What will you read about?

• A few words about E-commerce SEO abroad

• How to position your store effectively abroad?

Website launch

Building a link profile

Content creation

Technical optimization

Regular performance analysis

• Summary

 

What will you read about? 1.VAT OSS 2.VAT in Germany • Mehrwertsteuer and Umsatzsteuer • Steuernummer and Umsatzsteuer – Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr) • VAT rates in Germany • VAT registration in Germany • VAT returns in Germany 3. VAT in France • VAT rates in France • VAT registration in France • VAT returns in France 4. UK VAT • UK VAT rates • UK VAT registration • Problems with VAT registration in the UK • VAT declarations in the UK 5. Summary 6. Conclusions

1. VAT OSS

Talking about VAT registration, one should mention the special VAT OSS (One-Stop-Shop) procedure. It entered into force on the same day as the above-mentioned limitation. It enables entrepreneurs to settle all sales from B2C transactions in individual EU countries with one collective declaration. Moreover, it also allows for avoiding local VAT registration. However, it should be noted that VAT OSS does not apply to the storage of goods. The procedure itself requires prior registration, which the Polish entrepreneurs can do at the Second Tax Office Warszawa-Śródmieście, Poland.  

2.VAT in Germany

  In the context of VAT in Germany, we must distinguish two terms that Germans often use interchangeably – that being Mehrwertsteuer and Umsatzsteuer. The word Mehrwertsteuer can be translated as VAT. It refers to the added value imposed on products and services at various stages of production and distribution. Umsatzsteuer stands for a turnover tax, which includes any taxes imposed on products during production, distribution or consumption. That includes, among others, Mehrwersteuer and other sales taxes.   When it comes to German terms related to taxes, it is necessary to mention Steuernummer and Umsatzsteuer – Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr). They are necessary for proper settlements and conducting business in Germany. The first one is the equivalent of the Polish NIP number. It’s necessary to enter into transactions with German contractors and for identification at the local tax office. As for Umsatzsteuer – Identifikationsnummer, it’s the equivalent of the Polish EU VAT. It’s needed to establish intra-community transactions when conducting business in Germany.       Basic VAT in Germany is 19%. It covers all goods and services that are not subject to special rates – a reduced rate of 7% or a zero rate. The aforementioned 7% reduced VAT rate applies to, among others:

• selected foodstuffs and their delivery, e.g. milk and dairy products,
• medical equipment for the disabled,
• e-books, audiobooks, newspapers and magazines (except those containing content harmful to minors or over 50% of advertisements).

However, these are only examples. The entire list of products and services for reduced VAT rates introduced in Germany can be found in the German Turnover Tax Act. For this, see Umsatzsteuergesetz.   Foreign companies wishing to register for VAT in Germany must register with the local tax office. Its choice depends on an unusual criterion. Namely, the first letter in the company name:

1. For letters from A to G, it will be the Tax Office in Hamelin.
2. For the letters H to L, this will be the Tax Office in Oranienburg.
3. For the letters M to R, this will be the Tax Office in Cottbus.
4. For the letters S to Ź, this will be the tax office in Noerdlingen.

The registration process takes place in Germany by correspondence and requires the entrepreneur to provide the necessary documents. These include the originally signed: Fragebogen (registration application) and a cover letter. It’s also required to provide copies of an identity document and confirmations of having a bank account and EU VAT registration. A copy of the founding act with a plain German translation and the company’s entry in the register of companies, together with a certified translation, should also be attached. If everything goes well, VAT registration in Germany can take about 1–2 months.   In Germany, VAT returns must be submitted on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. The monthly declaration is the default one. The quarterly declaration is available to companies that did not exceed EUR 7,500 in VAT liability in the previous calendar year. Deadline for submitting declarations in Germany falls on the 10th day of the calendar month following the settlement period for monthly and quarterly declarations, and on July 31 for annual declarations.

France is the first country in the world to introduce VAT, which has been in force since 1954. It is known as taxe sur la valeur ajoutée.   The standard VAT rate in France is 20%. In addition, there are also two reduced rates, one super-reduced rate and a zero rate. It’s worth noting that the term super-reduced VAT rate refers to a rate that is less than 5%. The products and services are subject to selected rates are:

• 10%: unprocessed agricultural products, social housing, firewood,
• 5%: food products, books, electricity,
• 1%: state-reimbursed drugs, sale of live slaughter animals, some press publications,
• 0%: intra-community and international transport (except road and inland waterway transport).

For a full description of the products and services that qualify for the selected VAT rates, see article 278 of Code Général des Impôts.   To obtain a French VAT number, entrepreneurs must register online with the local tax office. I.e. Direction des Résidents à l’Etranger et des Services Généraux. For this purpose, the entrepreneur must provide the office with a set of certain documents. That being an originally signed registration application, a copy of the memorandum of association or articles of association together with a plain translation into French. The confirmation of the entry in the register of companies together with a certified translation is needed as well. In addition, it’s necessary to provide copies of an identity document, confirmation of having a bank account and EU VAT registration. It is worth adding that for VAT registration in France, for non-EU companies, fiscal representation is necessary. In the case of a properly conducted process, VAT registration in France can take, as in Germany, about 1–2 months.   After registering for French VAT, the taxpayer is obliged to submit tax returns in France. These can be submitted on a monthly or quarterly basis by the 19th day of the month following the selected period. However, quarterly declarations are intended only for companies whose VAT liabilities in the previous 4 quarters did not exceed EUR 4,000. On the other hand, an annual VAT declaration in France is not required. In addition, VAT in France should be paid by direct debit. Otherwise, the VAT payer may be fined. VAT registration in the United Kingdom is required in circumstances similar to those described for registration in Germany or France. I.e. importing and exporting goods, storing goods in the UK or organizing events. In addition, there are two more cases requiring a VAT declaration in the UK that are worth highlighting. The first is exceeding GBP 70,000 for the sale of goods and services to buyers from the UK. Due to Brexit, the previously mentioned ESPO sale limit does not apply in this country. The second situation is the receipt by VAT payers in the UK of services that are compliant with the reverse-charge principle. That means that the buyer assumes the obligation to settle VAT.   Before we get to the description of VAT registration in the United Kingdom, let’s talk about the VAT rates. There are three in Great Britain:

• 20% – the basic VAT rate
• 5% – applies to e.g. car seats for children, heating for home use,
• 0% – applies to e.g. – selected goods, groceries and clothes for children.

