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How Dutch sellers can tap into Otto, Germany's biggest marketplace

On 7 May, ChannelEngine and Otto Market hosted a live session for Dutch sellers. Here's everything you need to know about selling on Germany's biggest homegrown marketplace.
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In this webinar, Mitchell Dröge (Alliance Manager at ChannelEngine) joined Sarah Hußlein (Sales & Marketing Manager at Otto) and Daniel Zaleski (Senior Sales & Account Manager at Otto) to walk Dutch ecommerce sellers through one of the biggest marketplace opportunities of 2026: Selling on Otto, Germany's largest homegrown marketplace, for the very first time.

In a nutshell:


The discussion revealed that Otto Market has officially opened its doors to Dutch sellers, making it the first international seller group to gain access to the platform. With 12.6 million active customers, a curated, quality-first environment, and a clear onboarding path, Otto represents a compelling expansion channel for Dutch brands that already ship to Germany or are ready to start.

🎥 Watch the full webinar recording:


 

🎙️ Prefer reading? Jump to the full webinar transcript.


 Top 6 takeaways

  • Otto is Germany's #2 marketplace ranking behind only Amazon, ahead of eBay, with €7.5 billion in GMV last year.

  • Dutch sellers now have direct access: The Netherlands is the first international market Otto is opening to, with Poland, Austria, France, Spain, and Denmark to follow within 2026.

  • Otto is a closed marketplace: Sellers must apply and be approved, which means less competition and a higher-quality selling environment.

  • ChannelEngine handles the technical heavy lifting, from AI-powered category mapping to automated product content translation and bundle creation.

  • High-growth white-spot categories include pet food, plants, and supplements - high demand, low supply, real opportunity.

Everything you need to know about selling on Otto


Why Germany and why now?


Germany is the largest ecommerce market in continental Europe, and for Dutch sellers, it's arguably the most accessible. Many brands already have German content, ship to German consumers, and understand the market. The question has never really been whether to sell in Germany; it's been which channel gets you the most traction.

That answer is shifting. Otto recently closed its best business year with €7.5 billion in GMV and 6% year-over-year growth, above the market average, all while keeping its seller base intentionally small at just over 6,100 selected partners. For context, Amazon Germany hosts hundreds of thousands of sellers. On Otto, you're competing with a fraction of that number.

"If you have a rather curated assortment of brands, high-quality brands, then we should provide the right environment for it. And we try to prevent down trading, so cheaper products without any brand."
 
Daniel ZaleskiDaniel Zaleski
Senior Sales & Account Manager at Otto

That's a fundamentally different value proposition from Amazon, and for quality-focused Dutch brands, it could be the better fit.

What makes Otto different from other German marketplaces?


Otto isn't just another marketplace. It's a 77-year-old household name that started as a mail-order catalogue in 1949 and has since evolved through an online shop (launched in 1995), a mobile-first app (launched in 2018, now driving 90% of all traffic), and a full marketplace model (launched in 2019). That legacy translates into something harder to manufacture: deep consumer trust.

Otto is also part of the Otto Group, a network of more than 30 ecommerce and retail companies with a combined €15 billion in GMV, which includes Hermes, Germany's major parcel carrier. That means built-in logistics synergies and long-term stability as a platform partner.

On the demand side, Otto invests heavily in brand awareness. TV campaigns, billboards, influencer partnerships targeting younger audiences, co-branded product launches (including a well-received Adidas collaboration), and live shopping - Otto was an early mover in live commerce long before TikTok Shop made it mainstream.

Otto Market: closed, curated, and quality-first


In 2026, Otto made a deliberate strategic shift: moving from an open to a closed marketplace. This is the single most important thing to understand before you apply.

"At Otto, we build trust through quality, especially right now when competition is becoming more price-driven and many marketplaces are fighting for customers. We see trust as a key differentiator."

