Let's talk Marketplace

Let's talk Marketplace

The Marketplace Podcast with Ingrid Lommer and Valerie Dichtl

Episoden

LTM#122: Low margins on marketplaces - how does it work?
31.07.2025
36 Minuten
The marketplace business continues to produce remarkable success stories – such as those of Carolin Langer and LaCaTho. With an average shopping cart value of only $4, her business is profitable, scalable, and growing. In this episode, she talks about how she started out on eBay and now supplies over 40,000 customers a year with bee-friendly seeds. For her, automation is a must, not an option. Many tools make her work easier, but they are all reviewed every six months. There are clear responsibilities in her small team, with everyone having a specific area of responsibility – for eBay, Amazon, and Shopify. And because Carolin loves to shoot short videos of seeds, flowers, trees, and bees everywhere she goes, she is able to market her products without expensive ads – which are simply not feasible with such low-priced products. Instead, they generate a decent amount of sales in their own shop via TikTok. She also reveals how she manages her time – she works full-time as a mechanical engineer. Note from  the sponsor exporto: Internationalization and its challenges are a big concern to brands and sellerrs. Shipping, returns processing, tax regulations and one-stop shop procedures – all of this can cause quite a headache. Service providers such as exporto can help. exporto has spezialised cross-border e-commerce logistics in Europe. With automated technology and a strong partner network, exporto ensures that online retailers can ship internationally as smoothly as they do in their home market. And the best part? Exporto has an attractive discount for you: If you register with exporto by August 31 and sign a contract, you won't pay any basic fees for the first two months. Register right now here: https://mag.exporto.de/marketplace-universe-offer   Note from  the sponsor base: Base is a SAAS e-commerce solution provider originally founded 2006 in Poland. The platform offers features such as automations for order management, inventory management and fulfilment, a marketplace management tool for lots and lots of B2B and B2C channels, and integration options to include other backend tools in real-time. Base is present in 11 countries, the solution is already used by companies such as OBI, Kärcher, MediaMarkt, Samsung, Decathlon, Intersport, Develey. If you would like to learn more about Base, join us at our Connect Event with Base on September 17 in Cologne. Register right now: https://webforms.pipedrive.com/f/1wBV5bM8AALuEq8GfFLwj7tLJ80w9AZL4cf4DN1nvG4uMLrSOfA5NxaV1X0qvNAC7   Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Marketplace Dynamics 02:46 Carolin Langer's Journey: From Side Hustle to CEO 06:38 The special market situation of LaCaTho 12:27 Marketplace Strategies: Automation and Customer Experience 17:32 Volume in the main and off-season 21:06 Bestsellers and the tricks of algorithms 24:31 The power of Videos and of TikTok 31:46 Scaling and Future Plans for LaCaTho
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LTM #121: ChatGPT Turns Marketplace – and More Marketplace News
24.07.2025
21 Minuten
ChatGPT is testing in-chat shopping – from product search to recommendations and even checkout via Stripe. No webshop, no marketplace – just conversation. Shopify reacts immediately, blocking AI shopping agents. The battle for the customer interface has officially begun. In this episode, Ingrid and Valerie discuss how AI agents are shifting the power dynamics in e-commerce – and what this means for marketplaces, sellers, and brands. They also unpack the stories behind these headlines: Galaxus pushes international expansion despite heavy losses Tesco builds a massive new distribution center bol.com opens up to non-EU sellers Zalando & About You – merger approved, but many questions remain Note from the sponsor eBay: Selling internationally sounds easy – but the reality often tells a different story. Because shipping abroad is not the same as being truly ready to scale across borders. That’s why our partner eBay has put together a super helpful whitepaper that helps you check your international readiness with a detailed checklist and gives concrete advice on pricing, customer service, inventory, returns – and even how to identify the right markets and products. One highlight: With the eBay Product Research Tool, you can analyze three years of sales data by country and category. So if cross-border commerce is on your radar, download the free whitepaper “From Germany to the World” by eBay right now: https://www.ebay.de/sml/whitepaper-internationalverkaufen Note from  the sponsor base: Base is a SAAS e-commerce solution provider originally founded 2006 in Poland. The platform offers features such as automations for order management, inventory management and fulfilment, a marketplace management tool for lots and lots of B2B and B2C channels, and integration options to include other backend tools in real-time. Base is present in 11 countries, the solution is already used by companies such as OBI, Kärcher, MediaMarkt, Samsung, Decathlon, Intersport, Develey. If you would like to learn more about Base, join us at our Connect Event with Base on September 17 in Cologne. Register right now: https://webforms.pipedrive.com/f/1wBV5bM8AALuEq8GfFLwj7tLJ80w9AZL4cf4DN1nvG4uMLrSOfA5NxaV1X0qvNAC7 Chapters: 01:00 AI's Impact on Marketplace Shopping 07:40 Galaxus's Internationalization Strategy 09:41 Tesco's New Distribution Strategy 11:49 Zalando and About You Merger 15:30 Bol's Expansion to Non-EU Sellers