For more information on products and services subject to specific VAT rates in the UK, visit gov.uk.       The VAT registration process in the UK can be confidently described as problematic. However, before we describe the perturbations that an entrepreneur may encounter, let’s emphasize that the registration takes place online through a government site. The tax authority responsible for VAT registration of entrepreneurs in Great Britain is the British tax office. Namely, Her Majesty Revenue & Customs (HMRC). VAT registration in the UK begins with the submission of a registration application. It must be accompanied by a number of documents similar to those we have listed in the case of registration in Germany or France. However, as we mentioned above, the registration process can be problematic, and sometimes takes up to even a year.   The first difficulty is that British officials require additional certificates and forms that are not easy to obtain. For example, a contract with a carrier or an agreement to establish cooperation with a marketplace platform, which companies often sign only after VAT registration. If officials require such documents, the entrepreneur must send them by post, which can be time-consuming. If the letter or package does not arrive on time or at all, the registration process may be cancelled, requiring the entrepreneur to start over. Another problematic issue regarding VAT registration in the UK may be communication. The entrepreneurs can contact HMRC via e-mail, telephone, contact form or hotline. With traditional mail, as noted above, letters may not arrive on time or may not arrive at all. In the case of e-mail inquiries, it may happen that officials do not respond. However, when sending a question via the contact form and receiving a reply, we cannot write back to the official. Moreover, if we send another form, there is a small chance that it will go to the same official.   In the UK, VAT payers usually submit returns every three months. However, this should not be confused with quarterly returns. The UK tax period starts for the payer upon successful registration. Taxpayers have one month and seven days to submit the declaration, counting from the end of the reporting period. Moreover, in Great Britain, declarations are submitted electronically in the form of MTD for VAT, the British equivalent of the Polish JPK file.   Registration and obtaining a VAT number is a process necessary for the functioning of the company on various markets of the European Union. It allows for proper tax settlement, commonly known as value added tax. However, it should be remembered that the VAT registration process itself differs depending on the country. As well as the rules for submitting declarations and the types of VAT rates with which selected groups of products and services should be taxed.   Given all of the above, before entering new markets, an important step is to properly analyse them. It is recommended to consult an expert in the tax industry. You can also commission registration to specialists. This will save your time and allow for avoiding penalties that may result from incomplete knowledge of the regulations.

We have many years of experience and the implementation of over two thousand audits of sales accounts in Gonito. Therefore, we have developed our own methodology regarding Audit Amazon. Thanks to that, we can make it possible for you to examine the status quo. We can also prepare appropriate steps to improve your sales efficiency in the marketplace.  

What will you read about?

1. Audit Types on Amazon
2. Amazon account audit: external and internal
3. Specific audits of your Amazon account – conducted by area of activity
4. Types of Amazon account audits
5. What can the results of the Amazon account audit reveal?

 

1. Audit Types on Amazon

  Audits conducted on the Amazon Marketplace are a complex process of data extraction and phenomena occurring in sales and advertising accounts, product cards, rankings, search engine, categories and subcategories, and then drawing conclusions and creating:

• reports – Amazon audit report on the actual state;
• action plans – plans of action;
• media plans – media budgeting;
• sales plans – sales predictions.

    There are several basic types of audit on Amazon:

• by type:
  • external
  • internal
   
  • by area:
    • general audit
    • health audit
    • content audit
    • advertising audit
    • logistics audit
    • formalities audit
    • tax audit
    • staff audit
    • sales potential audit
    
     

    2. Amazon account audit: external and internal

      The division by type into external and internal audit results from the conditions encountered during implementation. An external audit is a less thorough method of verifying a sales account, product cards, brand, positioning, advertising, logistics or competition. That regards both direct and indirect insight. The general nature of this audit is due to the inability to know the exact data from sales account reports. Another reason is the need to rely on information available in general sources:
    • the platform itself, such as the Amazon storefront, product cards, Amazon Brand Store, A+ Content, Bestseller Ranks
    • paid tools such as Helium10, Keepa, Amalyze or JungleScout
    Internal audit stands on the other side of the barricade. It allows you to extract a large amount of precise data from the seller’s account, as well as other historical resources that it has access to in the company. It is usually limited to the possibility of conducting it based on own resources. Therefore, it effectively excludes obtaining the same type of result from its competitors. However, usually, the most data to create action plans comes from your own sources. That makes for half the battle in the process of optimizing sales.
     

    3. Specific audits of your Amazon account – conducted by area of operation

      The most extensive branch in the context of verifying activities on Amazon are specific audits focusing on a narrow section of operations. This way, they allow you to learn the perspective of a specific area. Let’s use an example to better illustrate the functions performed by specific audits. Let’s think about an account that, despite achieving high sales results, is in a terrible state of health. In due time, it will translate into the blocking of funds, and in the worst case – into blocking the account itself. In such a situation, an account health audit would allow for the correct diagnosis of emerging threats and prevent them. The list presented below is not exhaustive. However, it deals with the most important areas that are worth analyzing. Our goal here is to improve the sales process in the short and long term.  

    4. Types of Amazon account audits

      There are the following types of specific Amazon audits:
    • General audit. It consists in a cursory account audit from the point of view of the most important information in the areas of Seller Central, Case Log and Account Info.
    • Health audit. It focuses on the “in minus” verification of the Account Health, Performance Notifications, Inventory, Return Rate, Case Log and Account Info sections.
    • Content audit . It consists in verifying the level of optimization of published content in terms of views, SEO, conversion, brand consistency and attractiveness, and content saturation.
    • Advertising audit. It analyzes the area of paid advertising in terms of the structure and types of campaigns, advertised products, keywords and numerical results.
    • Logistics audit. It verifies the methods of delivering goods to end customers and external warehouses. It also verifies methods of their time and cost optimization.
    • Audit of formalities. It allows you to verify both the compliance and validity of data on the account. Moreover, it also allows you to check the validity of your documentation, certificates and permits to sell a specific range of products.
    • Tax audit. It consists in checking the tax settlement structure in relation to the logistics methods used.
    • Staff audit. It focuses on verifying the potential of the human resources to conduct and expand sales, as well as the possible need to use external entities.
    • Sales potential audit. It is based on data on the sale of a specific group of products on the target market. Based on the available resources, it allows you to anticipate the sales trend and the necessary expenses.
    

    5. What do the results of an Amazon account audit reveal?

      Regardless of their type, each of the audits carried out brings results in at least one of the three areas:
    • factual status – allowing to establish the status quo as at the date of the audit;
    • improvement – presenting recommendations for correcting errors and introducing improvements in the sales process;
    • sales opportunities – showing the real potential of the company, the product range and the sales account itself on the marketplace.
    Based on the extracted figures and written applications, we can prepare the aforementioned reports, action plans, sales plans and media plans. We can also plan actions to optimize the process and increase sales on Amazon. A meticulous performance of each of the audits indicated will help prepare for the sales peak in the upcoming fourth quarter. Moreover, it will also protect the existing operations against potential threats resulting from increased traffic.   Want to improve your sales performance in the marketplace? Our experts will help you! Fill in the form and arrange an account audit!
   

What you are going to read about in our article on the creation of a listing on a marketplace:

1. What Is a Marketplace Listing? What Elements It Contains?
2. How to Build an Effective Listing on a Marketplace?
3. How Does a Product Description Affect our Listing’s Organic Positioning?
4. What is Cross-Selling and Why Should We Introduce It?

 

What Is a Marketplace Listing and What Elements It Contains?

