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27 September 2025Channel Diversification: 5 European Marketplaces That Are Underrated (and How to Start)
The European e-commerce landscape is undergoing a strategic shift. While Amazon remains the undisputed behemoth in markets like Germany and the UK, relying solely on this one channel presents a significant and often underestimated risk. Channel diversification is no longer an option—it is a mandatory pillar of sustainable e-commerce growth. Marketplaces set their own rules, commissions, and customer expectations; placing all your inventory and sales performance in a single basket makes your business vulnerable to everything from sudden policy changes to unpredictable algorithm shifts.
For ambitious e-commerce sellers looking to expand beyond the dominant platforms, the answer lies in tapping into the rich, localized digital ecosystems of Europe. These secondary marketplaces offer less competition, higher loyalty among local consumers, and unique market access. They provide a pathway to penetrate specific, high-growth regions that often prioritize national brands and tailored customer experiences. The key to success is pairing this strategic marketplace choice with flawless logistics.
This article guides you through five of Europe’s most promising, yet often underrated, online marketplaces and provides the fundamental key performance indicators (KPIs) you need to monitor for successful expansion.
OUR GOAL
To provide an A-to-Z e-commerce logistics solution that would complete Amazon fulfillment network in the European Union.
How to Start Selling on Allegro
The platform is designed to be seller-friendly, but localization is non-negotiable. Listings and customer service should ideally be provided in Polish for the core market, and the relevant local language for its expanded markets.
Account Verification: Sellers must register a business account. Verification involves confirming bank details (often a small transfer) and company director identity.
EAN Codes: Every product requires a valid EAN/GTIN code to ensure correct product catalog matching. Listing quality is highly prioritized.
VAT Requirement: To fully leverage Allegro’s services, particularly their fulfillment options, sellers need to be VAT registered in Poland and listed on the national VAT whitelist.
Shipping: While sellers can manage their own logistics, utilizing Allegro's own fulfillment solution (Allegro One Fulfillment) is highly recommended for obtaining the Smart! badge and guaranteeing the delivery speeds customers expect.
Essential KPIs for Allegro
The platform emphasizes quality of service, which is measured through its Sales Quality Dashboard.
Sales Quality Score: This score (aim for "Super Seller" status) directly impacts search ranking. It measures response time, timely shipping, customer ratings, and issue resolution.
Shipping Time Compliance (STC): The percentage of orders shipped within the announced timeframe. Allegro customers expect fast, reliable delivery; achieving high STC is critical for success.
Return Rate: Monitoring returns specific to Allegro helps identify product quality or description issues unique to the Polish consumer base.
2. Bol.com (Benelux Region: Netherlands & Belgium)
Bol.com is the dominant marketplace in the Netherlands and a significant player in Belgium. Unlike the hyper-competitive German market, bol.com enjoys a very high level of trust and loyalty among Dutch-speaking consumers, often outperforming Amazon in the region.
Bol.com: At a Glance
This platform excels at general merchandise, ranging from books and electronics to toys and lifestyle products. The Benelux market is densely populated and affluent, making it highly attractive. Crucially, bol.com places a major emphasis on local relevance and seamless Dutch-language support.
How to Start Selling on Bol.com
Entry requirements are slightly stricter, focusing on business credentials and commitment to local service standards.
Local Presence: While you don't need a physical office, you must be a registered business and have the ability to handle returns within the Netherlands.
Language: Listings, product content, and customer service must be conducted in Dutch. Poor translation is a major deterrent for local buyers.
Fulfillment: Bol.com offers its own logistics service (Logistiek via bol.com, LvB) which provides the best customer delivery experience, fast speeds, and the highest visibility. Sellers managing their own fulfillment must maintain extremely high service standards to compete.
Essential KPIs for Bol.com
Bol.com measures its sellers on a strict performance model focused on speed and reliability.
Service Level Agreement (SLA) Compliance: Strict adherence to shipping deadlines. Late dispatch or delivery can lead to penalties or even temporary sales suspension.
Customer Response Time: Fast response times to customer inquiries are weighted heavily. The platform expects prompt, professional handling of all communications in Dutch.
Stock Reliability: The rate at which ordered items are actually in stock and delivered. High stock reliability is crucial for building the long-term trust characteristic of the bol.com buyer.
3. Cdiscount (France)
As the second-largest e-commerce site in France, Cdiscount provides an excellent point of entry into the crucial French market, acting as a viable alternative to the dominant Amazon. It is particularly strong in electronics, home appliances, and cultural goods.
Cdiscount: At a Glance
Cdiscount is known for competitive pricing, flash sales, and a strong private label presence, appealing primarily to value-conscious consumers. It offers a structured environment with its own fulfillment solution, Octopia Fulfillment, which helps sellers compete on delivery speed.
How to Start Selling on Cdiscount
The process is straightforward, but commitment to French-language localization is key.
Subscription Model: Sellers pay a monthly subscription fee (€39.99 ex VAT) plus variable commission rates (typically 5% to 20% depending on the category).
Localization: All product descriptions, titles, and customer support must be in French. Utilizing professional translation ensures trust and improves search ranking.
Shipping: Sellers must dispatch orders within two working days. Leveraging Cdiscount’s fulfillment network allows sellers to offer the competitive delivery options French consumers expect, including the Cdiscount à Volonté (CdAV) subscription program similar to Amazon Prime.