Sarah HussleinSarah Hußlein
Sales & Marketing Manager at Otto

What this means in practice is that every seller application is individually reviewed. The basic eligibility criteria (legal entity, VAT, logistics) get you through the door, but quality criteria determine whether you get an invitation. Otto looks at:

  • Product image quality and description depth
  • Whether you operate your own webshop or sell on other marketplaces (Amazon, Bol)
  • Assortment relevance, Otto doesn't need your products if it already has a well-performing equivalent
  • Customer ratings and sales track record

The requirements for Dutch sellers


Here's what you need to have in place before applying:

  • Legal entity: BV, NV, or VOF (more legal forms will be added over time).
  • VAT: A valid Dutch VAT ID is required. You must participate in the OSS (One Stop Shop) procedure using your Dutch VAT. A German VAT ID is not yet accepted, though that's on the roadmap.
  • Logistics: A warehouse within the EU, and returns handled via DHL.
  • Language: All product content must be in German. Customer service must be in German too, though the good news is that almost all communication happens in written form, which makes this far more manageable than it sounds.


If you're already selling in Germany through another channel (Amazon), you've likely already cleared most of these prerequisites.

How to get started: the onboarding journey


The process is more straightforward than it might initially seem:


Once you're in, the steps are:

  • Wait for review - applications are individually assessed; allow up to two weeks for a response, but you will always receive one
  • Receive login details for Otto Partner Connect (OPC), Otto's partner portal
  • Set up two-factor authentication and sign contracts
  • Complete identity verification via Otto Payments (Otto's payment provider)
  • Upload your company, logistics, and product information
  • Go live - your products become visible to Otto's 12.6 million customers

Resellers and multi-brand stores are welcome to apply; this is not limited to only brands.

Using ChannelEngine to automate your Otto sales


Getting approved is one thing. Running an efficient, scalable Otto operation is another. That's where ChannelEngine comes in.

As a marketplace integration software, ChannelEngine connects your backend systems. whether that's Shopify, an ERP, or a PIM, to Otto's API, handling all the critical flows: product listings, stock and pricing updates, order retrieval, shipment tracking, returns, and cancellations.

For clients already on ChannelEngine selling via Bol or Amazon, adding Otto is an extension of your existing setup, not a new project. Here are a few features of our platform that make selling on Otto easier from day one:

AI category mapping. One of the first steps when listing products on Otto is mapping them to the correct category. ChannelEngine's AI tool analyzes Otto's taxonomy and suggests the most accurate category for each product automatically, dramatically reducing what used to be a manual, time-consuming process.

Virtual bundles with AI-generated content. Want to list a phone case alongside a handset, or bundle socks with trainers? ChannelEngine lets you create virtual bundles without touching your backend systems. Better still, because bundles combine two separate product descriptions, ChannelEngine uses AI to generate unique bundle content automatically. Bundles also increase average order value and can make individually thin-margin products viable as a combined listing.

Content translation. If your listings are in Dutch or English and you need German versions, ChannelEngine integrates directly with Google Cloud Translate and DeepL. You can translate your full product catalog into properly formatted German listings in minutes. A human review pass is always recommended, but it's a fast, practical way to get live quickly.

ChannelEngine's own data from clients already selling on Otto shows aggregate GMV growth of close to 13% year-on-year, an average order value of €71, and strong performance across home & living, consumer electronics, garden, and fashion categories.

Answering the most common questions


👉 Can I win the buy box if Otto is also selling that product?
Yes. Otto's buy box logic works similarly to Amazon's - it is based on price, availability, and delivery speed. If your offer is more competitive than Otto's own listing on those metrics, you can and will win it. No seller gets automatic preference.

👉 What about advertising on Otto?
Otto has a full retail media offering through its agency, Otto Advertising. Options include sponsored product ads (SPA), sponsored display ads, newsletters, and live shopping. The SPA report is particularly useful; it shows where your products rank, how competitive the category is, your visibility, and potential return on investment if you activate paid placement.

👉 Does Otto offer fulfillment services?
Not yet for marketplace partners, but it's on the roadmap. In the meantime, Hermes (part of the Otto Group) offers a fulfillment solution called Fulfillment by Hermes (F2X) that sellers can access directly.

👉 What are the highest-opportunity categories right now?
Beyond the established strong categories (home & living, consumer electronics, garden, fashion), Daniel Zaleski flagged three fast-growing white-spot areas: pet food, plants, and supplements, with high demand, low seller supply, and strong growth momentum.

