Marketplaces in CEE: Central and Eastern Europe remain strongly growing markets with significant potential, especially in the marketplace business. But what does the marketplace landscape look like in the individual countries from Poland to Romania, from Greece to the Czech Republic? Supported by our partner Base, we have compiled the key players and highlighted where changes are taking place.
Little Amazon, a lot of Aliexpress and Temu
It is striking that Amazon plays only a minor role in Central and Eastern Europe – with the exception of Poland. There, Amazon ranks third behind the local hero Allegro and Aliexpress. Equally noteworthy: Aliexpress is strongly represented in all markets and is almost always among the top 5 marketplaces. In most countries, Temu and Shein are also strong players. In Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, Vinted is also a firmly established player in the fashion segment and unrivalled in the second-hand sector.
Significant local heroes
The region is also characterized by diverse local heroes. The Allegro Group is the undisputed market leader in its home market Poland, but it is also strong in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. eMAG is the market leader in Romania and Hungary and has a strong position in Bulgaria. Heureka – originally from the Czech Republic – is now well established in many countries, including Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. Heureka has also gained a strong foothold in the Adriatic countries Slovenia and Croatia. The Turkish marketplace Trendyol is also pushing into the CEE markets and is becoming more important in the Czech Republic, Romania, and Greece.
A special case is Alza: The status of the leading Czech online store Alza is unclear and can best be described as a selective dropshipping model. Therefore, the store is not included in our overview.
And if you’d like to dive even deeper into the exciting markets of Central and Eastern Europe, listen to our podcast episode 113. In this episode, we discuss the latest developments and unique characteristics in the Poland marketplace landscape with Marcin Czyczerski, the former CEO of CCC/Modivo. Here’s the episode “LTM 113: The Polish Marketplace Landscape – or: Why no one can get past Allegro“.
The CEE countries in detail
The GMV figures are taken from the ECDB database.
Poland: All Allegro or what?
- The dominant player is Allegro with a GMV of €12.767 billion in 2024. Key categories are electronics, fashion, household goods, and beauty & care.
- Empik is an important marketplace for books, music, and media, with a GMV of €377 million in 2024. It has expanded into categories such as lifestyle products, toys, and fashion.
- Morele – originally a retailer for electronics and household appliances – has opened up to a marketplace model and reached a GMV of €195 million in 2024.
- Modivo is a rapidly expanding fashion platform belonging to the CCC Group. GMV in 2024 was €93 million.
- Growth is also seen in Fruugo’s multi-vendor marketplace model. GMV in Poland was €17 million in 2024.
- Ceneo is a price comparison site and therefore has been excluded from the marketplace overview.
Czech Republic & Slovakia: Eureka, I found it!
- The market leader is Heureka with a GMV of €1.596 billion. Originally the largest product search engine in Central and Eastern Europe, Heureka has also entered the marketplace world. It is strong in DIY, home & living, and electronics.
- The once well-known marketplace Mall was acquired by Allegro and absorbed into the Allegro Group. In 2024, Mall in the Czech Republic still generated a GMV of €139 million.
- Aukro combines auctions and marketplace functions, with Aukro Collecting & Art (for art, collectibles, antiques) and Aukro Bazar (for electronics, household appliances, clothing, etc.). GMV in 2024 was €273 million.
- Also noteworthy are the marketplaces of Kaufland (€115 million GMV), Decathlon (€91 million GMV), and Trendyol (€73 million GMV).
- Among the newcomers, Dr. Max (beauty & care) and Sportissimo (sports) have established themselves and achieved respectable revenues. The beauty platform WeWell, on the other hand, has disappeared from the market.
- Zoot operates only a marginal marketplace business, with the vast majority of its sales coming from its own retail. For this reason, we have also excluded Zoot from the overview.
Hungary: Led by eMag
- With a GMV of €438 million, eMag is the leading marketplace. It offers a wide range of products, with key categories including electronics, household appliances, toys, fashion, and beauty.
- Pepita.hu now has 2,400 online and offline partners offering products through its marketplace. The assortment is broad, with a focus on electronics, IT, household appliances, and DIY. The platform also operates in Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, as well as in Germany and Austria.
- Allegro also acquired Mall here, which had a GMV of €18 million in 2024.
- The newcomer Fizz.hu has gained a foothold. This generalist belongs to OTP Bank, the largest local financial institution.
- Also noteworthy are Vinted (€117 million GMV) and MediaMarkt (€110 million GMV).
Romania & Bulgaria: Trendyol and Temu attack
- eMAG is the largest marketplace in Romania and dominates the market in categories such as electronics, fashion, household appliances, and toys. GMV in 2024 was €1.332 billion.
- OLX (C2C, general goods) is frequently used in Romania for buying and selling second-hand goods, from electronics to cars to real estate.
- CEL is a marketplace with around 1,800 partners and more than 1 million products, primarily in consumer electronics, household appliances/home & garden, and fashion. GMV in 2024 was €162 million.
- With its opening to marketplace operations, Vivre remains a newcomer as a platform for home décor and furniture.
- Trendyol (€223 million GMV) and Temu (€211 million GMV) are showing strong growth.
- The Heureka Group is well represented with its price comparison service Compari.ro.
Greece: No way around Skroutz
- With a GMV of €1.314 billion in 2024, Skroutz is the largest marketplace in Greece. Key categories are electronics, pet products, fashion, and groceries. The marketplace also serves countries such as Romania, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Bulgaria.
- Public.gr has its roots in electronics, media, and books but has significantly diversified. Categories such as home & garden, toys, and beauty now also contribute significantly to revenues. GMV in 2024 was €224 million.
- Trendyol is also gaining ground in Greece, although its GMV of €57 million is still relatively modest.
Other countries: Croatia & Slovenia
Emerging markets also include the Adriatic countries such as Croatia and Slovenia. In Croatia, Kaufland.hr and Modivo are noteworthy. In Slovenia, the local hero is Mimovrste, a generalist, along with the hybrid marketplace Enaa. Skroutz is also known in Slovenia.
Conclusion: Key Takeaways from Central and Eastern Europe Marketplace Landscape
- Limited Amazon Presence: Amazon is minor in CEE, except for Poland, where Allegro and Aliexpress lead, highlighting the importance of regional players.
- Strong Local Marketplaces: Allegro, eMAG, Heureka, and Trendyol dominate, offering solid competition to international giants and driving regional growth.
- Second-Hand Platforms Rising: Vinted leads in second-hand fashion, especially in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, reflecting the sustainability trend.
- Diverse Market Opportunities: With newcomers like Temu, Trendyol, and Vivre, CEE offers growth potential for international brands adapting to local preferences.
- Future Growth: CEE remains a rapidly expanding region with numerous opportunities for brands to tap into emerging markets and diverse customer segments.
Do you want to compare the CEE markets with last year’s status? Check out our 2024 overview here.