Methodology
Modeling approach
The revenues of the provided online stores are collected or modeled and approximated in various ways.
In the first step, our team of eCommerce experts conducts a survey among thousands of online stores and investigates the key performance indicators in the eCommerce sector, including web sales revenue, category split, country split, and average shopping cart size.
Additionally, the team of eCommerce experts reviews and evaluates all available quantitative and financial data from various public sources such as annual reports, financial statements, media reports, and interviews related to eCommerce company revenues. Based on this data, the revenue of an online store is individually modeled in combination with other store-specific data, such as traffic data and market-specific data.
For stores that do not have any available key performance indicators or additional information, revenue is then entered into an advanced statistical model. The model takes into account store-specific indicators (i.e., product range, peer group affiliation, traffic) as well as country-specific macroeconomic developments (i.e., purchasing parity power, price level index) and market research insights (i.e., regional acceptance of online shopping, brand awareness).
All collected and estimated information is then reevaluated by a team of industry specialists to offer the highest level of data quality.
Forecasts
Revenue forecasts are based on a combination of individual factors (i.e., historical revenue developments as well as online store traffic trends), market trends (i.e., regional developments of their respective products), and store categories (using industry-standard statistical algorithms). These figures are then reevaluated by our expert panel and enriched with their informed opinions and insights.
Methodology of ecommerceDB
ecommerceDB revenue analytics and KPI information
Our approach
We combine extensive data research and Statista modeling:
- Data research & monitoring
- Data cleaning & standardization
- Bottom-up modeling of revenue at domain level
- KPI analysis & forecasting
Our data sources
Our modeling & forecasts are based on:
- Data from surveys covering thousands of online stores
- Data from annual reports & media reports
- Store-specific data such as traffic, category share, and country share
- Macroeconomic data like market development
Modeling and forecasts
We provide informative statistics and forecasts about different aspects of an online store’s status quo and future development based on secondary data from annual reports, media reports, and store-specific data from international institutions and partnerships. Additionally, we provide forecasts based on data-focused trend analyses and advanced statistical modeling.
Key performance indicators
Intensive research, continuous market monitoring, and advanced analyses allow us to detect relevant KPIs and keep them up to date, such as:
- SEO and SEA budget
- Shipping provider and payment options
- Shop software
- Contact information
FAQ
General questions about ecommerceDB
We offer detailed rankings of online shops in about 50 countries and are continuously working on adding more countries.
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greater China, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam
The data is made available as part of our subscription model starting at $395/month. You can find out more here or contact our customer support.
Trials are not possible, but we are happy to offer you a webinar in which you can experience ecommerceDB live.
Yes, downloading store profiles as Excel sheets is possible with a Corporate Account or an Enterprise Account.
The eCommerce studies are published once a year, whereas ecommerceDB is continuously expanded with additional parameters. The major differences are as follows:
- The database shows several countries with a wider range of online stores. The studies are published for Germany (in cooperation with EHI), and more than 30 additional countries, e.g., the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and China (published separately by Statista).
- The database shows sales analyses of the online stores based on category and country. The studies solely show the total net sales per online store.
- The database is frequently updated and shows store revenues in a continuous time series format. The studies are published annually, showing only the sales of the most recent complete calendar year.
The statista.com portal offers an intuitive search engine for quantitative data. Statista is the fast and comprehensive starting point for researching numbers, data, and facts. This database is a "generic" database that aggregates statistics and studies from approximately 18,000 (external and internal) sources.
By contrast, ecommerceDB is a specialized database focusing solely on eCommerce, comprehensive metrics, and information about B2C online stores in the retail sector. The detailed content and sales analyses are generated by and at Statista. With the exception of infographics, all of which are free of charge, the contents of ecommerceDB cannot be found at the statista.com portal.
The database is designed to display all the relevant online stores in a country (primarily based on sales and brand awareness).
There are four different types of reports:
- Country reports: eCommerce markets at a glance
- Brand reports: Customer behavior by online store
- Trend reports: Deep dives into specialized topics
- Company reports: Extensive key facts and data of companies
ecommerceDB publishes a broad range of in-depth reports, covering analyses of national eCommerce markets, customer behaviors and purchase patterns, market trends, and top stores. We dive deep into topics in the field of eCommerce and turn complex insights into ready-to-use analyses for you.
The reports are included in Corporate Accounts and Enterprise Accounts. Individual users can purchase the studies via statista.com.