👉 Is there brand protection?
Otto maintains a list of brands in its terms and conditions that cannot be sold through the 3P marketplace model. Outside of that list, sellers are free to add and sell brands, including adding new brands to the Otto database.

Final thoughts


Otto's decision to open its marketplace to Dutch sellers first isn't just a milestone for the platform; it's a well-timed opportunity for brands and retailers already navigating the German market.

The combination of a curated, lower-competition environment, a loyal 12.6-million-strong customer base, and a straightforward onboarding path makes it one of the more compelling expansion plays available to Dutch ecommerce businesses right now.

The quality bar is high, as Otto isn't looking for every seller to join their platform; they are looking for the right sellers. If your brand has strong product content, a solid track record, and a relevant assortment for the German consumer, you have a genuine shot at building a meaningful revenue channel before the platform scales to more international markets later this year.

The Netherlands is first. That window won't stay exclusive for long.

If you're a ChannelEngine customer and want to activate your Otto integration, get in touch with your account manager or reach out to the team directly.

Not using ChannelEngine yet? Schedule a free consultation call with us to see how we can connect your catalog to Otto and hundreds of other global marketplaces from a single platform.

Book a consultation call →

Read the full webinar transcript 👇

Introduction and audience poll

00:00:02 Speaker 1: Welcome, everybody, to today's webinar with ChannelEngine and OTTO.

00:00:12 Speaker 1: Don’t worry, for those in the audience who don’t speak Dutch, this webinar will be in English. I just wanted to give a warm welcome to the Dutch speakers, considering we’re working with a lot of Dutch brands today.

00:00:38 Speaker 1: We’ll wait a little bit longer as everybody joins. I’ll introduce our speakers in a minute. Throughout the session, you can always ask your questions in the chat. We’ll try to answer them as we go, and any questions we don’t answer in the chat can be saved for the Q&A at the end.

00:01:12 Speaker 1: While we wait, we want to ask you a quick question: are you already selling in Germany via marketplaces? OTTO is the local hero in Germany, so this is the market we’re looking at today.

00:01:45 Speaker 1: It looks like a lot of you are already selling in Germany and exploring more opportunities. That’s great. If you’re already active in the German market, you likely already have German content and are shipping to German consumers, which makes things easier.

00:02:03 Speaker 1: For those who haven’t started selling in Germany via marketplaces yet, there are still many opportunities, as you’ll see today.

Speaker introductions and agenda

00:04:17 Speaker 1: With me today are Sara, Sales and Marketing Manager, and Daniel Zeleski, Senior Sales and Account Manager from OTTO Market, joining from Hamburg. I am Alliance Manager at ChannelEngine, responsible for our biggest partnerships.

00:05:07 Speaker 1: Today we’ll explore why Germany is a key e-commerce market, what OTTO Market is, how it works in practice, the onboarding process, and how ChannelEngine helps brands tap into this opportunity through technology.

00:06:12 Speaker 1: Before we begin, one more poll: what do you find most challenging about entering or selling in Germany? Local customer preferences, marketplace requirements, logistics, local tax and legal compliance, or competitive pricing?

00:07:12 Speaker 1: Local customer preferences seem to be the top topic, followed by marketplace requirements. We’ll touch on those today.

Why sell on OTTO?

00:08:04 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Mitchell, and thank you to the whole ChannelEngine team for organizing this. It’s exciting for us to be here for the first webinar in English for Dutch sellers.

00:08:28 Speaker 2: Many of you may be asking: why sell on OTTO? We’ll try to answer that and provide arguments for why you should consider it.

00:08:50 Speaker 2: OTTO is not just one marketplace in Germany. There are about 500 B2C marketplaces in Germany, but OTTO is different. It is a German household name with 77 years of history, established in 1949, and it is the biggest German marketplace.

00:09:35 Speaker 2: Our latest KPIs show 12.6 million active customers, about 3 million qualified visits per day, 90% of traffic coming from mobile devices, 19 million products online, 40,000 brands, and around 6,100 selected sellers.

00:10:20 Speaker 2: Despite a challenging year, we grew by 6% year over year and ended the business year with €7.5 billion in GMV.

OTTO Group and marketplace positioning

00:11:04 Speaker 2: OTTO is part of the OTTO Group, which consists of more than 30 companies. Together, they achieved €15 billion in GMV last year. These companies are related to e-commerce and retail and complement the value chain.

