Internationalization

Kaufland Guide: 7 Steps to Internationalization

How to sell international on Kaufland Global Marketplace

When we talk about international expansion, we often focus on market research, business models, channel strategies, and high-level decisions. So what does expansion really look like for brands and sellers in day-to-day practice? And how can going cross-border be made as simple and efficient as possible? Kaufland Global Marketplace is good example for a marketplace that really tries to help its sellers on their road to internationalization. Because this marketplace operator has achieved something that’s still rare in the European marketplace landscape: a unified, cross-country system. With just a few clicks, sellers can go live in up to seven European markets simultaneously – significantly reducing both technical and operational complexity. Here is their guide “How to sell international on Kaufland Global Marketplace”. Seven Markets, One System: Why Kaufland is Worth Considering Over the past few years, Kaufland Global Marketplace has focused on simplifying international expansion. Through a central platform, sellers can currently access marketplaces in seven countries: Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Austria – and starting in late summer 2025, also France and Italy. In total, this means access to up to 139 million potential online shoppers. The Seller Portal is the command center: it allows sellers to manage and translate everything from product data and legal texts to shipping rules – all tailored to the relevant country. Even after-sales service can be handled centrally across markets. One Registration – Many Channels to sell international Sellers only need to register once to access all Kaufland marketplaces. At onboarding, they can choose to launch in one or multiple countries – and additional markets can be added at any time without re-registration. Requirements to get started: The Pricing Kaufland Global Marketplace treats its multi-market offering as a unified package – and this is reflected in the fee model. Sellers pay a flat monthly fee of €39.95 (Basic) or €59.95 (Plus), plus a category-based commission. The big advantage: adding additional countries incurs no extra cost. Listing products is also free and unlimited across all marketplaces. How the Operational Rollout Works Especially valuable for sellers with existing system landscapes: the rollout can be largely automated. Kaufland offers free tools for data transfer and translation, and over 130 integration partners ensure smooth connectivity with popular ERP and shop systems. The Seven Steps to Internationalization In its guide, Kaufland Global Marketplace clearly walks sellers through the onboarding steps with dashboard screenshots and explanations: Conclusion: Less Complexity, More Reach For many brands and sellers, internationalization is no longer optional – it’s essential for growth. And while marketplaces promise fast access to new markets, the reality often involves complex tech setups, fragmented structures, and inconsistent policies. Kaufland Global Marketplace takes a different approach: one platform, one logic, one interface – across seven markets. This drastically lowers the barrier to entry and enables scalable growth from day one. A compelling model – and one that other marketplaces would do well to learn from. 💡 The complete guide with all its practical tips that shows how to sell international on Kaufland Global Marketplace is available free of charge here:

Best Practice Internationalisation - Wiltec on Kaufland Global Marketplace

Best Practice: How Wiltec Scales Internationally with Kaufland

Marketplaces are a popular choice for many retailers and brands looking to expand into international markets. Wiltec, a specialist retailer in DIY, garden, and pet supplies, leverages several platforms for its cross-border commerce strategy – including Kaufland Global Marketplace. This best practice showcases how Wiltec scales internationally with Kaufland.

lampenwelt's Internationalization

Best practice: Internationalization at Lampenwelt

Internationalization in 28 markets and within just a few months? That sounds utopian, but it is feasible. The Fulda-based lighting specialist Lampenwelt has proven this with its internationalization.

Cross-Border is growing on marketplaces

Cross Border grows on marketplaces

Why Internationalization Has Been the Key Growth Factor in 2024 One of Marketplace Universe’s key predictions for marketplace business development in 2023 and 2024 was clear: internationalization would drive growth, even in a challenging economic environment. Now, as we review the first set of available data, we can say confidently: our predictions were spot-on. While e-commerce markets across Western Europe have faced economic headwinds in 2023, European cross-border sales have continued their upward trajectory. This trend is highlighted by recent data from “Cross-Border E-Commerce“: In 2023/2024, European cross-border e-commerce generated €326 billion, reflecting a 22% year-on-year growth. The numbers show that cross-border commerce remains resilient, unaffected by both the pandemic-fueled boom and the subsequent economic slowdown that has dampened national e-commerce growth rates. Internationalization is here to stay. What’s Driving this growth? Marketplaces! Marketplaces are the primary engine behind cross-border growth. In 2023/2024, a remarkable 69% of all European cross-border sales took place on online marketplaces. According to CB Commerce, the majority of this revenue (over 60%) and the highest growth rates come from the top 10 platforms active in Europe: Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Etsy, Temu, Vinted, OLX, Shein, Discogs, and Zalando. However, many mid-tier platforms are also capturing significant cross-border revenue, benefiting from this ongoing trend. In challenging economic times, cross-border business on online marketplaces has proven to be a strong growth area. But which industries are making the most of it? Cross-border e-commerce is particularly prominent in smaller European economies, where it makes up a larger percentage of online sales. Markets such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia benefit more robustly from cross-border sales than larger economies like Germany or France, which are slower to capitalize on the trend. The UK, with its close ties to the U.S. market, has a comparatively weaker share of cross-border turnover within Europe, standing as an exception to the trend. A deeper Look: Cross-Border in Germany To illustrate this, let’s examine the German market, the largest in the EU. Historically, German e-commerce has been slower to embrace cross-border opportunities, but a shift has begun over the past five years. According to a recent ECDB study: Export net sales from German online stores grew by 41% between 2019 and 2023. However, these figures remain modest, indicating substantial growth potential. In 2023, cross-border sales represented only about 5% of Germany’s total e-commerce turnover. German e-commerce companies also have untapped potential on marketplaces. Their export gross merchandise volume (GMV) comprises just a quarter of Germany’s online cross-border turnover. This limited reach is due in part to a reliance on nearby markets—most German cross-border sales go to Austria and Switzerland. This narrow focus suggests an opportunity for German companies to expand into new, untapped regions and capture more cross-border growth. Conclusion: The Future of Cross-Border Growth Lies in Marketplaces As we move forward, it’s clear that internationalisation will continue to be a defining force in the European e-commerce landscape – and that cross border grows on marketplaces. Despite economic uncertainties and slower growth in traditional e-commerce sectors, internationalization offers a vital pathway for expansion, especially on online marketplaces. Companies that prioritize cross-border strategies and leverage marketplace platforms will be best positioned to thrive in this evolving landscape. By expanding beyond familiar markets and tapping into emerging opportunities across borders, businesses of all sizes can unlock new streams of revenue and strengthen their resilience in the face of economic challenges. For those ready to take the leap, the potential rewards are vast—and the time to act is now. Your starting point for your Cross Border marketplace journey: Our Marketplace Country Quadrants To help you identify the most interesting marketplaces for your internationalisation endevour, we have started comprising our “Marketplace country quadrants”. This carefully researched and regularly updated infographics inform about the most relevant marketplaces in a certain country market, sorted by industry. So far, we have published country quadrants for UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Check out our country quadrants here.

Scroll to Top