Marketplaces in Europe: A Guide for Non-EU Brands

Europe has no single marketplace. For a UK, US or Canadian brand, the marketplaces in Europe worth investigating fall into four groups. Open cross-border platforms such as Amazon, eBay, easyShop and Fruugo are the most accessible starting points for most non-EU businesses. Country leaders such as Kaufland, Allegro, Fnac Darty, Cdiscount and Galaxus accept some non-EU sellers once local VAT, stock or returns are in place. Category specialists such as Zalando, ManoMano and Decathlon decide or condition who sells. OTTO accepts companies from a short list of EU countries, and MediaMarkt Germany requires an EU company. Your real shortlist is set by three things: who will accept your company, where your stock must sit, and which countries and categories each platform serves.

Most brands know Amazon. Far fewer know which European online marketplaces will accept a company registered in London, Delaware or Ontario. A common mistake is committing stock before seller eligibility, VAT registration and returns requirements are confirmed.

How marketplaces in Europe are structured: four access routes

1. Open cross-border platforms. The least local setup for UK, US and Canadian businesses.
2. Country leaders with local setup. Some non-EU sellers accepted, with country VAT, EU stock, local-language service or an EU returns address.
3. Curated category specialists. The platform chooses you, or sets conditions first.
4. Local-company marketplaces. You need a company in the EU, or in a specific list of countries, to apply.

Keep two questions apart: can you apply, and is the platform commercially suitable for your product and margin? A yes to the first says nothing about the second.

Open cross-border platforms

Amazon

• Reach: stores including the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Sweden.
• Category role: general merchandise.
• Who can apply: US and Canadian businesses can open a regional Europe account, and UK businesses register through Amazon UK. You may not need a Europe-based company.
• Setup: VAT registration where you import or store stock, and possibly elsewhere. A tax representative in some EU countries. EPR registrations depend on the countries and product categories where you are obligated.
• Fulfilment and returns: FBA, Pan-European FBA or seller-fulfilled. Opting in to stock placement in Poland or the Czech Republic triggers local VAT.
• Why it matters: one account opens the UK and many EU stores, so decide where stock will sit before you scale, because that drives your VAT registrations.

eBay

• Reach: 11 European country sites, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland.
• Category role: general marketplace.
• Who can apply: UK sellers, yes. eBay does not set out US or Canadian access to each EU site. Confirm with eBay.
• Setup: non-EU manufacturers need a responsible person based in the EU or Northern Ireland, or listings may be hidden from EU and Northern Ireland buyers.
• Fulfilment and returns: seller-fulfilled. eBay International Shipping, covering customs, duties and returns, began rolling out to UK sellers from August 2026.
• Why it matters: a UK brand can test EU demand without moving stock, once the responsible person is in place. US and Canadian brands should get eBay's confirmation before listing.

easyShop

• Reach: 21 countries, including the UK, Switzerland and Norway.
• Category role: general marketplace, run by OnCommerce (the company behind OnBuy).
• Who can apply: registered businesses worldwide, including the UK, US and Canada, with 50+ reviews rated 4.5 to 5 stars on an existing channel.
• Setup: no local business needed. easyShop asks for an EU VAT number only where you are based in or dispatch from that country. Canadian sellers may need a UK VAT number to sell to UK buyers. Check with easyShop.
• Fulfilment and returns: seller-fulfilled, with a local returns address, Freepost or a collection service.
• Why it matters: worth a look only if you already have the review record it asks for and can offer a local returns address, Freepost or a collection service.

Fruugo

• Reach: 40+ countries, with automatic translation into 25+ languages.
• Category role: general marketplace.
• Who can apply: any business registered in one of Fruugo's 40+ countries. The UK, US and Canada appear on its retailer-location list. Confirm with Fruugo.
• Setup: where you ship to the EU, an EU responsible person, plus French, German and Irish EPR identifiers for those countries.
• Fulfilment and returns: seller-fulfilled, cross-border.
• Why it matters: you can sell cross-border without EU stock, but EU orders need an EU responsible person, plus French, German and Irish EPR identifiers if you ship to those countries.

Country leaders with local setup

Kaufland Global Marketplace

• Reach: one registration for nine marketplaces, including Germany, Poland, France, Italy and Spain.
• Category role: general marketplace.
• Who can apply: non-EU sellers in principle. Kaufland cites China, the US and the UK as examples but publishes no country list. Canadian businesses should confirm eligibility with Kaufland.
• Setup: a VAT ID per country, and EPR registration numbers by country and product category where required. Offers worth €150 net or less shipped from a non-EU warehouse are deactivated, so these need EU stock.
• Fulfilment and returns: seller-fulfilled, with an EU returns address and customer service in each local language.
• Why it matters: multi-country reach with an explicit non-EU route. See our guide to selling on Kaufland in the Netherlands and Spain.