Store profile and net sales
The store profile is the central place where all relevant information about an online store is displayed. These profiles exist for all stores contained in the database and form the core of the database. It contains eCommerce revenue analytics including global net sales, YoY growth, revenue splits by category, and revenue splits by country. Also included are competitor analyses and market developments, key performance indicators (such as SEA and SEO budgets), traffic data, payment methods offered, store software implemented, shipping providers, social media activity, contact information, and information about the company.
eCommerce net sales are defined as the amount of first-party sales generated by a specific online store at the domain level after the deduction of returns, allowances for damaged or missing goods, and any authorized discounts. Only online stores with a focus on end users (B2C) will be considered. If an online shopping website also offers a marketplace store on a site such as eBay or Amazon, the resulting revenue is also included in the store's eCommerce net sales.
An online store is in focus if it corresponds to the following criteria:
- The store sells tangible products
- The online shopper can order and pay online
- The store focuses on end users
- The store sells formerly tangible products such as software for download
Online stores based on the following services or business models are out-of-scope:
Services such as
- Lending (e.g., drexcode.com)
- Subscriptions (e.g., netflix.com)
- Advertisers (incl. classifieds) (e.g., subito.it)
- Meal-kit providers (e.g., quomi.it)
- Price comparators (e.g., trovaprezzi.it)
Business models such as
- Auction, couponings, bonus and deals (e.g., groupon.it)
- Online stores that deliver products considered illegal
- Marketplace platforms only
- C2C
Sales data is updated on a continuous basis. We regularly screen relevant news outlets and press releases and update data as soon as new relevant insights are published / at least once a year. Additionally, for companies that report financial information, we review the annual and quarterly publications (if available and relevant) in a timely manner.
The category split is subject to our definition set that is established by Statista. The category split is primarily based on a web store analysis. Factors such as the catalog system, number of products per category, average price level per category, shopping cart composition (number of products per category in a given shopping cart), as well as product presentation (hypothesis: higher-priced products are presented more prominently) are considered. In addition, information from company surveys on the category split as well as consumer surveys impact the category split analysis.
When analyzing the country split, several factors are taken into consideration. The first one is the online store's available shipping countries. Statista additionally considers various country-related factors, such as country size and eCommerce volume, purchasing power, and the relevance of sold categories in the respective country. Furthermore, Statista takes traffic data into consideration for its country split analysis.
There are a number of reasons why our numbers may differ from reported figures:
- There might be brick-and-mortar stores that contribute to the sales.
- If the company operates more than one online store, sales are distributed over these stores.
- The company might have additional sales sources that are not included in our sales definition, such as sales from third-party sales commissions (Amazon Marketplace) or other services they offer (AWS, Amazon Prime, Audible, etc.).
- The figures from the annual report might be stated in a different currency and it was necessary to convert the figures using the average exchange rate for the reporting period.
- The figures reported did not represent the net sales and it was necessary to adjust them for VAT and returns.
All sales data in the database are shown in USD. However, we offer the possibility to convert the values into other currencies. The conversion, both for historical and forecast values, is based on the flexible exchange rates of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
We offer conversion to the following currencies:
- USD: United States dollar
- EUR: Euro
- GBP: Pound sterling
- CHF: Swiss franc
- CAD: Canadian dollar
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
We show over 30 KPIs for our online stores, including:
- payment methods
- shipping providers
- distribution channels
- contact information
- shop software
- social media activity
- traffic data (in cooperation with Amazon Alexa)
- marketing performance indicators (in cooperation with search metrics)
KPI data is either collected by semi-automated processes and verified by eCommerce experts or collected by eCommerce experts analyzing different sources such as annual reports, secondary sources, or the store's website (e.g., terms & conditions, FAQ, checkout). KPI data is collected from the viewpoint of a customer shopping from the country where the store generates the most revenue (main country).
KPIs analyzed by experts:
- payment methods
- shipping providers
- distribution channels
- contact information
KPI data is constantly updated. As soon as there are new publications or, for example, information through surveys, we supplement or adapt them at ecommerceDB.
Store software is defined as the software that is used to operate the online store. In other words, it is the engine behind an online store that makes it possible to manage the website and fulfill orders. We collect the store system information by surveying companies and by using the platform BuildWith.
