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Online Clothing Retailing in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Clara-Camille Schneider Clara-Camille Schneider Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: November 2024 WZ SP47.01DE Spotlight Report

Revenue

€17.4bn

2024

€17.4bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€X.Xbn

Employees

35,128

Businesses

10,063

Wages

€X.Xbn

Online Clothing Retailing in Germany industry analysis

Sales in online clothing retail have increased by an average of 8.3% per year since 2019. Although consumer spending on clothing fell during the coronavirus pandemic, many people shifted their shopping online as a result of the restrictions and lockdowns, bringing additional growth to the industry. The increasing importance of e-commerce has benefited vertical providers in particular, who have expanded their offering to the internet, as well as large internet pure players such as Zalando. In this competitive environment, many fashion retailers have expanded their online sales activities. Almost half of them now have their own online shop. Sales fell slightly in 2022, which is partly due to a normalisation following the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, fragile supply chains, increased transport and energy costs and rising prices as a result of the war in Ukraine are also impacting online retail.In 2023 and 2024, online sales continued to normalise. In 2024, the online fashion market should continue to grow and is expected to reach 17.4 billion euros with a growth rate of 4.6% in the current year. Despite the general reluctance to spend, Asian online providers such as Temu and Shein in particular will be able to significantly increase their sales, which will increase competitive pressure. However, while only one in ten companies in the sector perceives a direct negative impact of Asian platforms on their business, around half of the companies are convinced that the lack of enforcement of EU law against providers from third countries is jeopardising their competitiveness.In the next five years, industry turnover is expected to grow by an average of 4.1% per year, reaching around 21 billion euros in 2029. This growth should particularly benefit those who are able to cope with the increased pressure to use ethically correct and environmentally friendly sources. The increasing cross-channel behaviour of consumers makes integrated online-offline concepts and a range of services on different channels necessary. The market is becoming increasingly concentrated, with the largest online shops and internet pure players likely to further expand their market shares. The shift in market share is primarily at the expense of smaller businesses.

Trends and Insights

  • Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in online clothing retail. German consumers are paying more attention to environmentally friendly materials and fair working conditions when buying clothing.
  • Sales of women's clothing are significantly higher than in other segments. Many women are fashion-conscious and update their wardrobe frequently, which leads to high demand.
  • Market leaders such as Zalando are increasingly dominating online clothing retail. Large providers use economies of scale and benefit from extensive analyses of customer data and advanced logistics, which gives them a competitive advantage over smaller providers.

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  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
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  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 8.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €17.4bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Sustainability is becoming a differentiating feature and competitive factor in the highly competitive online clothing retail sector

  • Customers are attaching increasing importance to the origin and production conditions of their clothing. They favour items made from environmentally friendly materials such as organic cotton or recycled fabrics and support brands that guarantee fair working conditions.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Online Clothing Retailing in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

New European regulations aim to reduce the environmental impact of fast fashion

  • A binding system for extended producer responsibility (EPR) is being planned as part of the EU textile strategy. In July 2023, the proposed amendment to the Waste Framework Directive was published with a focus on textile waste & food waste.

Biggest companies in the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Online Clothing Retailing in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Women's clothing, Menswear and Children's and youth clothing. Women's clothing is the largest segment of the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany.

Trends and Insights

Trend awareness and the frequent renewal of the wardrobe lead to high sales of women's clothing

  • This segment includes garments designed specifically for women, such as dresses, skirts, blouses, trousers, jackets and underwear.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The sector includes clothing retail that does not take place in showrooms, stalls or markets, but via mail order and online retail. This includes pure online retailers as well as brick-and-mortar shops with an online presence. Furthermore, teleshopping and internet auctions also fall under the industry definition. The online trade in second-hand clothing and shoes is not part of the industry.

What's included in this industry?

Online trade in women's clothingOnline trade in menswearOnline retail of children's and youth clothingOnline retail of sports and functional clothing

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

MULTICHANNELOMNICHANNELMETAVERSEAUGMENTED REALITY (AR)VIRTUAL REALITY (VR)

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 47.91.1 - Online Clothing Retailing in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in online clothing retail. German consumers are paying more attention to environmentally friendly materials and fair working...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Factors that influence volatility in the industry
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Sales of women's clothing are significantly higher than in other segments. Many women are fashion-conscious and update their wardrobe frequently, which leads to high demand.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Purchase this report to unlock analyst insights.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Market leaders such as Zalando are increasingly dominating online clothing retail. Large providers use economies of scale and benefit from extensive analyses of customer data...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Online clothing retailers must take consumer rights into account, among other things. In particular, compliance with the right of cancellation, warranty law and the General D...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Online clothing retailers are facing increased price competition. Factors such as efficient procurement, efficient logistics and returns management have a significant impact ...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany is €17.4bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 10,063 businesses in the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 8.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What does the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany include?

Online trade in women's clothing and Online trade in menswear are part of the Online Clothing Retailing industry.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Clothing Retailers in Germany
  • E-Commerce & Online Auctions in Germany

Complementors

  • Clothing Manufacturing in Germany
  • Second-Hand Clothing Retailers in Germany
  • Clothing Retailers in Germany

International industries

  • Online Shoe Sales in the US
  • Online Men's Clothing Sales in the US
  • Online Women's Clothing Sales in the US
  • E-Commerce & Online Auctions in Canada
  • Online Men's Clothing Retailers in the UK

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.