  Marketplace listing is also known as a product card in an online store. Its main goal is to attract the customer’s attention, get them interested in our product, and then make them buy it. Thanks to the product card, we can achieve tangible benefits, such as conversions (the customer making a purchase). Listing on a marketplace is the equivalent to the presentation of the product on the shelf in a brick-and-mortar store. However, in the shop, it is the salesperson who answers all possible questions of the buyers, dispels their doubts, and ultimately convinces them to buy. For an online shop listing, we have to anticipate in advance what questions and objections our potential customer may have.  This is why it is so important to carefully plan out all the elements of our product card in advance. We need to be sure that they complement each other. The main purpose of the listing is to provide the customer with all the information necessary to make a purchase. Above all, we need to effectively communicate all the benefits that the consumer will get by choosing the particular offer. A listing on a marketplace usually contains the following elements:

• title,
• product description,
• graphic and audiovisual materials: product images, infographics, videos, banners, tables, etc.
• categories, tags, search terms,
• technical specifications,
• the necessary information for the conclusion of the transaction and the execution of the order, including the price, shipping, method of payment, etc,
• customer reviews,
• Call To Action, e.g. the Buy Now button.

 

How to Build an Effective Listing on a Marketplace?

  Below are a few guidelines for preparing a successful and well-converting product card.  

1. Prepare an exhaustive and accessible product description.

 

Title

  Firstly, we must attract the attention of the potential customer with the title. You should pick the target audience you intend to reach and consequently the right keywords. Moreover, focus on the unique features of our proposition that might encourage the customer to click on our offer. The title should strike a balance between containing keywords for the algorithm and providing information that would encourage the customer to click on our offer among all those displayed in the search engine’s results.  

Contents

  Please keep in mind that the product description is also a sales tool. The consumer will not analyse the offer for more than approx. 2 minutes. It’s important to use the language of benefits while keeping things precise. The most significant element of an effective sales description is to identify the benefits that the product offers to its users. It is around these that we need to plan the entire content of the offer. Amazon makes it easy for us to do this by including bullet points in its listings just under the title (desktop version). However, nothing prevents us from including the most significant product features/benefits in the bullet points even if the marketplace in question does not designate space for them itself. A good description should answer all the questions a customer might have about the product. It should do so in an accessible, short form, including visuals. Therefore, it is advisable to use a well-thought-out structure, paragraph division, appropriate fonts, bold, etc. Our text must also be correct in both language and style. If we publish our offers on foreign language markets, it is worth investing in professional translators and copywriters. They will not only translate the text correctly, but also adjust the offer to the specific market, e.g. by using appropriate keywords.  

2. Add high-quality photos, graphic, and multimedia materials

  It is important to have high-quality images when preparing a listing for a marketplace. Customers in brick-and-mortar shops can see the product from all sides, touch, smell, and so on.  When we are selling electronically, we have to try to use one sense – sight – to convey all of these sensations. This is why it is worth investing in a professional photographer, who can prepare the so-called pack-shots. These are high-quality zoomable images of the product on a white background. Each marketplace has very specific requirements concerning the appearance of the photos and descriptions. These criteria are consistent for the vast majority of platforms, with the most important being:

•       the main image should have a clean, white background,
•       all product features must be clearly visible in the image,
•       images should be 1000 pixels or more in height or width,
•       a ban on adding text and logos to the main images,
•       the product must occupy at least 85% of the frame on the longest side dimension,
•       images must not show other colour or size options available.

An image taken according to the above guidelines looks like this:   In addition, Amazon has developed a list of so-called prohibited content and images. These include, for example, images of an erotic nature or depicting children in lingerie/bathing suits. The full list can be found here.

Is it worthwhile to enhance our marketplace listing with multimedia content?

  Investing in good images is a bare minimum when it comes to the visual side of a listing. Try enhancing the card’s appeal with infographics, other graphic materials (e.g. Amazon A+ Content), or short videos. We can use materials of this kind to effectively communicate the product’s key features or benefits. Bear in mind that marketplaces always have certain character limits when it comes to descriptions. As such, it is worth using e.g. infographics to convey part of the intended message in this way. Furthermore, consider presenting information such as technical specifications or figures in a graphic form. In this way, it becomes more appealing and easily understandable by an average reader than in text form. We can use graphics, tables, and videos to explain more difficult product-related issues (e.g. assembly), or to present things that are impossible to convey in written form (e.g. the consistency of a cream). Nevertheless, it is important to consider the specific needs of the audience when crafting multimedia content.  If this is generation Z, it is essential to find out what trends reign among its representatives.  They will surely differ from the ones that are popular among Boomers. Remember that each marketplace specifies how many product images, videos, and infographics can be added to the listing. Furthermore, an overloaded product card gives the impression of a complicated listing and discourages the buyers.  

3. Complete all the parameters of the product card

  It is vital to fill in all the fields suggested to us by the marketplace, such as product dimensions, directions for use, information on hazardous substances, shipping data, prices, etc. Some marketplaces, such as Amazon, permit us to include information on all available product variants in a listing, even if each child has its own separate listing. We should also remember to include all the necessary categories, tags (including images), visible keywords, i.e. search terms (if the platform offers this option), and invisible keywords, i.e. backend keywords.  

4. Adjusting the marketplace listing to all devices

  When planning our listing, we must consider that shoppers now use different devices to search for products. Product cards are displayed differently on a computer and on a mobile app.  It should be noted that the number of people browsing offers exclusively on their phone is growing rapidly. We can discuss this issue by using Amazon as an example. On the desktop, bullet points are displayed under the title of the offer. While in the case of the app, the product description is displayed in this place. Desktop users see up to 200 characters of the title, while smartphone users see a maximum of 80 characters.  

5. Adding customer reviews / Ensuring good customer reviews

  We can build more customer trust in our brand by including customer reviews in our listing. If we do not have enough positive reviews on hand, we can encourage customers to do so after they have finalised their purchase. Please note: Amazon only allows reviews from authorities in the field to be included in listings. However, you may wish to utilize the Amazon Vine programme to collect positive feedback under the listing. A review page on Amazon can be seen in the graphic below:  

6. Carefully review the specific terms and conditions of the marketplace in question.

  Marketplaces impose restrictions that owners of internet shops do not need to follow. These include character limits and internal rules. Some of them may come as surprising to a new seller. For example, Amazon’s terms and conditions prohibit the use of terms relating to ecology (e.g. biodegradable) without this being backed up by the relevant certification. The same applies to the mention of guarantees provided by the seller.  We must also be wary of any suggestion that our product will cure a particular illness, especially when it comes to supplements. Furthermore, we should refrain from using exaggerated or superlative adjectives, such as ‘bestseller,’ to describe our product. The popular persuasion technique of offering a time-limited opportunity is also against Amazon’s terms and conditions. The issue of product card content can have dire consequences if you ignore the platform’s guidelines and even lead to account getting locked, i.e. loss of potential profits. Is your Amazon account being locked? Contact us by filling in the form.  

How Does a Product Description Affect our Offer’s Organic Positioning?

  To begin with, we need to answer the question of what exactly organic positioning is and why it is so important. Organic positioning is the ranking position of a product in organic search results. Those are displayed to the user when they type in a search term in a marketplace’s search engine. It does not include sponsored products, the high positioning of which we have to pay for separately as part of ad campaigns. Organic positioning is achieved without the need for additional expenditure or advertising. Each marketplace employs a unique algorithm that determines the order in which results are presented. It is true that organic positioning does not only depend on the content of the product cards.  Other factors, such as price or customer service, can also influence it.  However, in each case, the machine first checks for product indexing and relevance to the search term entered. And the keywords contained in our product description are essential for this. What are the benefits of choosing the right keywords?

