E-Commerce

Current articles and industry insights on the topic of e-commerce

Electronic commerce, or e-commerce for short, has undergone a remarkable transformation in the way we buy and sell goods and services in recent decades.

With the rise of the internet and the constant development of technologies, e-commerce has become a fundamental part of our daily lives and the global economy.

This revolutionary approach to commerce enables companies and consumers alike to conduct transactions, interactions and commercial relationships online.

Learn more about e-commerce.

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Table of contents

Kaufland marketplace

Kaufland Marketplace: A great portal for your products

Welcome to paradise for online shoppers and retailers! The Kaufland marketplace offers a breathtaking shopping experience in e-commerce with a limitless selection of products. Whether groceries, household goods, electronics or fashion - here you can find everything in one online store, just like on Amazon. Plus an overview of the regional offers in the stores at the same time!
  • E-Commerce, Marketing
B2B store wholesaler

B2B store for wholesalers in e-commerce

A B2B store for wholesalers in e-commerce is becoming increasingly indispensable. The statistics show how the volume has increased. What requirements must a B2B store fulfill? What functions do the platforms offer?
  • E-Commerce
Mailbox company fulfillment logistics

Registering a letterbox company as your registered office: Is this allowed?

Anyone who works commercially must register a business. Naturally also as an online retailer and YouTuber. Can a letterbox company then be entered as the address?
  • E-Commerce, IT law
Dropshipping

From 0 to 100: Building an online business with dropshipping

Are you ready to build an online business? With the rapid development of technology, the world of e-commerce has opened up endless opportunities for entrepreneurs. One of the most revolutionary methods of boosting your business is dropshipping.
  • E-Commerce, Marketing

Temu marketplace – a new opportunity for retailers?

The Temu Shop is a new online marketplace from China that specializes in offering everyday products at purchase prices in Europe.
  • E-Commerce, Marketing
What is a fulfillment center pre marketplace

What does omnichannel marketing mean?

The question of how I can sell more as an online retailer is always the central issue for sellers. The use of omnichannel and multichannel will be more relevant than ever in 2023. Reading Time: 7:08 min.
  • E-Commerce, Marketing, Omnichannel
JTL Shop 5 Features

New JTL Shop 5.2 for online retailers

The new JTL Shop 5.2 is on the market just in time for the start of the year. The new version comes with a number of features, such as the template preview or creating various delivery addresses.
  • E-Commerce, JTL Software
Shipping platform

Veeqo: New free shipping platform from Amazon

Veeqo is Amazon's new free shipping platform. For creating shipping labels for retailers in eCommerce.
  • E-Commerce, Shipping software
Shipping costs comparison

E-commerce costs

What are the costs of an e-commerce business? An overview of the costs incurred, with a comparison showing the shipping costs of renowned online retailers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
  • Comparison costs e-commerce
Widerrufsrecht digitale Inhalte

Right of withdrawal for digital content

  • E-Commerce, IT law
TTDSG Cookie Banner Law

TTDSG – Cookie Banner Law

The new Cookie Banner Act TTDSG has been in force since 01.12.2021.
  • E-Commerce, IT law, TTDSG
Pinterest Shopify App

Sell on Pinterest with the Shopify app

Since March 2021, online retailers have also been able to use Pinterest as a sales platform and now connect their own store with the Pinterest app for Shopify.
  • E-Commerce, Sales platform, Shopify App
Online Shopping

VAT ID no deposit with eBay

eBay is now making mandatory information for online traders compulsory! As a retailer, you should always bear this in mind.
  • E-Commerce, eBay, IT law
Categories

Insights and tips on e-commerce

Unlock the secrets of successful online trading.

What products can I sell online?

Nowadays, a lot of products are sold online. In addition to physical goods, services and software are also offered online.

If you’re a new retailer looking for ideas for physical products, you can find some on
dropshipping platforms, Pinterest, Instagram, or TikTok.

Sehr beliebt sind zurzeit DIY-Produkte, die auf Etsy oder OBI angeboten werden können.

DIY products (Do-It-Yourself products) are items that have been developed so that users can manufacture, assemble or customize them themselves.

These can be craft and handicraft kits, furniture kits, electronics kits, decorative items or garden kits, for example.

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Selling as a trader on marketplaces?

Before investing a lot of time and money in your own online store, selling on marketplaces can be much faster. Valuable experience is also gained as to which items customers buy at what price and at what time.

Marketplaces such as eBay, classified ads or Etsy are a good place to start. OBI ➚ is a good marketplace for DIY, construction and gardening.

Of course, it also depends very much on what is being sold. For example, there are specialized marketplaces such as Reverb, Conrad, Shop Apotheke, limango, Zalando or Avocadostore.

If you have experience in selling, the Amazon or Kaufland marketplaces are very interesting. These platforms have millions of visitors who shop online every day. However, retailers must observe a few rules, otherwise they may be blocked.

Commodity financing as start-up aid?

