In 2025, 60 % of German retailers who participated in a research stated that they have been dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their on-line enterprise. This means a big decline in comparison with 2024. The share of glad or very glad sellers has fallen from 48 to 40 %.
These knowledge come from the newest annual research about German ecommerce from Händlerbund, a German retailers’ affiliation. The earlier research confirmed that 52 % of shops have been dissatisfied, in 2024.
Revenues dropped for greater than half of contributors
When taking a look at revenues, the stress that German on-line sellers are experiencing appears to be confirmed. Greater than half of the retailers that have been surveyed stated that that they had declining revenues final 12 months. As much as 37 % stated that revenues have dropped, one other 19 % skilled a pointy decline.
Solely 27% of shops reported rising revenues
Simply 27 % of collaborating retailers reported rising or considerably rising on-line gross sales. Most sellers should make plans for 2026 with much less monetary flexibility, in a posh market atmosphere.
Hurdles for on-line sellers
Nevertheless, declining gross sales will not be the one constraint that these sellers are experiencing. A research earlier this 12 months already indicated that 9 out of ten German on-line sellers stated that bureaucratic procedures place a heavy or very heavy burden on them. The present research confirms this, as 70 % of on-line sellers stated that bureaucratic necessities are a significant hurdle.
Bureaucratic necessities and customer support are most important burdens for on-line sellers
Customer support was talked about nearly as usually. For 67 % of respondents it’s a important burden. Authorized necessities are a problem for 48 %, and an equal share stated that aggressive stress is a giant impediment. Accessibility (37 %) and fee points (32 %) have been additionally talked about usually.
Competitors intensifying
In line with 69 % of the respondents, competitors in German ecommerce has intensified. Simply 2 % anticipate that the aggressive panorama will stay unchanged this 12 months. This might have penalties for sellers: visibility, margins, buyer acquisition and retention are below growing stress.
Due to this, most sellers are cautious about this 12 months. As much as 39 % anticipate a troublesome 12 months, with a number of hurdles. One other 33 % are impartial and hope for secure growth. And 28 % are optimistic or cautiously optimistic. There’s a decline in optimism, because the share of shops who’re very optimistic fell from 13 to 4 %.