Allegro

• Reach: Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary. For non-EEA sellers, verified coverage is Poland only.
• Category role: general marketplace.
• Who can apply: UK companies register like EEA businesses. The non-EEA route does not name the US or Canada. Confirm Czech, Slovak or Hungarian access with Allegro.
• Setup: a payout account that accepts PLN, and documents in their original language plus English (or a formal English translation). Non-EEA accounts are limited to 500 offers at a time.
• Fulfilment and returns: One Fulfillment by Allegro exists. Non-EEA access is unconfirmed.
• Why it matters: UK brands get the fuller route. For US and Canadian brands, the 500-offer cap and verified coverage of Poland only make it a focused test, not a full-range launch.

bol

• Reach: the Netherlands and Belgium.
• Category role: general marketplace.
• Who can apply: unclear for companies registered outside the EU, including UK companies. One bol page names China, Turkey and the UK as accepted non-EU seller bases. Another lists a non-EU-registered company as not allowed, even with EU stock. The US and Canada are not named. Confirm with bol before committing stock.
• Setup: for Logistics via bol, UK partners usually need a Dutch VAT number, possibly a fiscal representative, and goods in free circulation in the EU.
• Fulfilment and returns: orders must ship from stock already inside the EU.
• Why it matters: the Dutch and Belgian route covered here, but not one to plan around until bol confirms your eligibility.

Fnac Darty

• Reach: France and Belgium. Fnac Darty also lists an international seller route, so confirm other countries with Fnac Darty.
• Category role: culture, tech and household appliances, as Fnac Darty describes its marketplace.
• Who can apply: its terms cover sellers established outside the EU. The UK, US and Canada are not named.
• Setup: for sellers established outside the EU, Fnac's terms make Fnac liable for the VAT on the sale. Parcels worth €150 or less must carry Fnac's IOSS number, and higher-value imports follow different rules. You must supply your French EPR identifier (IDU).
• Fulfilment and returns: ship within two working days. Returns follow Fnac's marketplace terms. French-language service expected.
• Why it matters: a French route with a defined non-EU process.

Cdiscount

• Reach: France.
• Category role: general marketplace.
• Who can apply: foreign-registered companies may apply, subject to approval and a CNOVA PAY account. The UK, US and Canada are not named.
• Setup: French VAT registration if stock is held in France. Without your IDU, Cdiscount pays eco-contributions and recharges you.
• Fulfilment and returns: delivered duty paid only. Returns via a French address, a prepaid label or refund without return. Buyer contact in French.
• Why it matters: plan it as a French-language operation from day one, with delivered duty paid, French buyer contact and one of Cdiscount's accepted returns routes.

Galaxus

• Reach: Switzerland and Germany, through separate merchant programmes.
• Category role: check category fit with Galaxus directly.
• Who can apply: both the Swiss and German marketplaces accept merchants based in Switzerland, the EU, Norway or the UK. US and Canadian companies need a company based in one of those locations.
• Setup: the German marketplace requires UK, Swiss and Norwegian sellers to hold an EU VAT registration and an EU warehouse. Full technical integration is required.
• Fulfilment and returns: the Swiss marketplace requires a Swiss returns address and delivery across Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
• Why it matters: pick the programme first. For a UK brand, Germany means EU VAT and an EU warehouse, Switzerland means a Swiss returns address, and both need full technical integration.

Curated category specialists

Zalando Partner Program

• Reach: 25 European markets, by Zalando's own figure. Not the UK.
• Category role: fashion, footwear and beauty.
• Who can apply: Zalando's Partner Program is invitation-only and Zalando states it does not accept direct applications.
• Setup: an EU returns address. Zalando Fulfillment Solutions with non-EU stock needs an EU-registered address and an EORI number.
• Fulfilment and returns: a 30-day return option for customers.
• Why it matters: you cannot apply your way in, so do not set a launch date around it. Have the EU returns address ready in case Zalando approaches you.

ManoMano

• Reach: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
• Category role: DIY, home and garden.
• Who can apply: selective. ManoMano states that only sellers it selects are authorised. Eligibility for non-EU companies is to confirm with ManoMano.
• Setup: confirm VAT, warehouse and entity requirements with ManoMano before planning stock.
• Fulfilment and returns: confirm options with ManoMano.
• Why it matters: for a home or DIY range, wait to be selected and confirm the setup with ManoMano before any stock moves.