1. We will improve the visibility of our product and brand in search results.
2. Increase the traffic to our product pages.
3. Our conversion and sales revenue will grow.

 Do you want to learn more about all the factors that influence listing positioning on Amazon? Read our article here.  

What are keywords and where you can find them?

  Activities to improve our position in search results fall under SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). As the name implies, SEO is the process of optimizing websites for the search engine algorithm. This is achieved by analysing the keywords and incorporating the most important ones into our listing. A well-conducted SEO analysis should be tailored for a specific language and market. The information then helps sellers to choose the right names under which to best display their product. Sometimes a given language contains many terms describing the same object/phenomenon, and each of them is correct. Performing a keyword analysis will help us determine which phrases are typed into the search engine most frequently. Specialized tools with the main task of selecting and optimizing keywords will be useful in this process. The most popular programmes used for this purpose are Helium10, Sellics, and Merchant Words.  The tools provide information on the frequency with which a particular word or phrase is searched for, as well as the keywords that our competitors are targeting. We include the most important keywords in the title. Those with a lower search volume can be inserted in the body of the description. Keywords that are less relevant, but may nevertheless drive traffic to our offer, are placed in the backend.  

SEO Optimisation of Our Listing on Marketplace

  We should never rest on our laurels when it comes to organic positioning. The trends in individual markets are constantly changing. Listings that convert well may suddenly cease to be effective. Keywords’ popularity is also not a constant feature and is subject to changes related to, for example, seasonality of products. The key to long-term SEO success lies in continuous monitoring & analysis. This means regularly checking the effects of our actions, such as the number of impressions, clicks, or conversions.  In this way, we can quickly identify problems and respond immediately to the market needs. It is advantageous to experiment with alternative keyword combinations. We should also keep an eye on the competition in this area.  

What is Cross-Selling and Why Should We Introduce It?

  Cross-selling, also known as complementary or linked selling, is a technique that involves offering another product to the customer. But there is one condition: it must match the already selected product. Suppose a seller offers tea sets. How can we apply effective cross-selling in this case? We can display under the presentation of this cup a picture (and link) to our offer with a creamer or saucers in the same colour and pattern with a note in the following style: “Customers who were interested in this product also bought…” or “Complete your coffee set by buying….”. We are directing this offer to a customer who already trusts us enough to have chosen one of our products.  This increases our chances of conversion compared to presenting a proposal to a new customer. Statistics confirm the effectiveness of cross-selling. According to the figures provided by Amazon, up to 35% of their turnover comes from cross-selling. A study by the e-tailing group also indicates that cross-selling has helped businesses increase their revenues by 10%. On the Amazon platform, we can use the so-called cross-sell table in A+ Content. It can include not only complementary products, but also a comparison of up to six similar products offered by the same seller. An example of an Amazon cross-sell table looks as follows:  

Conclusions

  The preparation of an effective product card is a multi-level task. It requires sellers to be attentive to detail, creative, and systematic.  We should never forget that a marketplace listing is not only a presentation of our offer, but a marketing tool. As such, it must be attractive to the prospective customers and encourage them to buy the product offered. A well-thought-out and carefully designed product card will constitute the best presentation of the offered goods. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that professional development of marketplace listings is not an expense, but an investment in long-term sales growth. Do you want to prepare a product card that will be professional in all the aspects? Contact us and start working with experienced graphic designers, copywriters, and SEO specialists.  

What are you going to read about concerning sales on Ebay?

1. A Leading Marketplace On a Global Scale
2. Why Is It Worthwhile to Sell on eBay.com?
3. Who Should Sell on eBay?
4. How to Start Selling on eBay?
5. What Does Selling on eBay Look Like?
6. Costs Related to Selling on eBay

 

A Leading Marketplace On a Global Scale

  Numerous studies on the e-commerce industry and distribution channels indicate that eBay is the second largest selling marketplace in the world. It ranks only behind Amazon. The chart below shows the most popular e-commerce platforms in Europe: Just as Amazon, eBay is an international online trading platform with a global reach. The listings published on it are visible in over 200 countries! Those include Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, the United States, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Americans account for the largest share of total sales on eBay (around 31%), followed by the UK citizens (around 29%). This is undeniable evidence that eBay is the right place to build its position in the UK market, which (despite Brexit) is still one of the largest e-commerce markets in Europe and in the world.  By the end of 2023, net sales in the UK e-commerce market are estimated to be $66,707.6 million. It will be an increase of 8.4% compared to 2022. The most popular items on eBay.com include smartphones and smartphone accessories. Those are followed by video games, clothing and cosmetics, electronics, home furnishings and gardening equipment.  

Why Is It Worthwhile to Sell on eBay.com?

  eBay is a very long-established marketplace, even considered the ‘original online marketplace.’ It was founded in California in 1995, so it is even older than Amazon. For almost 30 years, it has successfully held its own in the e-commerce market. Moreover, it has also grown continuously. The GMV of the eBay platform amounted to USD 73.9 billion in 2022, and the company’s market share in the US is larger than Apple’s. Ebay’s mobile app’s popularity also provides proof that eBay is moving with the times. Currently, 60% of the site’s gross sales are made through it. The eBay app has already been downloaded to the phone 599 million times. Choosing eBay.com means taking advantage of a well-established, reputable brand that is well known to users around the world. The site currently has over 135 million active users, with nearly 1 billion visitors each month. This is a large number of potential customers to whom we can target our offer. At the same time, a major advantage of eBay is that we are not competing with products listed by the marketplace itself.   Another important feature of eBay.com that sellers value is the immediate payment of our profits. This is made possible by linking the service to PayPal.  Interestingly, PayPal and eBay used to be one company for a while.  

Who Should Use eBay?

  eBay is an option that is recommended primarily for new marketplace users and sellers who value flexibility. The platform offers us the ability to freely set our selling policies. On eBay, it is the seller who decides on returns without a specific reason. They even have the right to opt out of this practice. Moreover, the retailers also have greater freedom in creating the content of their listings. Compared to many other marketplaces, Amazon has a less restrictive approach regarding its requirements. This results in a higher number of active sellers, which reached 18 million in 2022. This means a lot of competition, but at the same time it is easier (and cheaper) for a larger group of entrepreneurs to achieve success here than on Amazon. The tendency is especially true for smaller companies with a small marketing budget. On eBay, you will not encounter a fierce battle for the Buy Box—each seller starts from the same position. Furthermore, the ads work in a completely different way. Advertising on eBay does not involve fierce bidding to better position your product under selected keywords. Paid advertising campaigns are practically essential for success on Amazon. When it comes to eBay, they are of lesser importance. When it comes to product range, it is safe to say that you can sell almost anything on eBay (except for banned products, the whole list of which is here). This includes products that don’t fit into the standard categories. If you want to sell antiques or items that are very personal, ebay is surely the place to go. The marketplace is also a good place to sell second-hand items. Remember that eBay’s algorithm (unlike Amazon’s) does not prioritise new products!  

How to Start Selling on eBay.com?

  Registering on eBay is free of charge. One person can create several business accounts. The option is particularly useful for sellers offering goods from different industries.

