Dutch companies can now apply to sell on Otto.de. This marks the beginning of Otto’s expansion to marketplace partners from other European countries. If accepted onto the platform, Dutch sellers must provide customer service in German.
Otto had already started preparing to open up to European marketplace partners two years ago. Until recently, however, a German legal entity and a German VAT ID were still required to sell on Otto.de.
Otto Market
Now, Dutch companies with local legal entities and a Dutch VAT ID can also apply, provided they participate in the OSS procedure. This is stated on the B2B portal Otto Market, which positions itself as “a reputable trading platform for retailers with a wide reach, clear retailer criteria and a fair fee system”. The monthly basic fee is 99.90 euros regardless of the number of products.
‘Each retailer will be carefully checked and vetted’
Otto operates a curated marketplace model, as it informs potential partners: “Each retailer will be carefully checked and vetted before access to Otto.de is granted. We follow this process to guarantee a fair, high-quality marketplace.” According to the company, Otto has a customer base of 12.2 million active users. To reach them, sales partners must accept returns at a warehouse in Germany, the Netherlands or other “selected EU countries”: Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
Third-largest marketplace in Germany
Otto aims to become the best online marketplace in Germany. “Quality is our top priority, which is why we are processing all enquiries individually.” In 2024, Otto was the third-largest marketplace in Germany by GMV, behind market leader Amazon and eBay.
Otto.de is experiencing solid growth again
After a weaker period, the platform is seeing solid growth again. Partly thanks to the success of its marketplace, the parent company has returned to profitability.
Otto in the Netherlands
Otto was long an established name in the Netherlands, first as a mail-order company and later as an online department store. Last summer, Otto announced it would cease its activities in the neighboring country, partly because its promising marketplace model never took off there. Notably, bol, the local market leader in the Netherlands, has also decided to open its platform to sellers from outside its home market – first within Europe and now increasingly beyond.