00:12:17 Speaker 2: The German marketplace landscape is dominated by Amazon, with about 44% market share. OTTO and eBay follow, making OTTO one of the top three marketplaces in Germany.

00:13:11 Speaker 2: We are not overly concerned about Chinese marketplaces because we follow a different strategy. They often focus on low prices and no-name products, while OTTO focuses on quality.

00:13:38 Speaker 2: We manage quality from both the supply side and demand side. On the supply side, we have a 1P model and a 3P marketplace model with a quality gate. Everyone can apply, but not every applicant receives an invitation to onboarding.

00:14:21 Speaker 2: We match quality products with quality customers. On the demand side, we invest heavily in marketing activities to attract more customers, including TV ads, billboards, posters, influencer collaborations, and brand campaigns.

OTTO’s history and trust in Germany

00:15:50 Speaker 2: OTTO’s first milestone was in 1950, when we launched our first catalogue with 20 pages and 20 products. It started with women’s shoes and became especially popular in rural areas.

00:16:39 Speaker 2: Over time, the catalogues grew significantly, eventually reaching more than 1,500 pages. They became a social event in households, with families browsing products for Christmas, anniversaries, and other occasions.

00:17:22 Speaker 2: In 1995, OTTO launched its first online shop. This was a game changer because category managers could update product data, prices, and stock digitally.

00:17:53 Speaker 2: In 2018, OTTO launched its own app. Today, around 90% of traffic comes from mobile devices.

00:18:30 Speaker 2: In 2019, OTTO went through its biggest transformation by changing from an online shop to a marketplace. We started with four marketplace partners and now have more than 6,100.

00:20:32 Speaker 2: A recent milestone is that our first international Dutch seller went live in April, selling swimsuits. We’re excited to welcome more sellers to the platform.

How OTTO Market works

00:21:07 Speaker 3: Now that you know how OTTO started, I’d like to tell you about OTTO Market and the steps to start selling on OTTO.

00:21:19 Speaker 3: OTTO Market launched as a minimum viable product in October 2019 with only four marketplace partners. By March 2021, we reached more than 1,000 live partners. Today, we work with more than 6,200 active partners.

00:22:37 Speaker 3: OTTO Market is now a closed marketplace. Instead of simply registering, sellers need to apply. The basic requirements remain the same, but we have added more quality criteria.

00:22:58 Speaker 3: We look at high-quality content, strong product images, well-written product descriptions, whether sellers already run their own webshop, and whether they sell on other marketplaces such as Amazon or bol.

00:23:20 Speaker 3: We also evaluate sales potential based on assortment relevance, suitable products, and good customer ratings.

00:23:39 Speaker 3: Our goal is to offer the right products and brands, with the right availability, at the right prices. Relevance is important. For example, we do not need the 10,000th white T-shirt if we already have a strong selection.

00:24:29 Speaker 3: Our positioning is based on trust through quality. In a market where competition is becoming increasingly price-driven, trust is a key differentiator.

Opening OTTO Market to European sellers

00:24:44 Speaker 3: OTTO Market is now opening to European sellers. This is one of the biggest milestones since the marketplace was founded.

00:25:06 Speaker 3: The opening will happen step by step. We are starting with the Netherlands, followed by Poland, Austria, France, Spain, and Denmark within 2026.

Requirements for Dutch sellers

00:25:37 Speaker 3: There are several basic requirements for international sellers. First, the legal entity. For now, we can accept BV, NV, and VOF. More legal forms will follow over time.

00:25:58 Speaker 3: Sellers need a valid Dutch VAT ID and must participate in the OSS procedure using the local VAT ID. Using a German VAT ID is not possible yet, but it will be possible soon.

00:26:14 Speaker 3: Sellers need a warehouse within the EU, returns need to be handled via DHL, and all content must be provided in German.

00:26:42 Speaker 3: German-speaking customer service is mandatory, but customer communication is mainly handled in written form and only rarely by phone.

Benefits of OTTO Market

00:27:01 Speaker 3: OTTO Market offers clear seller criteria and a fair, transparent fee system. This creates a level playing field for partners.