1. Create a seller’s account—the account can be private or a company account. Remember that a company account offers you more marketing opportunities etc.  You will need to provide information about your business type, VAT details etc.
2. Choose the billing method. For cross-border sales, it is certainly best to choose PayPal.
3. Select the currency for billing.
4. Account verification. The easiest way is to verify the account with a credit card. However, you can also do this by phone or post.

Do you need help in setting up eBay account? Contact us.  

What Does Selling on eBay Look Like?

  Every seller who wants to sell abroad must pick the sales model. There are two models to choose from:

• basic—we only list the same listing on all marketplaces.  The contents of the listings will be exactly the same. For example, the ones in Polish will also be displayed in Germany or France.  And the prices will only be converted into another currency.
• advanced—our listings will be tailored and displayed separately for each market we sell on. This model also provides better visibility for our listings, as many users can filter out product cards in foreign language.

In terms of logistics, eBay offers us the Fulfillment Center, which is a version of the FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) model. It can be used for both domestic and international sales. The difference in comparison to FBA is that the service is not provided by the marketplace itself, but by a third-party provider. As such, it is worth examining how the programme works in each country. If you are selling in Poland, it may be more beneficial for us to sign up with a local courier service. Prices for eBay Fulfillment Center services are determined individually, depending on the volume and location of parcel delivery.  

Costs Related to Selling on eBay

  Fees vary depending on the type of marketplace we are in and the version of eBay we are using.  We can check the full list for selling abroad here. However, in each case, the following should be considered:

• the listing fee (e.g. in Poland it is PLN 1.5),

• sales commissions (in Poland 8.7% for most categories),

• PayPal commissions.

Remember that the publication of the first 200 listings each month is free of charge (only sales commission applies). For sellers who have a large number of listings, it may be beneficial to pay a monthly fee for a store. The store subscriptions available to us are Starter, Basic, Premium, and Anchor.

1. Starter (USD 7.95/month)
2.  Basic (USD 27.95/month)
3. Premium (USD 74.95/month)
4. Anchor (USD 349.95/month)

If you have a store, you can implement your listings on foreign markets without any additional costs.  

How Much Do Advertisements on eBay Cost?

  Unlike Amazon, advertising on eBay.com is not a PPC campaign where we pay for each user click. eBay will only bill us for the finalised transaction, provided that the sale of the advertised product has taken place within 30 days of the start of the campaign. The flexibility of selling on eBay also applies to ads campaigns. The platform will offer us a recommended rate for a sponsored listing. They will be based on the competitiveness of category into account.  However, it is up to us to make the final decision. For sponsored offers, the rate ranges from 1-20% on the final price. The final price includes shipping costs, but not tax.  

Conclusions

  Ebay’s biggest advantage is the ability to gain visibility in multiple markets and sell on a global scale. It is a marketplace particularly recommended for sellers taking their first steps in e-commerce.  This is because you do not have to meet strict quality and logistics requirements here (as in the case of Amazon). eBay is also a great option for those who value flexibility and freedom in their sales activities. Are you interested in taking advantage of a marketplace that allows you to expand overseas to markets on all continents? Fill in the form, and benefit from the experience of our experts in planning this venture!  

What are you going to read about in our article on Cdiscount?

1. A Leading Marketplace on the French Market
2. Why Is It Worthwhile to Sell on Cdiscount??
3. How to Start Selling on Cdiscount?
4. How Does Selling at Cdiscount Work?
5. Costs Related to Selling on Cdiscount.com
6. Building Brand Awareness in the French Market

A Leading Marketplace on the French Market

  The French e-commerce market is ranked 3rd in Europe and 6th in the world in terms of sales volume. By the end of 2023, estimated e-commerce market revenues there will reach US$ 91,645.5 million. It will constitute an increase of 18.1% in comparison to 2022. It is also worth noting that more than half (60-70%) of the French do not buy products offered on foreign websites.  The situation stems from a lack of trust in unknown brands from other countries. On the other hand, the French are very keen to use large e-commerce platforms. Amazon is the undisputed leader here, but local sites are also growing in popularity. As Statista.com reports, Cdiscount is currently the second most popular marketplace on the French e-commerce market. Furthermore, the platform’s financial results demonstrate that it is constantly growing. In 2022, Cdiscount’s turnover was €2.2 billion, an increase of 8.6% compared to 2019 (source: WebRetailer).    

Why Is It Worthwhile to Sell on Cdiscount?

  Cdiscount.com gives us the opportunity to target our offer to a large group of potential buyers. The platform has 10.2 million active users, including 2 million subscribers. Furthermore, the site receives an average of 23 million visitors per month. Interestingly, there are only around 15,000 sellers for  such a big number of visitors, so  the competition remains relatively low.  This means there is a great potential for finding customers for our products. Moreover, products on Cdiscount.com are available within 40 general categories and 2,000 subcategories.  All these circumstances will make it easier for us to identify our “niche” and offer our commodities to a precisely targeted group.  

What are the most popular products?

  Cdiscount offers products from virtually every category, but as much as 28.5% of the total sales made by this platform concerns the electronics and computer sectors.  Household appliances, furniture, clothing, cosmetics, and alcohol also sell well.    

How to Start Selling on Cdiscount.com?

  To become a seller on Cdiscount, you must meet the following conditions:

• be a registered trader in your country, declared to the relevant tax authorities, and have a valid VAT number,
• maintain key indicators at an appropriate level – for example, a customer complaint rate of 1% or less and an on-time delivery rate of 99%.

The second point is extremely important. Each account must be individually approved, and Cdiscount reserves the right to make any decision confidentially and without specifying the criteria applied. In addition, the retailer must provide French-speaking customer service and have a return address in France. Alternatively, they can send the customer return labels. These will cover the costs of international shipping. Once approval is received, one can begin selling products. The biggest advantage for sellers on Cdiscount is that there are no limits or sales obligations. You can also post offers for free.  Listings can be added en masse using a CSV spreadsheet or the API. A further advantage of Cdiscount is that there are no restrictions on the countries of origin of sellers or buyers. However, you must keep in mind that all listing contents must be in French. Do you need help to fulfil Cdiscount’s criteria for French-language customer support and listing contents? Get in touch with our specialists.

How Does Selling at Cdiscount Work?

  Sellers can count on the support of Cdiscount staff thanks to a strongly developed help panel. If a consumer encounters a problem with an order, they should first contact the site’s support. In the event of a conflict, the platform offers mediation. Similarly to Amazon, the French marketplace also offers a storage service called Cdiscount Fulfilment. Furthermore, we can take advantage of the free shipping option, the equivalent of Amazon Prime – Cdiscount à Volonté. The logistics centres of Cdiscount.com are located at several points. Their total storage area amounts to more than 500,000 m2. Under this model, the platform takes over the entire delivery process, including storage, packing, shipping, and transport. It is also worth noting that the Fulfilment service is free for the first two weeks. It is worth mentioning that our partners, Idosell and Baselinker, also offer Cdiscount integration services to facilitate the management of the entire supply chain.  