Merchandise financing is a type of financing where companies receive loans to enable the purchase of goods. This is particularly useful for young companies that need to purchase new goods quickly but do not yet have sufficient income to cover the costs immediately.

However, the costs of financing the goods must also be factored into the price of the product. This can lead to competitive disadvantages.

Providers include MYOS, aifinyo, Fulfin, iwoca or FinCompare for comparison.

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E-Commerce Fulfillment

The next step is to store, pack and ship the goods. Retailers can do this themselves or outsource these tasks.

If there are several hundred orders a day, the retailer can reach its limits. Then either employees have to be hired or the entire order processing with goods storage has to be handed over to an external fulfillment service provider.

Is a merchandise management system necessary?

As an online retailer, it is advisable to use an inventory management system right from the start.

A merchandise management system (MMS ) or ERP system (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a software that supports online retailers in optimizing and managing their business processes.

Here are some of the main functions of a merchandise management system:

Inventory management: Monitors stock levels, tracks goods movements and optimizes warehousing.

Order processing: Automatically retrieves orders, creates invoices and tracks shipping status.

Purchasing management: Supports the procurement of goods, from ordering to delivery.

Sales management: Helps manage sales processes, including quote generation, sales orders and payment processing.

Supply chain management: Coordinates the entire supply chain to ensure a smooth flow of goods and services.

Finance and accounting: Provides accounting, financial reporting and budgeting functions.

Production planning: Supports production planning and control to ensure efficient production.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Tracks customer interactions and manages customer relationships.

Make sure that the MMS or ERP system has the interfaces to the marketplaces you want to sell on.

Software providers are for example JTL, billbee, weclapp or Xentral.

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In which registers do I have to register as an online retailer?

As an online retailer in Germany, you naturally need a business registration and entry in the commercial register.

But there are other registers, such as the EPR register (Extended Producer Responsibility) for WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and batteries. This is a legally prescribed procedure in Germany that gives manufacturers and retailers responsibility for the environmentally friendly disposal and recycling of products. Many marketplaces require your EPR registration number.

However, there is also the packaging register (also known as the LUCID register), in which you must enter your packaging material and report the quantity used. You must also register if you use a fulfillment provider. This provider will then inform you of the quantity of packaging material used.

If you sell medicinal products as an online retailer, you must register with the BfArM (Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices) in the mail order register.

It is also mandatory to register with the Berufsgenossenschaft Handel und Warenlogistik (BGHW) if you have at least one employee.

Of course, online retailers must register with the tax office and receive a tax number.

If you want to save yourself some work when registering the necessary registers, you can use the service provider take-e-way.de.

Do my products need a GTIN?

If you only sell products in Germany via your own online store, a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is not mandatory. You can sell without a GTIN, especially if you produce the products yourself or import them and sell them directly to the consumer. In this case, it is sufficient for identification if each item is assigned a unique SKU (Stock Keeping Unit).

However, if you sell internationally, on marketplaces such as Amazon or stationary, then one GTIN per product is mandatory.

The GTIN is a unique 13-digit number that is used worldwide to identify products. The GTIN, then known as EAN, also serves as the basis for the barcode, which is machine-readable and makes the sales process more efficient.

You can buy your unique GTINs from the provider GS1 Germany ➚, for example.

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Which store software should I use?

Every store software has advantages and disadvantages. Some store systems are also created for specific customer groups. For example, the OroCommerce software is aimed at B2B sales.

While Shopify is mainly aimed at D2C sales and is already installed in the cloud. Just like the store software from Gambio or JTL, which also includes the integration of payment providers and various marketplaces. These systems are aimed at retailers who have no programming experience themselves.

If you are familiar with programming languages such as PHP, MySQL databases, themes and CSS, you can also use open source software from Shopware, Oxid eShop, OpenCart or WordPress.

However, care must be taken to ensure that these store systems are legally compliant for the German market. In many cases, additional plugins need to be installed. The time factor should also not be underestimated when setting up your own online store.

In addition to item data, the shipping costs, various shipping methods, country-specific taxes, any customs duties and much more must be taken into account.

FAQ E-Commerce

  • E-commerce refers to the purchase and sale of goods or services via the Internet.

    E-commerce platforms enable companies to offer their goods in order to provide customers with a simple and convenient shopping experience.

  • It comprises various business models, including B2B (Business to Business), B2C (Business to Customer), D2C (Direct to Business), C2B (Customer to Business) and C2C Sales (Customer to Customer).

  • E-commerce enables companies to expand their reach, reduce operating costs and generate sales around the clock.

    They can also use data analysis to better understand customer purchasing behavior and develop targeted marketing strategies.


  • The word e-fulfillment is an abbreviation for e-commerce and fulfillment. Fulfillment refers to the entire order processing process in e-commerce, from ordering to warehousing to delivery to the customer.

    It includes inventory management, picking and packing of products and shipping. An efficient e-fulfilment system is crucial for customer satisfaction and the optimization of business processes.