00:27:18 Speaker 3: We focus strongly on quality standards, both for sellers and products. Our goal is to offer a fair, reliable, and accessible platform.

00:27:42 Speaker 3: OTTO also has a very large customer base in Germany, with more than 12.6 million active customers and up to 49 orders per second.

00:28:03 Speaker 3: We also offer a wide range of advertising solutions to help partners grow and boost their business.

How to become an OTTO marketplace partner

00:28:19 Speaker 3: Sellers can apply for OTTO Market using the registration form. The sales team reviews each application individually before accepting new sellers.

00:28:40 Speaker 3: If the requirements are met, sellers receive an email with login details for OTTO Partner Connect, also called OPC, where onboarding takes place.

00:29:06 Speaker 3: Sellers then set up two-factor authentication, agree to the contracts, complete identity verification through OTTO Payments, add company and logistics information, and upload their products.

00:29:27 Speaker 3: Once products are visible on the platform, they can be purchased by OTTO customers.

How ChannelEngine supports OTTO automation

00:30:32 Speaker 1: We have now covered the opportunity on OTTO. I’ll run through how sellers can automate OTTO activities with ChannelEngine.

00:31:34 Speaker 1: ChannelEngine is a marketplace integrator. We connect backend systems with sales channels and make sure they work together to generate up-to-date listings, retrieve orders, and manage order and return flows.

00:32:23 Speaker 1: Sellers are often active across multiple channels, such as bol, Amazon, and OTTO. Each marketplace has different requirements, content, and categories. ChannelEngine simplifies this through its software and interface.

00:32:51 Speaker 1: E-commerce requires adaptability and agility. New channels appear, AI is developing quickly, and sellers need to switch between fulfillment solutions and marketplace opportunities efficiently.

ChannelEngine data and OTTO performance

00:33:36 Speaker 1: We looked at data from ChannelEngine clients already active on OTTO Market, including Dutch brands working through German entities and German clients.

00:33:55 Speaker 1: Last year, we saw aggregate GMV growth on the platform of close to 13%. The average order value for those clients was €71.

00:34:21 Speaker 1: The top categories were home and living, consumer electronics, garden, and fashion.

Why use ChannelEngine for OTTO?

00:34:54 Speaker 1: ChannelEngine supports marketplace growth, international expansion, platform innovation, reliability, empowerment, control, and customer success.

00:36:34 Speaker 1: ChannelEngine has been around since 2013, has more than 1,300 connections, and a team of more than 200 people working globally.

00:36:59 Speaker 1: Backend systems connect to ChannelEngine, and ChannelEngine connects to different sales channels. Product data, offers, prices, stock, shipments, returns, and cancellations are synchronized.

00:37:26 Speaker 1: For OTTO specifically, ChannelEngine provides a complete integration. Product offers, product content, orders, cancellations, shipments, split orders, returns, product variations, and HTML formatting can all be managed.

ChannelEngine features for OTTO sellers

00:38:11 Speaker 1: ChannelEngine offers AI category mapping. Based on OTTO documentation, APIs, and taxonomy, the AI tool can suggest the most likely category for each product.

00:39:00 Speaker 1: ChannelEngine also supports virtual bundles, allowing sellers to create product bundles without building them in Shopify or backend systems.

00:39:32 Speaker 1: AI can generate unique content for bundles by combining the descriptions of the products included.

00:40:11 Speaker 1: Sellers need German content for OTTO. ChannelEngine supports translation workflows using Google Cloud Translate or DeepL, helping sellers generate German listings from Dutch or English content.

Key takeaways

00:40:59 Speaker 1: The key takeaways are that OTTO is the biggest German marketplace and local hero, with 12.6 million active customers.

00:41:17 Speaker 1: Dutch businesses can now access OTTO if they meet requirements such as having a Dutch entity, participating in OSS with a Dutch VAT ID, having a warehouse in the EU, and handling returns via DHL.

00:41:39 Speaker 1: ChannelEngine clients can scan the QR code to get started. Businesses not yet working with ChannelEngine can also reach out to discuss the OTTO opportunity.

Q&A: Buy box

00:42:49 Speaker 1: Can you get the buy box when OTTO is also selling that SKU?