Octopia – access to the SaaS platform as part of the subscription fee

  We can use the Fulfilment service thanks to Octopia, a scalable SaaS technology platform. It was developed by a company belonging to the Casino Group, the owner of Cdiscount. In addition to the logistics services, Octopia offers access to several sales channels. Entrepreneurs selling goods through the Cdiscount platform can easily register for new channels in the Seller panel. Traders have an internal agreement with Cdiscount that makes it easy for them to transfer their listings to marketplaces in other countries. This includes marketplaces in Norway, Finland, Sweden, or Spain. Every seller on the platform is welcome to use this solution as part of a subscription. The Octopia API gives us access to easy invoicing, customer feedback & complaints handling, and more.    

Costs Related to Selling on Cdiscount.com

  Before we start selling on a particular platform, it is important to understand the costs involved.  The billing rules for Cdiscount are the same as for the previously mentioned Amazon. This means that each seller is obliged to pay a monthly subscription fee (EUR 39.99) and a commission on sales. The amount varies from 5-20%, depending on the product category. The exact commission rate can be calculated here.    

Building Brand Awareness in the French Market

  Cdiscount stands out from other marketplaces for its high visibility on social media (Twitter, Instagram) and the large number of people following their accounts. It is important to note that hey have over 1.65 million followers on Facebook! As such, this marketplace is primarily recommended for new brands who strive to to build their visibility. In addition, the platform offers a PPP programme (Pole Position Program). The scheme helps sellers increase the visibility of their brands. It can do so by driving traffic to their listings or enabling them to get product reviews.  

Conclusions

  The French market is an attractive opportunity for any seller. However, it is difficult to win the trust of its 55 million consumers, who are characterised by a strong distrust of online shops belonging to unknown foreign brands.  As such, we have the best chance of building up our position on the French market if we use their big marketplaces. Cdiscount is less popular than a global leader like Amazon.  Yet, it is an easier place for new sellers to establish themselves. The platform is very popular among native social media users, which gives us a good opportunity to familiarise the French consumers with our brand. And this is already the first step to conquering this significant European market! Do you want to succeed in France thanks to Cdiscount? Write to us, together we will develop a sales strategy tailored to this marketplace!

What are you going to read about in the article on Amazon Business?

1. B2B Buyers Preferences
2. What Are the Main Features of the Amazon Business?
3. Advantages of Amazon Business for Shoppers
4. Why Should Sellers Be Interested in Amazon Business?
5. Which Companies Have the Greatest Potential to Participate in Amazon Business

B2B Buyers Preferences

  Recent changes in e-commerce affected the preferences of more than just individual customers.  In 2021, as many as 50% of companies were purchasing products to run their business via e-commerce platforms.  A report by Forrester Consulting for Outreach says that one in five B2B contractors prefer to buy goods online instead of in person. This trend got stronger during the pandemic. The growing popularity of e-commerce among this customer group is not only related to changes in buying habits caused by lockdown, but also to a generational transformation in company structures. Consequently, e-Commerce platforms have been adapting their services to the preferences of customers, including business ones. As the undisputed leader among marketplaces, Amazon has its own offer aimed at companies that want to sell their products to other businesses but not to Amazon, i.e. operate under the Seller model. We are talking here about the opportunity to join the Amazon Business programme. Wondering which model on Amazon to choose?  Find out the differences between them and how you can combine their benefits here.  

What Are the Main Features of the Amazon Business?

  Amazon Business service was launched in 2015 as the platform’s next step in establishing a larger customer base. Currently, it is available in the Italian, French, German, Spanish, UK, United States, Indian, Canadian, and Japanese markets. The idea behind the Amazon Business model was simple: let’s make one place where companies from different sectors and organizations can find the products they need for their daily operations. It is fair to say that Amazon has achieved this goal. The model makes it very easy to create orders for anyone who uses it. At the same time, shoppers can benefit from all the possibilities Amazon offers to private customers. Business customers can benefit from additional facilities not available to ‘ordinary’ shoppers.  And the same applies to sellers who opt for this service.  

Advantages of Amazon Business for Shoppers

  So let’s start by discussing the advantages of Amazon Business for business customers. Why should they use this programme? Firstly, thanks to the benefits offered by the platform, which include:

• saving time in finding suitable suppliers,
• the possibility to compare prices,
• automatic invoice generation,
• access to special discounts dedicated only to B2B recipients.

These solutions have encouraged more than 5 million businesses worldwide to use Amazon Business. Furthermore, more than 80 of them are listed on the Fortune 100 list. According to Statista.com, Amazon Business was the most popular B2B e-commerce platform in 2022. Namely, 36% of all the respondents said that this marketplace was the best place to shop online.  

Dedicated Discounts for B2B Customers

  Let us now discuss the topic of dedicated discounts in more detail. If a B2B buyer finds a suitable product and plans to purchase it in larger quantities, they can request an individual quote, i.e. Quotes. Subsequently, all the sellers who have the product in their inventory can respond by sending a quote.  Then, all the responses are then collected and sent back to the buyer. In the next step, the buyer chooses the most attractive proposal from among them. It’s one of the biggest advantages available on Amazon for business customers. Nowadays, it is not only the quality of the goods on offer that is important, but also the way in which they are sourced. That is why Amazon is committed to helping businesses that want to be transparent about their sourcing and purchasing decisions. Business customers have the option of filtering the results by the people running the company. As such, they can easily search for businesses managed by: – women, – disabled people. – minorities / black people, – LGBT+ persons. In this way, the end customer is assured that they are buying from a company that takes social issues seriously and conducts its business responsibly. This is also an opportunity for the sellers who meet the above criteria. They can improve their position and align with the customer.  

Why Should Sellers Be Interested in Amazon Business?

  As we have already demonstrated above, Amazon Business offers several benefits to buyers. However, it is also worth discussing the numerous opportunities offered to sellers. Sellers can take advantage of the following benefits offered by Amazon Business:

• fewer returns,
• regular purchase orders for products,
• orders for larger quantities than in the case of B2C.

 

How to Make Our Offers More Attractive to B2B Customers?

  Let’s start with a simple piece of information: every seller listing their offers on the platform also makes them available to business customers. Currently, over one million buyers on Amazon are B2B customers, and this number is growing.  It is important to ensure that our listings are attractive and highly visible. How can we do this? It’s worth adding business prices to our listings to start the whole process. These prices will show up on our listing page when a B2B customer opens it. If we use Amazon VAT Calculation Services, this will be the net price.  By simply signing up for VAT Calculation Services, you will be able to automatically invoice your business customers when they pay for their purchase. A benefit like this makes the offer more attractive as well.  

Wholesale Discounts—An Effective Way to Increase Orders From Business Customers

  Businesses can be attracted by offering them discounts when they purchase a certain number of items. On Amazon, sellers can make an offer that reduces the price by a certain percentage when an order is made for a minimum of five items. This encourages shoppers to buy larger quantities at a time. In turn, it also allows the seller to sell the item faster. It is also worthwhile to regularly respond to the Quotes from buyers.  If we submit a good offer, we increase the likelihood that our proposal will be chosen.  

Which Companies Have the Greatest Potential to Participate in Amazon Business?