Decathlon Marketplace

• Reach: 14 European countries, by Decathlon's own figure.
• Category role: sport.
• Who can apply: invite-only and curated, with an application form. Decathlon selects its partners.
• Setup: the UK marketplace requires a UK-registered company, UK VAT registration and UK stock, and the EU marketplaces the EU equivalents. North American brands need a local entity and stock.
• Fulfilment and returns: seller-fulfilled or Fulfilment by Decathlon.
• Why it matters: a North American sports brand needs both Decathlon's selection and a local entity with local stock, so cost the setup before applying and commit to it only once selected.

Also worth knowing: Leroy Merlin and Douglas

Leroy Merlin's French marketplace is another home option, delivering to metropolitan France only. Check its entity rules directly.

For beauty, the Douglas Partner Program is curated, and its application form lists 20 DOUGLAS Group countries (not the UK). The form asks whether you ship from an EU or non-EU warehouse and sets no company-location rule.

Marketplaces that require a local company

OTTO Market

• Reach: Germany.
• Category role: general marketplace.
• Who can apply: companies seated in a short list of named European countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria and France. OTTO's pages are inconsistent on Spain and Denmark (Denmark is described as a pilot), so check the current list. UK, US and Canadian companies are not directly eligible.
• Setup: a SEPA bank account, your own VAT ID and OSS for non-German companies, your own LUCID packaging registration (a legal duty) and WEEE details.
• Fulfilment and returns: ship from Germany or the EU, with returns to Germany or listed EU countries.
• Why it matters: it shows why some brands need an EU subsidiary. See our guide to entering the German ecommerce market.

MediaMarkt and Saturn

• Reach: Germany, with marketplace programmes in other countries such as Spain.
• Category role: electronics.
• Who can apply: in Germany, a company seat and bank account in the EU. UK, US and Canadian companies cannot apply directly.
• Setup: EU VAT registration and a German-language phone hotline.
• Fulfilment and returns: direct shipping from the EU and an EU returns address.
• Why it matters: the electronics route, and a second example of the EU-entity gate.

Also worth knowing: Shein

Shein Marketplace also requires UK or EU-based operations and shipping from the UK or EU.

Where UK eligibility differs from US and Canadian eligibility

Since Brexit, UK brands are non-EU sellers too, yet on some platforms they get further than North American brands.

• bol: bol's pages conflict on UK companies, so confirm with bol. The US and Canada are not named.
• Allegro: UK companies register like EEA businesses. US and Canadian companies use the non-EEA route, with its 500-offer limit.
• Galaxus: UK sellers can join the Swiss marketplace, or the German one with EU VAT and an EU warehouse. North American companies need a company based in Switzerland, the EU, Norway or the UK.

In our experience, the UK is often a sensible first market for a North American brand. A common language and a distinct regulatory market can make it a bounded test. What usually decides it is whether there is evidence of UK demand for the product, and whether the brand can reuse its English-language assets and customer service for a contained test. UK retailer marketplaces set their own rules. B&Q requires UK VAT registration but accepts some sellers based outside the UK, and Debenhams' seller FAQ refers to a UK bank account. UK product rules also differ from the EU's. Our comparison of UKCA and CE marking and UK market entry guide cover that route.

What the marketplace may handle and what you still own

Being accepted by a marketplace does not take over all of your own VAT, packaging, product-safety or customs obligations.