A payment method is defined as the way in which a customer can pay for an online order. Payment methods are classified under the following groups: bank transfers, cards, cash on delivery, e-wallets, invoices, installments, and direct debits. Other payment methods such as gift cards are also collected. When collecting the payment methods, Statista eCommerce experts go through the entire check-out process of each store and analyze additional sources such as the store's terms & conditions and FAQs.
In the shipping section, information is collected with regard to the method of how the customer can access the ordered item(s). Some examples include home delivery, click & collect, and pickup point collection. In case of home delivery or pickup point collection, the names of the shipping providers operating for a certain store are listed. If no information is available, "not communicated" is stated; if the information about shipping is incomplete, "Forwarding agent (not exactly named)" is stated. When collecting information about shipping providers, Statista eCommerce experts go through the entire check-out process of each store and analyze additional sources such as the store's terms & condition or FAQs.
In the distribution channel section, information is collected about other channels through which an online store generates sales. This refers to the multichannel strategy of an online store, including retail stores (brick & mortar), orders by phone or orders by mail (i.e., from a catalog), as well as marketplaces (Amazon, eBay). Information about an online store's distribution channels is collected with in-depth research by eCommerce experts on different sources. Among these are annual reports, secondary sources, store website information, and relevant marketplace websites (Amazon, eBay).
Marketing performance indicators (MPI) are key figures that indicate the store's performance on search engines. This is done by calculating indicators for search engine advertising (SEA) and search engine optimization (SEO), based on the data of our partner Searchmetrics.
Data tool & categories
The Data Tool provides access to country and market-specific rankings, which can be customized with the help of filter settings. By clicking on "Stores" in the top bar on the website, you can access the Data Tool. The Data Tool is located on the left side and the filtered ranking appears on the right side. The rankings are sorted by descending filtered sales and reflect the market of a country, a category, or a combination of the two.
In addition to filtered rankings, the Data Tool has a number of useful functions. You can display the sales figures in different currencies (USD, EUR, GDP, CHF, and CAD), narrow down the search results by net sales using the slider, choose from 11 groups of online stores that are active in only one specific product category, or reduce the search results to pure online players by clicking on the adjacent checkbox.
ecommerceDB considers 5 categories and (13 sub-categories). The categories correspond to those of the DMO. These are:
- Electronic & Media (Books, Movies, Music & Games | Consumer Electronics)
- Fashion (Apparel | Bags & Accessories | Footwear)
- Food & Personal Care (Food & Beverages | Personal Care)
- Furniture & Appliances (Furniture & Homeware | Household Appliances)
- Toys, Hobby & DIY (DIY, Garden & Pets | Hobby & Stationery | Sports & Outdoor | Toys & Baby)
The eCommerce market category “Electronics & Media” covers sales via a digital channel of physical media (e.g., books, DVDs, CDs, Blu-ray discs, computer/console games), consumer electronics (e.g., televisions, DVD players), and communication devices (e.g., desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets). Online stores dedicated to digital media are not considered. Please note: Digital media partially contributes to market volume on account of online stores selling physical goods in a primary capacity and digital media in a supplementary capacity (i.e., the digital media share of the total eCommerce net sales is less than 50 percent). Market volume, market growth and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Books, Movies, Music & Games
The eCommerce market category “Books, Movies, Music & Games” covers the sale of physical media, i.e., books, DVDs, CDs, Blu-ray discs, and computer/console games via a digital channel. Please note: Digital media partially contributes to market volume on account of online stores selling physical goods in a primary capacity and digital media in a supplementary capacity. One of the most important providers in the market category “Books, Movies, Music & Games” is the US internet-based retailer amazon.com. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Consumer Electronics
The eCommerce market category “Consumer Electronics” includes the online sale of consumer electronics, e.g., radios, television sets, MP3 players, stereo systems, and DVD players. The category also includes hardware derived from the field of communications electronics, e.g., desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Well-known and important online stores that focus on these types of equipment are bestbuy.com and amazon.com. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
The eCommerce market category “Fashion” includes the online trade of articles of clothing (for men, women, and children), shoes, and shoe care products (e.g., cleaning products) as well as accessories and bags (e.g., hats, scarves, gloves, leather bags, suitcases, purses, and briefcases). Outdoor and sports apparel, outdoor and athletic footwear, as well as baby apparel fall under other categories (see: “Toys, Hobby & DIY”). Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Apparel
The eCommerce market category “Apparel” covers the digital sale of almost all types of clothing articles, including men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel (+4 years), underwear, costumes, and workwear. Toddler and baby apparel, sports and outdoor apparel, as well as jewelry are not included in this category. The main competitors in this market category are multi-brand merchants (e.g., asos.com, nordstrom.com) and online stores of individual fashion retailers (e.g., zara.com). Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Bags & Accessories