  It is important to remember that not every seller will have the opportunity to fully make use of the B2B model on Amazon. If your product offering is personalised or your level of stocking does not allow you to handle bigger order volumes, it is worth focusing more on B2C sales.  However, all other sellers should be interested in this opportunity and assess whether it suits their business objectives.  Remember—it will enable you to establish a relationship with the business client. Conclusions  Amazon Business is a solution that meets the needs of a growing B2B audience and the new trends in e-commerce. Moreover, its skilful use within the Seller model brings great benefits to sellers. It allows them to obtain regular orders for bulk quantities without having to receive an invitation to the Vendor programme. It is worth mentioning again that Amazon Business is the most popular B2B marketplace among buyers. For this reason, we recommend that businesses consider this option. If our business operates in a way that matches the model, this is a great opportunity to increase sales.  We should not waste it! Are you interested in starting to use Amazon Business, but require help? Fill in the form, and let’s talk!

Read on the year in passing and get acquainted with e-commerce trends for 2023!

• Summing up 2022—General Analysis
• Summing Up 2022—What Should Not Be Forgotten?
• How Are The E-Commerce Trends for 2023 Shaping Up?
• Conclusions

 

Summing up 2022—General Analysis

  During the pandemic, e-commerce experienced an explosion. A wave of online businesses flooded the market. When examining the 2022, it is worth going back to the beginning of the year. It was the time when social unrest related to the energy crisis and the political situation began to grow. And equity funds decided to review the businesses in which they had previously invested. People began to think more carefully about how much money they were spending. The decline in demand was primarily felt by industries related to non-core goods, such as home décor and electronics. The last 8 months have been marked by declines in e-commerce.  Poland was less affected by the crisis, as we are a less developed country than Western markets. There, the issues occurred much faster and more clearly. Take a look at the summary of 2021 and trends for 2022.  

Summing Up 2022—What Should Not Be Forgotten?

  Positive Developments:

1. Falling production prices in China (except in the case of EU and rising energy prices).
2. Drop in sea shipping prices to pre-pandemic prices (except rail transport).
3. Handling of Covid-19 worldwide (with the exception of China, despite a very restrictive zero COVID-19 policy).

  Negative Developments:

1. Civil unrest and uncertainty in markets following the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
2. Rise in global inflation at the rate not known for last 30–40 years.
3. Rising hydrocarbon prices and food shortages in various parts of the world.

  Key Factors Affecting Sales in 2022:

1. Post-pandemic return to retail and services.
2. Decline in demand from consumers, window shopping.
3. Price wars between Sellers.
4. Broken supply chains, manufacturing downtime in China.

 

How Are The E-Commerce Trends for 2023 Shaping Up?

  We have summed up 2022, now it’s time to discuss the dominant trends for 2023.  

Mobile Commerce

  M-commerce is a naturally separate area of e-commerce.  The fact is that mobile devices have transformed the way people shop. During the period 2016-2022, the share of mobile sales in total e-commerce sales increased from 52.4% to an impressive 72.8% This result illustrates how important it is that all pages on your online shop are responsive, i.e. adapted to both computers and mobile devices.  A mobile app will absolutely be an asset to facilitate the customer’s purchasing process. How Can You Take Advantage of This Trend to Its Fullest? Take the following factors into consideration:

• Visual appearance UX/UI – by giving your mobile app a great look and high-quality images of your products, you can take it to the next level.
• Search functonality – when a user searches for a product, they see previous searches for comparison or as a reminder.
• Checkout process – include a mini shopping cart on mobile devices showing the contents of the cart as an overlay when the user clicks on the cart icon, rather than taking them to a whole new screen.
• Push notifications – notify customers of special offers and other reminders (e.g. re-availability of a product or a particular size).

According to Statista, 61% of retail traffic is generated by mobile devices. Up to 70 million people use their mobile devices to shop online. Due to the convenience of mobile shopping, the number is bound to increase.  Customers can search, compare products, and pay while they are on the go.       

 

Social E-Commerce

 

•  300% → Global social e-commerce will grow three times faster than traditional e-commerce.  From $492 billion in 2021 to $1.2 trillion by 2025.
• 62% → The millennial generation of consumers will drive the growth. They will account for 62% of global social commerce spending by 2025.
• 17% → The forecasted increase in the share of social e-commerce to 17% of all e-commerce by 2025. It will be achieved thanks to platforms and sellers making significant investments and partnerships in this field.

 

Marketplace Boom 

  During the following years, this model is expected to grow in popularity. According to Forbes, sales on marketplaces will surpass $3.5 billion by 2024. How Can You Take Advantage of This Trend to Its Fullest? Take the following factors into consideration:

• Brand & niche marketplaces – instead of competing for market share in established ecosystems such as eBay or Amazon, look towards branded or niche marketplaces.
• Omnichannel strategy – omnichannel strategy will not only bring the benefits of increased sales potential, but also better customer service, and a larger customer database.
• Cross-border trade – in order to reach the full potential of sales without geographical barriers, pay special attention to tax issues, exchange rate differences, or local consumer specifics (e.g. cost of delivery included in the product price)

Multi – Channel marketing strategy

  The ability to have your products available wherever your potential customers prefer to shop helps maintain brand visibility and recognition. Consequently, it enhances trust in it through the exposure effect. How Can You Take Advantage of This Trend to Its Fullest?  Take the following factors into consideration:

• Omnichannel mindset—be flexible in your decisions to redirect marketing resources between sales channels.
• Holistic mindset—look at holistic metrics to help evaluate marketing spend vs sales.
• Forecasting mindset—plan marketing spending with data-driven business objectives in mind.

 

Last mile delivery

 

• 70% → Up to 70% of shipments will be delivered from local warehouses by 2025.
• 20% → US shipments will be delivered to customers the same day by 2025 (including testing drone shipments).
• 70% → In the next 3 years, losses due to lack of optimisation of the so-called last mile could reach up to 70% of retailers’ profits.

 

Subscription Sales

   

Conclusions

  In the past 6–8 weeks, e-commerce has returned to its 2019 mode. Furthermore, investment funds are taking a renewed interest in its funding. The next year will be a time of stability after the decline in 2022. What’s more, it will be a time of improving and streamlining existing solutions in logistics, integration, and availability of goods or fulfilment centres. The era of augmented reality, such as drone delivery, will happen, but not necessarily in 2023. What should we not forget about when summing up 2022? Deferred payments reigned supreme last year. In 2023, the goal will be to make the purchasing process even easier than it was before. With the development of logistics networks, simplified fulfillment and 1-2 day delivery will become standard. Finally, an absolute trend for 2023 is the desire to umarketplace every shop. Do you want to know more where it is worthwhile to sell? Check right now.

What are you going to read about in our article on sales offers optimisation on Kaufland.de

1. How to Create an Effective Product Listing on Kaufland.de?
2. How to Successfully Run Advertising Campaigns on Kaufland.de?
3. How to Develop Marketing Strategies to Maximise Sales on Kaufland?

 

How to Create an Effective Product Listing on Kaufland.de?

  Creating an attractive listing on the Kaufland platform is just as challenging from the retailer’s point of view as properly presenting the merchandise on the shelves in a shop. Read on practical tips concerning sales offers optimisation on Kaufland.de.  

