What are the main fashion marketplaces?

Whilst smaller fashion marketplaces are popping up all the time as businesses recognise the potential for a profitable business model, the core main global players continue to dominate.

The first online flash marketplace to launch in the UK, the core business is designer label fashion with the enhancement of cosmetics and homeware. This marketplace also offers pre-owned designer fashion and accessories.

A relatively new player in the fashion marketplace arena, Veepee was launched in 2018 and now has 66 million members. Focussing on fashion and homewear, Veepee is a French-based marketplace and supports lesser-known brands.

A French marketplace with a revenue of €1 billion in 2021 that offers daily fashion flash sales that last up to a week. The company has expanded throughout Europe and sells premium fashion at discounted prices.

As the largest fashion marketplace in Europe this German company is a major player in online fashion. They reported an increase in the number of customers over the 12 months to the end of March 2022 as 17%, reaching 49 million. To enhance customer engagement Zalando states it is extending Zalando Plus membership (premium delivery, early access to new stock releases, personal stylist advice). Membership of this service (similar to Amazon Prime) increased 150% year on year, making it another way to benefit from selling on a marketplace.4

With a strong social media presence and its target market being Generation Z, ASOS aims to be “the world’s number-one destination for fashion-loving 20-somethings”. The company achieved a 4% increase in revenue for the 3 months to the end of 31 May 2022, not massive growth, but significant in the current climate.5

This relatively new marketplace targets the higher spend customer in Europe, with plans to expand globally during 2023. The company sells the lifestyle idea, rather than just individual items. Primarily selling in Italy, with many Italian brands, YOOX has expanded to the rest of Europe and has seen year-on-year growth since the pandemic, with net sales of USD 897.9M in 2021.

A marketplace specialising in outdoor clothing and casual clothes for men. Based in Paris, the marketplace achieved over €276 million in 2021, and is present in 14 countries, including its United States launch this year.

The marketplace Spartoo only has a presence in Europe and China at the moment, with 8 million active customers (a small figure compared to Zalando’s 49 million). Global net sales reached USD 77.5m in 2021 with 55% of sales being generated in France.6

A marketplace based in Barcelona, Spain, with a global sales figure of USD 939.4m in 2021. The advantage of Privalia is its strong presence in Spanish-speaking markets like Spain and Mexico, but also in Italy and Brazil.

The French marketplace best known for fashion and homeware. With over 650 sellers and brands such as Adidas and Mango, La Redoute is a popular choice for fashion purchases in Europe.

One of Europe’s fastest growing fashion marketplaces, operational in more than 10 EU markets. In 2021, the platform already counted 27 million unique active users per month.

A new marketplace launched in 2021 and based in Belguim. INNO only currently sells to the Belgian and Dutch markets.

The world leader in the sports market is also selling sports and fitness clothing. Decathlon is present, among others, in France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy and Belgium. The Belgian Decathlon marketplace alone registers more than 13 million unique views each month.

General marketplaces known for goods such as homeware, electronics, toys and books are also important fashion marketplaces, albeit on a smaller scale to the specialists. These include Amazon7 , OTTO bol.com and Cdiscount. Worth noting is that clothing, shoes and jewellery rank as the 4th highest sales category on Amazon, giving it a competitive edge against marketplaces dedicated entirely to fashion.