The eCommerce market category “Bags & Accessories” contains various types of bags and accessories. Examples include leather bags, suitcases, and purses, as well as jewelry, hats, scarves, and gloves. The main competitors in this market category are online fashion retailers (e.g., asos.com, nordstrom.com, zalando.de) and retailers focusing on bags and accessories such as ebags.com. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Footwear
The eCommerce market category “Footwear” includes all types of shoes (e.g., casual shoes, slippers,) – except for sports footwear – as well as shoe accessories and care products. The main competitors in this market category are multi-brand merchants (e.g., asos.com, zappos.com) and online stores of individual shoe retailers (e.g., clarks.com). Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
The eCommerce market category “Food & Personal Care” contains the online trade of food and beverages (excluding baby food), as well as medicine, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical and personal care products (including prescription drugs for the private end user, i.e., B2C). The market category also includes medical products for private use (e.g., blood pressure monitors, disinfectants, dressings). Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Food & Beverages
The eCommerce market category “Food & Beverages” contains the online sale of fresh and packaged foods (excluding baby food), delicacies, and beverages. This market category covers for example the sales of fruit, vegetables, pasta, snacks, sweets, refrigerated products, frozen food, soft drinks, and alcoholic drinks via a digital channel. The most significant competitors for online sales of food and beverages are, at present, the online stores of the large supermarkets and warehouse stores such as walmart.com. Not included in this market category are delivery services of ready-to-eat meals. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Personal Care
The eCommerce market category “Personal Care” includes the sale of medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products via a digital channel (including the sale of prescription drugs), such as online pharmacies or the online stores of drugstores and other individual traders (e.g., cvs.com, walmart.com). Alongside medicines, this market category also includes cosmetics, cleaning and care products, and nutrition, as well as medical products for private use (e.g., blood pressure monitors, disinfectants, and dressings). Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
The eCommerce market category “Furniture & Appliances” is composed of the digital sale of furniture, kitchens, and household goods (e.g., kitchen accessories, bathroom accessories, and home textiles), as well as electronic household appliances (e.g., washing machines, dishwashers, and coffee machines) for the end user. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Furniture & Homeware
The eCommerce market category “Furniture & Homeware” includes the online sale of furniture, kitchens, and household goods, such as kitchen and bathroom accessories, textile furnishings, lamps, decorations, candles, pottery, and china. Electronic household appliances are not included in this market category. Important providers in this market category are the online stores wayfair.com and ikea.com. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Household Appliances
The eCommerce market category “Household Appliances” covers the online sale of long-lasting electronic home appliances. These are, for example, major domestic appliances “white goods” such as washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and washer-dryers. Furthermore, the online sale of small domestic appliances such as coffee machines, espresso machines, food processors, microwaves, and vacuum cleaners belong to this market category. Electronic home appliances can be purchased via a variety of online platforms, including internet retailers (amazon.com), furniture stores (ikea.com), and electronic retailers (bestbuy.com). Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
The eCommerce market category “Toys, Hobby & DIY” includes the online trade of toys, baby products (including baby food and clothing), sporting goods, outdoor products, DIY, and garden products (e.g., sports equipment, outdoor equipment, flowers, plants, tools, DIY products), as well as hobby & stationery articles (e.g., art/collectors’ items, car parts, and adult entertainment products). Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
DIY, Garden & Pets
The eCommerce market category “DIY, Garden & Pets” includes items for the garden such as flowers and plants, garden furniture, BBQ equipment, sunscreens, fertilizer, compost, as well as garden tools. Pet food, other pet products, tools for handymen and DIYers, car parts, tools, building materials, and craft supplies are also included in the category “DIY, Garden & Pets.” Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Hobby & Stationery
The eCommerce market category “Hobby & Stationery” contains the online sales of hobby items and stationery goods. Musical instruments, photo and printing needs, office equipment, pens & paper, collectors’ pieces (including art and antiques), and adult entertainment products are included in this category. Hobby-related products already found in the “Sports & Outdoor” and “DIY, Garden & Pets” market categories are not included. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Sports & Outdoor
The eCommerce market category “Sports & Outdoor” includes leisure products relating to sports and outdoor activities. Sports and outdoor items also include clothing and shoes as well as sports and outdoor equipment, i.e., hiking poles, backpacks, fitness equipment, hunting devices, sporting weapons, swimming accessories, and winter sports gear. Market volume, market growth, and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Toys & Baby
The eCommerce market category “Toys & Baby” includes the sales of toys and products for infants (e.g., clothing, care products, baby food, bottles, nursing products, playpens, strollers, and car seats). Examples of online stores in this eCommerce category are toysrus.com, mothercare.com, and childrensplace.com. Market volume, market growths and all monetary figures at store level refer to the annual eCommerce net sales after the deduction of returns.