Essential KPIs for Cdiscount
Price and fulfillment speed are the primary drivers of success on Cdiscount.
Shipping Tracking Compliance: The percentage of orders correctly provided with valid tracking information. This is fundamental to avoiding customer disputes.
Customer Claim Rate: Monitoring the rate of claims is important for maintaining account health. Cdiscount prioritizes the buyer experience.
Price Competitiveness: Unlike Amazon, price is the dominant factor in securing the Buy Box on Cdiscount. Sellers must actively monitor and manage their pricing strategy.
4. Kaufland.de (Germany and CEE Expansion)
Kaufland.de, formerly Real.de, has rapidly matured into a major multi-category marketplace. Backed by the immense resources and logistics network of the Schwarz Group (one of Europe’s largest retailers), it is a fast-growing, highly trusted option for accessing German consumers and is aggressively expanding across the CEE region (Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, etc.).
Kaufland.de: At a Glance
Kaufland benefits from strong brand recognition due to its physical store presence across Europe. Its marketplace is generalist, covering everything from groceries and home decor to electronics and garden supplies. For sellers aiming to diversify their risk within the essential German market, Kaufland is a key strategic choice.
How to Start Selling on Kaufland.de
Setting up is relatively simple, often utilizing existing data feeds from other platforms.
Product Quantity: Sellers must generally have a substantial product catalog (often 50+ unique products) to meet Kaufland’s scale requirements.
Localization: German-language content and customer service are required for the German domain. As with all German platforms, consumers expect high detail and transparency.
Global EAN: EAN/GTIN codes are crucial for listing products and ensuring proper categorization and matching within the catalog.
Fulfillment Flexibility: Kaufland supports both seller-fulfilled logistics and the use of third-party fulfillment (3PL) providers. Leveraging a robust, Germany-based 3PL, like FLEX. Logistik, ensures you meet the market’s high expectations for delivery speed and accurate order processing, which directly translates to a better seller rating on the platform.
Essential KPIs for Kaufland.de
Seller performance is monitored to ensure the quality expected by the Kaufland brand is maintained.
Cancellation Rate: Measured by the number of seller-initiated cancellations. Maintaining a low rate is critical for search visibility.
Delivery Performance: Adherence to promised shipping times is essential. German consumers value reliability and speed above almost all other factors.
A-to-Z Claims Equivalent: The rate of customer disputes or official complaints. This must be proactively managed to prevent negative impacts on account health.
5. eMAG (Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria)
eMAG dominates the South-Eastern European (SEE) market, with its strongest presence in Romania, and significant operations in Hungary and Bulgaria. This region represents a massive, often less-saturated opportunity for Western sellers.
eMAG: At a Glance
The SEE market is characterized by rapid e-commerce adoption and high potential for volume growth. eMAG is a trusted name, offering a wide range of products with a focus on electronics and fashion. Critically, Cash on Delivery (CoD) remains a popular payment option in this region, which must be factored into the logistics and financial risk model.
How to Start Selling on eMAG
Sellers should be ready to localize and adapt to the region's specific commercial practices.
Language: Listings and service must be localized to Romanian, Hungarian, or Bulgarian depending on the target domain.
eMAG Fulfillment (FBE): Utilizing Fulfillment by eMAG (FBE) is strongly recommended to easily manage the CoD option and ensure fast delivery within the region's sometimes less mature logistics networks.
Pricing: The platform allows for dynamic pricing and promotion campaigns, requiring active price management to capitalize on local sales events.
Essential KPIs for eMAG
Performance here is often tied to volume growth and managing regional payment methods.
CoD Failure Rate: The percentage of Cash on Delivery orders that fail (customer refuses payment or is unavailable). This requires close coordination with the carrier and logistics partner.
Sales Growth Rate (Regional): Tracking sales growth specifically on eMAG compared to other channels indicates the success of your penetration strategy in the SEE market.
Inventory Accuracy: Given the need to stock inventory for multiple SEE countries (Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria) from a central hub, inventory accuracy is key to preventing back-orders and cancellations.
The Synergy of Strategy and Logistics
Expanding into these powerful alternative marketplaces offers clear benefits: access to new customers, reduced reliance on a single gatekeeper, and the ability to test new products in less saturated markets. However, the one universal challenge across all five platforms—Allegro, bol.com, Cdiscount, Kaufland.de, and eMAG—is logistics localization. Every market demands speed, reliable tracking, and a seamless returns process.
This is precisely where strategic fulfillment becomes paramount. Attempting to fulfill orders from these diverse platforms out of a single, distant warehouse inevitably leads to slower delivery times and failed SLA compliance. The most successful sellers utilize a centralized, strategically located European fulfillment partner that can handle multi-channel inventory management and rapidly dispatch orders to every corner of the EU and CEE regions.
A specialized 3PL partner like FLEX. Logistik provides the infrastructure needed to meet the stringent demands of Kaufland.de in Germany, the speed requirements of bol.com in the Benelux, and the regional complexity of eMAG. By placing your stock strategically and connecting it to a reliable, modern warehouse management system, you ensure that your marketplace strategy is backed by the operational excellence necessary to convert high seller ratings into sustained growth. Master the logistics, and the marketplace opportunities will follow.