1. Selecting the Correct Product Category

  It is important to note that the categories on Kaufland are only just reaching their final form, which will also include niche products. If you are selling products targetted at a small audience, you may not come across your Amazon category.  Pay attention not only to the ‘tree’ of categories visible when adding products manually. Take a look also at those assigned to them and made available by Kaufland. This makes it much easier to match your Kaufland.de sales listing to the categories shown. Remember that placing our product in the right category makes it easier for customers to find it. Consequently, it maximises the chances of getting it sold. In the case of distribution, the most significant thing is to check existing listings.  This is important because sales commissions charged by the platform owner depend on the type of product.  It is also crucial to make sure that the EAN codes you are using have not been entered on the platform before. If you need help verifying EAN codes, please contact our specialists by filling in the form. At Gonito, we verify EAN codes using dedicated software. We are capable of examining over 20000 records per day.    

2. Creating an Attractive Product Title

  The product title is the first thing potential customers will see in a search list.  Therefore, it is best to make it in a way that draws the customer’s attention and describes the product accurately at the same time. We must stress that it is currently difficult to access software that allows you to verify the search volume of specific keywords. However, you can use the SEO data provided by Amazon. Note that you do not need to know German to create such a title. Being able to infer keywords from the figures extracted from Amazon is fully sufficient.  

3. Adding a High-Quality Product Image

  Good quality product images are a key element of a listing on the Kaufland platform.  Remember that the platform generates less traffic than its biggest rival, Amazon. As such, it is important to remember that many categories are overcrowded with products with few ratings.  We can therefore conclude that it will not be as easy to convince the shopper to make a choice. If a customer is not a regular customer of a specific brand, searching for products at a lower price or with shorter delivery times, we have a chance to convince them to accept our offer. To do this, however, we need to present all the advantages of our product and the benefits of using it. Our potential customer should find out why the model we are offering meets their requirements.  The trend in 2023 continues to be that the buyer is spending less time analysing the offer. This clearly indicates that we should focus on the most visible elements of the listing, i.e. the photos. What Should Our Photos Look Like? The photos should be bright and clear, showing the product from different angles and in different lighting conditions.  In addition, the photographs should present the product in a way that attracts the customer’s attention. Let’s discuss this using the example of buying a stationary bicycle for the home.  Stationary bikes are more likely to be purchased because they make you lose weight faster and allow more flexibility when building a workout regime than those with handlebars and a gel saddle.  

4. Describing the Product in an Apt and Clear Way

  We do not have much time to convince the customers. They will not analyse our offer for more than a few minutes. The product description should be precise and clear so that potential customers have a full understanding of the product before purchase. They should not feel the need to compare our top model with a cheaper equivalent. The product description should include information about its features, benefits, and possible applications. In addition, it is worth highlighting the features that make our offer stand out from the rest. Bear in mind that Kaufland allows for the graphical editing of descriptions. We can use bolding, paragraphs and bullets. It is especially important to control this process when transferring listings from other platforms or when using integrators such as Baselinker.  

5. Setting the Right Price

  Price is a crucial factor in a customer’s decision to purchase.  Before setting a price, it is a good idea to carefully analyse the competition and the prices of similar products. You should also take into consideration shipping costs. Kaufland is a European entity that is subject to the Omnibus Directive. As such, frequent discounting is not a good strategy for increasing sales. This may be a detrimental method in the long term, affecting the stability of margins. It is worth noting that it is possible to make suggested retail prices (SRP) visible (German: UVP). Such a method allows the current price to be presented as lower than the original one. To have prices displayed in this way, we must provide the relevant documents. They will help the staff at the seller support centre make a decision that is favourable to you. In the end, the offer will become more attractive and yet the seller will not have to reduce the margin. Would like to learn more about developing pricing strategies for Amazon? Read our article here.

6. Adding Product Availability Information

  Product availability information should be clear and up-to-date. Customers are usually seeking products that are available immediately or in the near future. It is a good idea to regularly update the information on product availability and quantities in stock.  One of the retailer’s priorities should be to strive for the shortest possible order preparation and delivery time.  

Offer Attractiveness Rating—Long-Term Benefits

  These steps help to improve the global offer attractiveness rating. As our team has observed, sales offers optimisation on Kaufland.de has a direct impact on the ranking positions of the products. In addition, well-prepared offers make it easier to work on advertising campaigns.    

How to Successfully Run Advertising Campaigns on Kaufland.de?

  In order for our PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaign on the Kaufland platform to achieve the desired results, we need to have the right experience and develop an effective strategy. A successful PPC campaign on Kaufland.de requires a thorough understanding of the business objectives we want to achieve. It is also important to know which group of customers we would like to target with our listing.  To accomplish this, we must select the keywords accordingly and create a campaign that will attract prospective buyers. Kaufland offers similar advertising options to those available on Amazon. We have both automatic and manual campaigns available on Kaufland.

How to Select Keywords?

The right choice of keywords is the most difficult challenge. These will be the first steps towards finding the correct customer. As we previously mentioned, it is not possible to know the keywords of competitors or those used in listings across the category. As such, it is advisable to focus not only on conversion, but also on the global situation. It turns out that building brand awareness in areas outside a product’s own category might be more profitable. Are you aware of the additional tools Kaufland.de offers?  Take a look here and discover more possibilities!  

What Types of Ads Does Kaufland Offer?

  The next step is to set the right budget and bidding strategy. Kaufland offers various bidding models, including:

• CPC (cost per click),
• CPM (cost per thousand impressions),
• CPA (cost per action).

To achieve the best results, it is important to monitor your campaigns carefully in the first few timeframes.  We may discover keywords that are worth listing thanks to the adverts. And this way, we can maximalise the search volume. This is especially essential from a business perspective. Increased sales on a stable margin allow you to accumulate funds for further investment in marketing. Correct strategies, such as selling based on position or bidding based on conversion cost, can help to maximise the return on activity.    

How to Develop Marketing Strategies to Maximise Sales on Kaufland?

  Many retailers are unaware that they can use the external marketing price list provided by Kaufland. It includes promotion channels such as: – newsletter, –  advertising using the website’s social media platforms, – e-mail marketing. Retailers often face challenges in scaling their advertising on the Kaufland platform.  They spend a lot of time looking for solutions to get more keywords. This is where campaigns targeting a wider range of customers come to the rescue. We direct them not only at those searching for a particular type of product.

Real Life Example

Let’s discuss this phenomenon using an example from real life.  Parents are planning to furnish their child’s room and start by looking for the right bed for their child. It soon turns out that a black 140×200 bed isn’t the only thing that needs to go in the child’s room. The whole set is missing a desk with green LED backlighting. So, why wait for the buyer to change the filters in the panel, use other keywords, and look at three pages of products. It is definitely better to appear in front of their eyes earlier than the competitors do.   Conclusions Kaufland.de is a platform that offers numerous opportunities for retailers, including beginners.  The site is still in the development stage, so there is much less competition here than e.g. on Amazon. This gives us the unique opportunity to strengthen our position and shape the situation in our product category before the platform reaches its ‘final form.’ We must, however, make proper use of the marketing tools and opportunities offered by this marketplace.  Sales offers optimisation on Kaufland.de will surely pay off in the long-term. Do you need help with your sales offers optimisation on Kaufland.de? Contact us by filling in the form.