Specialist groups
Specialist groups refer exclusively to online stores with a specific product range. The defined product range can consist of a specific item, e.g., car tires, or multiple items, e.g., the product range of a supermarket. To belong to a specialist group, a store must generate at least 75% of its sales from the defined product range. Specialist groups are also known as peer groups. The groups have grown historically and are based on typical online stores and retail stores. They are continuously expanded, and additional specialist groups are added to the ecommerceDB at intermittent intervals. The specialist groups can be found on the ecommerceDB and can be selected via the data tool.
- Babies & Children
- Beauty
- Bicycles
- Bullion & Precious Metal
- Cameras
- Car Parts
- Car Tires
- DIY & Home Improvement
- Erotic
- Flowers & Bouquets
- Garden Centers
- Jewelry & Watches
- Mattresses
- Musical Instruments
- Opticians
- Pet Supplies
- Pharmacies
- Supermarkets
- Vaping
- Wine & Liquor
Babies & Children
The stores in the babies & children specialist group focus on the sales of items for babies, toddlers, and children such as children's furniture, children's clothes, and toys. This specialist group includes items for children up to the age of 12.
Beauty
The stores in the beauty specialist group focus on the sales of care products such as makeup, moisturizers, hair care items, and perfume.
Bicycles
The stores in the bicycle specialist group focus on the sales of bicycles and bicycle supplies for sports as well as leisure. Stores with a product focus on motorbikes do not belong in this peer group.
Bullion & Precious Metal
The stores in the bullion & precious metal specialist group focus on the sales of gold, silver, and bullion as an investment. Shops with a product focus on collectors’ coins do not belong in this peer group.
Cameras
The stores in the camera specialist group focus on the sales of products such as cameras and camera equipment.
Car Parts
The stores in the car part specialist group focus on the sales of car parts such as exhaust pipes, pistons, and spark plugs. Stores that primarily sell car tires do not belong in this peer group, since they constitute a separate peer group.
Car Tires
The stores in the car tire specialist group focus on the sales of tires for cars and trucks. The start pages for these stores often display an input mask with tire sizes and other search criteria. Stores with a product focus on car parts do not belong in this peer group, since they constitute a separate peer group.
DIY & Home Improvement
The stores in the DIY & home improvement specialist group sell the standard, broad range of DIY & home improvement products such as drills and hammers, construction materials, sockets and cables, painting supplies, pumps, plumbing equipment, and kitchen sinks and even ovens. Stores that only focus on one of the named products are not in this peer group.
Erotic
The stores in the erotic specialist group focus on the sales of erotic accessories and adult toys.
Flowers & Bouquets
The stores in the flower & bouquet specialist group focus on the sales of cut flowers and bouquets. Shops with a product focus on seeds and potted plants do not belong in this peer group.
Garden Centers
The stores in the garden center specialist group sell a broad range of gardening equipment such as garden tools, plants, flowerpots, garden furniture, and garden sheds. Stores that focus on DIY or home improvement products do not belong in this peer group. Stores that only focus on one of the named products are not in this peer group.
Jewelry & Watches
The stores in the jewelry & watches specialist group focus on the sales of products such as rings, jewelry, bracelets, and watches.
Mattresses
The stores in the mattress specialist group focus on the sales of mattresses, pillows, and slatted frames.
Musical Instruments
The stores in the musical instrument specialist group focus on the sales of musical instruments and music equipment.
Opticians
The stores in the optician specialist group focus on the sales of eyeglasses, lenses, and accessories such as lens care products. Stores with a product focus on sunglasses as fashion accessories do not belong in this peer group.