00:43:00 Speaker 2: Yes, you can. OTTO has a buy box logic similar to Amazon. Different sellers can promote the same product, and every seller has the same opportunity to win the buy box.

00:43:22 Speaker 2: If OTTO is selling the product but has a higher price, lower availability, or longer delivery time, OTTO will not automatically win the buy box.

Q&A: Registration timing

00:44:00 Speaker 3: Sometimes it can take up to two weeks to check your registration and requirements, but you will always receive a response from OTTO.

Q&A: Commissions

00:44:17 Speaker 1: There are questions about commissions. Is that information available in the partner portal?

00:44:24 Speaker 2: Yes. There is an overview of commissions and available product categories. Commission differs by category, and sellers can download an Excel file with product categories and related commission rates.

Q&A: Fulfillment

00:45:01 Speaker 1: Is there a fulfillment service?

00:45:07 Speaker 3: OTTO does not currently have fulfillment by OTTO, but it is on the roadmap. There is also a service from Hermes, part of the OTTO Group, called Fulfillment by Hermes.

Q&A: Categories

00:45:40 Speaker 1: Is there a category for sanitary and bathroom products, such as tiles, toilets, and shower cabins?

00:45:50 Speaker 2: Yes, that category is available.

Q&A: Product data requirements

00:46:04 Speaker 1: How do you ensure a clear understanding of required product data changes during integration?

00:46:23 Speaker 1: ChannelEngine connects directly with OTTO Market APIs. Product data requirements are specified through the API and reflected in ChannelEngine. If a field becomes mandatory or a category requirement changes, sellers can make the adjustment inside ChannelEngine.

Q&A: Sponsored product ads

00:47:22 Speaker 3: OTTO has many advertising solutions. Sponsored product ads are one of the biggest. OTTO also offers advertising support through managed service options.

Q&A: Brand protection

00:47:51 Speaker 1: Is there a brand protection program to prevent unauthorized sellers?

00:48:13 Speaker 2: OTTO’s terms and conditions include a list of brands that cannot be sold through the 3P model. If a brand is not listed there, sellers may add and sell that brand.

Q&A: High-growth categories

00:48:45 Speaker 1: Are there white spot categories on OTTO? What kind of sellers or companies is OTTO looking for?

00:49:13 Speaker 2: Music and media are not currently categories. High-growth categories include pet food, plants, and supplements, where demand is high and supply is low.

Q&A: Why choose OTTO instead of Amazon?

00:49:59 Speaker 1: Why should a seller choose OTTO instead of Amazon?

00:50:11 Speaker 2: Amazon has many thousands of sellers, while OTTO has around 6,100 selected sellers. Competition is less fierce on OTTO. Commission rates are similar, but sellers may need to invest more in marketing to gain visibility on Amazon.

00:50:39 Speaker 2: If you have a curated assortment or high-quality brands, OTTO can provide the right environment. OTTO tries to prevent down trading and low-quality, no-brand products.

Q&A: Resellers and multi-brand stores

00:51:29 Speaker 1: Is OTTO also available for resellers and multi-brand stores, not just brands?

00:51:38 Speaker 2: Yes, resellers can also sell on OTTO.

Q&A: Belgium

00:51:45 Speaker 3: Belgium is not on the roadmap for this year, but it may be considered for next year.

Q&A: Brand potential and insights

00:52:36 Speaker 1: Is there a way to analyze the potential of a brand on OTTO, and what kind of insights does OTTO provide?

00:52:54 Speaker 2: One useful report is the sponsored product ads report. It shows product ranking, competition, potential, visibility, and category ranking. There are also dashboard reports that help improve product data, add attributes, increase visibility, and improve conversion.

Closing remarks

00:55:20 Speaker 2: We would like to thank Mitchell and the ChannelEngine team for the opportunity to showcase OTTO for Dutch sellers. You are welcome to join our platform. It is important to register first, and then OTTO will get in touch with you.

00:55:47 Speaker 3: If you have any questions, please reach out to us. We are happy to plan one-on-one calls before or after registration and before the onboarding process.

00:56:20 Speaker 1: Thanks everyone for joining. We will send over the deck after the call. Please scan the QR code, sign up, and we look forward to launching on OTTO with you.

 

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