• EU VAT: under Article 14a of the EU VAT Directive, a marketplace is treated as the supplier for VAT in two cases: distance sales of imported goods in consignments worth up to €150, and sales to EU consumers of goods already in the EU by sellers not established in the EU. The second case does not apply if you sell through an EU-established company. You will usually still have VAT obligations, often including registration, in countries where you import or store stock. Take advice before you ship.
• UK VAT: the marketplace is liable for VAT on goods in consignments up to £135 imported for sale and on goods already in the UK sold by overseas sellers, except sales to business customers who give a UK VAT number. Overseas businesses have no VAT registration threshold, although sellers whose only UK sales go through marketplaces can, in some cases, apply for exemption.
• Tax representatives: whether you need one depends on the country, where you are established and where stock is held. Spain generally requires one for businesses established outside the EU, with exceptions including countries covered by mutual-assistance agreements and sellers using the EU OSS or IOSS schemes. UK sellers should get current specialist confirmation of whether an exception applies to them. Germany's VAT Act provides only for an optional fiscal representative in limited cases (§22a UStG).
• Product safety: since 13/12/2024, the EU General Product Safety Regulation requires an EU-established economic operator for consumer products placed on the EU market (Article 16). Online listings must show the manufacturer's details, the EU responsible person where the manufacturer is outside the EU, product identification and safety warnings (Article 19). Marketplaces must design their interface so traders can provide this (Article 22). The GPSR does not apply in Great Britain, but does apply in Northern Ireland, where the responsible operator can be NI or EU-based. See our GPSR and EPR compliance guide.
• Packaging in Germany: LUCID registration remains the producer's own duty. Since 12/08/2026, a producer with no German branch that sells packaged goods directly to German end users must appoint an authorised representative.
• EPR in France: producers receive an IDU for each EPR scheme. Since 01/01/2022, marketplaces must meet EPR obligations for sellers unless they can show the seller already does, which in practice means asking for your IDU.
• Customs: from 01/07/2026 until 01/07/2028, a flat customs duty of €3 per item applies to consignments worth up to €150 imported from outside the EU where the VAT is collected through the IOSS or the goods travel by post. The Commission's stated intention is to cover all low-value distance sales whatever the VAT scheme, and it may propose wider coverage if trade is diverted, so check with your customs broker how your parcels are declared. An item means goods sharing the same tariff classification, description and, where declared, origin. The Commission may propose an extension if the EU's customs data system will not be ready by 01/07/2028. Separately, the Commission says a €2 Union handling fee per item will apply to distance sales of imported goods from 01/11/2026. The duty does not apply to goods sold from EU stock, although that stock pays normal duty when imported. Our guide to EU customs reform explains the change.

How to shortlist European marketplaces

1. Reach. Compare platforms within one country using one method, such as Similarweb's country rankings.
2. Category fit. Check whether the platform's customers and category model suit your product, margin and price point, and whether you keep the brand control you need there.
3. Eligibility. Check your company's country against current seller pages, not a list article.
4. Operational burden. Count the VAT registrations, EPR identifiers, returns addresses, languages and stock locations each platform adds. Our UK and EU fulfilment partner checklist helps.
5. A bounded first test. One or two platforms, a limited range, a fixed budget and a set review date. Choose the country first with our guide to which European market to enter first.

Where newer routes fit: easyShop

easyShop is a current example of marketplace access getting easier. One account still does not settle stock, VAT, EPR, returns, compliance or local demand, so treat it as one platform inside the bounded first test above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a US or Canadian company sell on European marketplaces without an EU company?

Yes, on some. Amazon and easyShop have non-EU routes, and Kaufland accepts non-EU sellers in principle (confirm your country with Kaufland). Allegro has a non-EEA route for Poland. MediaMarkt Germany needs an EU company, OTTO a company in one of its listed European countries, and Galaxus a company in Switzerland, the EU, Norway or the UK. bol does not name the US or Canada.

Can a US or Canadian company sell through Amazon Europe?

Yes. US and Canadian businesses can open a regional Europe account, and you may not need a Europe-based company. You will still need VAT registration where you import or store stock, possibly a tax representative, and EPR registrations where your countries and categories require them.

Which European marketplaces accept UK sellers?

Amazon, eBay, easyShop, Allegro and Galaxus all have routes for UK businesses, each with its own VAT and stock conditions. Fruugo lists the UK among its retailer locations, and Kaufland accepts non-EU sellers in principle and cites the UK as an example, but confirm eligibility and setup with each. bol's pages conflict on UK companies, so confirm with bol directly.

Do I need a VAT number in every country?

Not always. You will usually need VAT registration where you import or store stock, and some platforms require a VAT ID per country.

Does the marketplace pay the VAT for me?

In some cases a marketplace is treated as the supplier for VAT, such as low-value imports and EU-stocked goods sold by non-EU sellers. You will usually still have your own VAT obligations, often including registration.

What are the biggest online marketplaces in Europe?

It depends on country and category. Amazon and eBay reach many European countries. Country routes covered here include Allegro for Poland, bol for the Netherlands and Belgium (eligibility to confirm), Fnac Darty and Cdiscount for France, and OTTO for Germany (companies from a short list of EU countries only). Zalando, ManoMano and Decathlon serve particular categories. Compare size within one country using one method, not mixed traffic and sales figures.

Scope and last verified

This guide covers consumer marketplaces only. It is representative, not exhaustive, and not a complete Nordic directory. Some platforms were left out because seller eligibility could not be confirmed. Eligibility changes often, so the guide is reviewed quarterly. Last verified: 15/10/2026.

If your first attempt at Europe stalled on VAT, eligibility or stock location, Scale With can fix the route and run it as one accountable partner, so you avoid a second expensive attempt. See our services or talk to us about your shortlist.