German Ecommerce Sellers Hit by Satisfaction Drop, Revenue Decline

Sixty percent of German online retailers said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their online business in 2025, according to the latest annual study from Händlerbund, a German retailers' association. That marks a sharp drop from 2024, when the share of satisfied or very satisfied sellers fell from 48% to 40%.

The revenue picture confirms the pressure. More than half of surveyed retailers reported declining revenues last year. Thirty-seven percent said revenues dropped; another 19 percent experienced a sharp decline. Only 27 percent of participating retailers reported rising or significantly rising online sales. Most sellers will enter 2026 with less financial flexibility, the study suggests.

Declining sales are not the only constraint. Earlier this year, nine out of ten German online sellers said bureaucratic procedures placed a heavy or very heavy burden on them. The current study confirms that: 70 percent cited bureaucratic requirements as a major hurdle. Customer service was mentioned almost as often – 67 percent said it is a significant burden. Legal requirements challenge 48 percent, and an equal share said competitive pressure is a big obstacle. Accessibility (37 percent) and payment issues (32 percent) were also cited frequently.

Competition in German ecommerce has intensified, according to 69 percent of respondents. Only 2 percent expect the competitive landscape to remain unchanged this year. The result is rising pressure on visibility, margins, and customer acquisition costs. Most sellers are cautious about the year ahead. Thirty-nine percent expect a difficult year with several hurdles. Another 33 percent are neutral, hoping for stable development. Twenty-eight percent are positive or cautiously optimistic. Optimism has declined: the share of retailers who are very optimistic fell from 13 percent in 2024 to 4 percent now.