local delivery speed expectations
If you’re selling to the Netherlands, ignoring Bol is like trying to sell in the US without listing on Amazon. Similarly, Otto in Germany offers access to a loyal audience that values trust, local service, and curated product quality.
4. Use cross-border reach
Some marketplaces go beyond their home borders, making them a smart launchpad for multi-country reach. Kaufland Global Marketplace, for example, offers access to multiple EU countries from one seller account.
By using marketplaces that already handle multi-market operations, you can:
- Test new markets with minimal setup
- Leverage existing logistics and fulfillment solutions
- Avoid high upfront investments in local infrastructure
When paired with multi-channel fulfillment options, you can fulfill orders from one stock pool, simplifying ecommerce operations and reducing the risk of overstock or stockouts.
5. Tap into passion-driven communities
While mainstream marketplaces offer scale, niche marketplaces deliver intensity. Platforms like ManoMano (DIY/home improvement) or smaller local verticals attract dedicated enthusiasts and collectors.
The benefits of niche marketplaces:
- Highly targeted audience with strong purchase intent
- Lower competition in specialized categories
- A community-driven shopping experience that fosters loyalty
For example, DIY professionals in France may go directly to ManoMano before even considering Amazon or a generalist platform. By establishing your presence here, you can access motivated buyers who are often willing to pay a premium for the right products.
6. Get the best margins – sometimes
Invite-only or curated marketplaces like Veepee can offer excellent margins. Because they select sellers carefully and limit competition, you can maintain healthier pricing while benefiting from the prestige of being part of an exclusive platform.
These platforms also:
- Attract customers seeking quality over price
- Provide a steady stream of sales with less price pressure
- Enhance brand positioning by association with a premium environment
If you’re not yet on one of these marketplaces, partner introductions – such as through the ChannelEngine customer success team – can help you get in.
7. Target high-volume, low-margin sales
While the focus here is on local marketplaces, horizontal marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Cdiscount still play a role in a balanced strategy. They can:
- Deliver high sales volume, even at lower margins
- Serve as channels for moving excess inventory
- Support brand awareness and customer acquisition
Additionally, off-price channels and flash-sale events – such as those run by Veepee – can help clear stock quickly without permanently devaluing your products.
Why local marketplaces are the future of European ecommerce
The European market is not one monolith – it’s a collection of highly diverse ecommerce cultures. Brands that try to “copy-paste” their US or global strategy without local adaptation risk missing out on the bulk of their potential audience.
Local marketplaces aren’t just where people shop – they’re trusted institutions. By integrating them into your sales strategy, you expand your reach while also aligning yourself with platforms that customers already love, trust, and recommend.
From the fierce loyalty of Allegro’s Polish customer base to the niche precision of ManoMano, these platforms offer built-in audiences, cultural fluency, and operational advantages that global giants can’t always match.
The key to winning in Europe isn’t choosing between global and local marketplaces – it’s building a portfolio that strategically uses both. Local heroes give you authenticity, relevance, and access to audiences global giants can’t touch, while cross-border and horizontal marketplaces offer scale and reach.
To execute this seamlessly, brands need a powerful integration partner – and that’s where ChannelEngine comes in. As the leading marketplace integration platform, ChannelEngine connects your products to dozens of European marketplaces like Bol, Allegro, Kaufland, Otto, Veepee, ManoMano, and B&Q, all from a single interface.
With features like centralized product data management (update listings across all marketplaces at once), real-time stock synchronization (avoid overselling and stockouts), and automated repricing tools (stay competitive without constant manual monitoring), ChannelEngine empowers sellers to expand across Europe without the operational headaches.
By combining the strategic use of local marketplaces with ChannelEngine’s automation, analytics, and global reach, you can dominate the European market while saving time, protecting margins, and scaling faster than the competition.
