From the global heavyweights to the local favourites you’ve been ordering your products and clothing for years, online marketplaces have been rewriting the rules of fashion retail. They’re where brands get seen, sales get made and trends move incredibly fast. The trick is all about learning how to steer through the chaos, without losing your edge or your margins.
Marketplaces are booming
As early as next year, around 60% of gross merchandise value (GMV) is expected to run through third-party platforms. Marketplaces aren’t just one type of channel — they cover a wide range, each with its own strengths.
Think of the global players like Amazon: they give you instant reach and huge traffic, but also fierce competition. Then there are the fashion superstars — for example Zalando and ABOUT YOU in Germany, ASOS in the UK — where style-driven audiences expect curated assortments and slick presentation. Add in local heroes such as Bol in the Netherlands or Allegro in Poland, which are essential for regional expansion and visibility. And finally, the specialists, from off-price clubs to category leaders, where brands can connect with highly targeted customer groups. Think of Veepee or Decathlon for example.
For fashion sellers, the barrier to entry is low, but that definitely doesn’t mean it’s simple. Often marketplaces can feel like a maze of missed opportunities. With the right approach, they can become your fastest growth driver.
That’s exactly what the masterclass ‘Scaling through steering: The Tradebyte advantage for marketplace success’ explores. Led by Stefan Röttger, VP Sales & Growth at Tradebyte, it shares proven ways to navigate marketplace complexity and steer your brand towards profitable growth. Watch the full masterclass below.
Complexity of the marketplace ecosystem
On paper, selling on marketplaces looks straightforward: upload your products, set your prices, start selling. In reality, the European marketplace landscape is anything but simple. With over 100 different platforms across the region, every channel comes with its own rules, requirements, and quirks.
Product data formats differ, business models vary from classical setups to dropship models for example, and interfaces often require unique integrations. Add to that the mix of customer types, local carrier rules, preferred payment methods and the reality of high return rates in fashion, and complexity quickly becomes the norm. Without a setup designed to handle these differences, brands risk overselling, rising costs and missed opportunities.
Five levels of a successful marketplace business
Success on marketplaces isn’t about being everywhere at once. It’s about having a setup that can grow with you and knowing exactly where to focus your energy. Here’s how to build that foundation, level by level:
Scalable setup
Start with a centralised integration hub. Focus on the 4-5 marketplaces that will bring in 80-90% of your revenue, then branch out to rising stars and local favourites.Availability & delivery
Match demand with fast onboarding. Keep stock synced in real time to avoid overselling. Meet local carrier rules and keep logistics cost-efficient, especially with the high return rates in the fashion industry.Price management
Focus on your top sellers, as no more than 20% of your articles will need high attention. Take a margin-first approach: analyse all margin-related factors, then work backwards from your desired profit to set the price.Content optimisation
Go beyond the bare minimum. Use market-specific images, titles, and descriptions to improve visibility and reduce returns. Rich product detail pages (PDPs) pay off, with the future of these PDPs being video-based.Performance marketing
Retail media can boost visibility and conversions for a small selection of products. Measure ROAS (Return On Ad Spend) closely to keep it a growth driver and not a cost centre.
"Especially in fashion, it's quite likely that four to five marketplaces will be doing 80 to 90% of your general business"
Ready to steer your business smarter?
Build a setup that scales. Focus on the right platforms. Nail availability, pricing and content. And above all, let data guide your next move. These are the main pillars for succeeding in quickly evolving marketplaces.