Pet Supplies
The stores in the pet supply specialist group focus on the sales of pet-related items such as food, toys, treats, and meds. This group includes both stores that offer products for different animal species and stores that offer products for one animal species.
Pharmacies
The stores in the pharmacy specialist group sell the standard pharmaceutical product line. This includes drugs with and without prescriptions (also known as OTC or over-the-counter drugs). Stores with a product focus on homeopathy and nutrition do not belong in this peer group.
Supermarkets
The stores in the supermarket specialist group sell the standard, broad range of supermarket products such as dairy products, meat, fish, produce, bread, and convenience food and beverages, non-food articles such as home and laundry care, beauty & personal care products, as well as tissue & hygiene items. Shops that only focus on one of the named products are not in this peer group.
Vaping
The stores in the vaping specialist group focus on the sales of products used for vaping such as e-cigarettes and refills. Stores with a product focus on tobacco or cigars do not belong in this peer group.
Wine & Liquor
The stores in the wine & liquor specialist group focus on the sales of wine, liquor, or both. Beverage stores with a wide product range do not belong in this peer group.
Marketplaces
GMV is the abbreviation for Gross Merchandise Volume. It is the most common parameter when comparing marketplaces. A GMV is defined as the sum of sales generated by a specific marketplace by both first- and third-party sellers across all its brand domains (i.e., all Amazon URLs, such as amazon.com and amazon.de, represent one brand). Hence, it is a measure of the size of a marketplace and of how much transaction volume is generated by the respective websites.
In general, the GMV includes VAT, shipping costs, commissions and service fees paid to the marketplace operator, as well as initiated but failed transactions and returns. Since the term GMV is not standardized, the definition may vary across companies. Each definition can therefore be found within the marketplace profiles.
Only marketplaces with a focus on private end users (B2C) will be considered for our database. If there are any business-to-business (B2B) sales generated by a marketplace, these will also be included.
There are three main differences between net sales and GMV. First, net sales only include revenue from the first party (i.e., the website operator itself), while GMV also measures the sales volume of third parties that sell goods via a marketplace platform.
Second, net sales are, as the term suggests, net of VAT and further revenues, such as services and other income. Thus, they merely provide information about the actual turnover generated by product sales. GMV, however, is measured in gross terms. In addition to net sales, it usually comprises VAT, service fees, shipping costs, commissions earned by the marketplace operator, as well as returns and failed transactions.
Third, the GMV data displayed on ecommercedb.com is aggregated across all domains (if applicable) and considered brand wise, whereas the net sales data focuses on specific URLs. Given all these factors, the GMV is necessarily greater than net sales.
There are three ways to measure the regional scope of a marketplace. First, all countries in which a marketplace has a distinct URL are considered as part of its operating area. Second, statements of the operating company within its annual reports and/or further valid sources indicating activities within a certain country are examined. Third, web traffic analytics are conducted to assess whether considerable amounts of a marketplace‘s GMV is generated in certain countries.
When looking at the different launch years within our “Stores” section and our “Marketplaces” section, it should be kept in mind that the former provides information about the launch year of an online store. The launch year one finds in marketplace profiles, on the other hand, pertains to the establishment of the marketplace business. For example, amazon.com was launched in 1995 (“Stores” section) but its marketplace in 2000 (“Marketplace” section).
A marketplace is in focus if it corresponds to the following criteria:
- The marketplace sells tangible products
- The online shopper can order and pay online
- The marketplace focuses on end users
- The marketplace sells formerly tangible products such as software for download
Marketplaces based on the following services or business models are out-of-scope:
- Marketplaces solely distributing digital media (e.g., music downloads or eBooks)
- Marketplaces selling motor vehicles (e.g., droom or auto24)
- Digitally distributed services (e.g., plane tickets)
- Marketplaces focusing on business-to-business (B2B) markets (e.g., alibaba)
- Marketplaces with a clear focus on customer-to-customer (C2C) markets (classifieds) (e.g., marktplaats)
- Subscription-based marketplaces (e.g., cratejoy)
- Social-media marketplaces (e.g., facebook, instagram)
Technical questions & support
Please get in touch with our customer support for all support requests regarding our content. The request will be forwarded immediately to the responsible market analyst who can then answer your question competently.
Please get in touch with our customer support for all technical support requests. The request will be forwarded immediately to our IT department, who will then remedy the errors as soon as possible.