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LTM 120: How to build a bootstrapped D2C brand on marketplaces
17.07.2025
38 Minuten
What do you do when wholesale for brick-and-mortar sales suddenly causes you to lose the Buy Box? There's only one thing to do: get out of brick-and-mortar sales. That's exactly what Anna Maria from BabyForte did after large online pharmacies snatched the Buy Box away from her on Amazon. Local pharmacies reacted immediately and negatively to her cautious price adjustment. Since then, she has been focusing fully on her online business again. In this podcast episode, she talks about the three phases a D2C brand goes through when it is being built up, why she continues to invest in her web shop, why she relies on a clearly defined brand portfolio, and why she is not looking for investors at the moment. She also reveals why her team spends every week analyzing click rates. Note from the sponsor Taxdoo: Every marketplace trader can tell you a thing or two about it: different tax rates, different responsibilities, tax advisors who are inexperienced in e-commerce. The taxtech company Taxdoo wants to remedy this situation. Taxdoo offers a comprehensive platform for online retailers who need to carry out legally compliant and efficient sales tax reporting and accounting processes. The software analyzes all sales, fees, and payments, resulting in a transparent and audit-proof solution, is seamlessly integrated with many marketplaces and can handle all EU and UK sales tax processing, including OSS exports. If you want to know more about VAT, read our blog article, in which you will also find a table with all VAT rates in the EU, UK, and Switzerland. Find out more here: https://marketplace-universe.com/vat-traps-7-critical-rules-every-marketplace-seller-in-europe-needs-to-know/ Note from the sponsor MediaMarkSaturn: Even though it's only summer, Cyber Week is coming around faster than you think! That means: Plan early. Because the time between November 24th and December 1st is not just a sales boost – it’s a full-on operational challenge. The most common mistakes? As Alexander Klinger from MediaMarktSaturn knows it’s not enough stock, no prep for returns and customer inquiries, poor product content and shipping KPIs all over the place. MediaMarktSaturn shares participation details 4 to 6 weeks ahead. Secure visibility, top homepage deals are handpicked – only sellers with strong KPIs and competitive prices stand a chance. And use Retail Media wisely. They work, but only if you book them early. For more practical tips see the full interview on Marketplace Universe: https://marketplace-universe.com/good-cyber-week-preparation/ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Supplements in Marketplaces 02:32 Anna Maria Silinger: Founder Insights 08:38 The Evolution of BabyFORTE 13:11 Transitioning from Startup to Mature Company 18:56 Profitability vs. Growth Strategies 23:31 Exploring New Marketplaces 25:56 Shipping and Fulfillment Strategies 27:06 Regulatory Challenges in the Supplement Industry 29:49 Lessons from Physical Pharmacy Partnerships 33:17 Future Growth and Brand Development
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LTM 119: How to start on bol in under three weeks
10.07.2025
36 Minuten
What happens when a traditional company like plant protection specialist Neudorff enters the international D2C market? Sure, the first step is Amazon. But what's the second? Local heroes like bol in the Netherlands. In this episode, Tamer Memis and Hassan Imran report on how a digital offshoot becomes a speedboat, why in-house logistics is part of the core business, and how it is possible to go live on bol in less than three weeks. (Spoiler: They did their homework beforehand.) Patricia Lay from bol explains why this is only the case for a few sellers, how bol helps foreign retailers get started, and why bol now also allows non-EU sellers.   Note from the sponsor Taxdoo: Imagine this: 1,000 orders and one incorrect VAT rate, and suddenly you've lost $4,000. This is a real risk for many cross-border sellers in Europe. That's because VAT in e-commerce is complex. That's why we've teamed up with our partner Taxdoo to break down what marketplace sellers really need to know about VAT. In our detailed analysis, we discuss when OSS helps and when it doesn't, when a marketplace collects VAT and when you as a seller are still liable, and why an incorrect VAT rate has a direct impact on your prices and margins. You can find the article with a complete overview of EU VAT rates as well as tax rates for the UK and Switzerland here: https://marketplace-universe.com/vat-traps-7-critical-rules-every-marketplace-seller-in-europe-needs-to-know/   Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to bol and Neudorff 07:55 The Onboarding Process for International Sellers 10:47 Underestimated market: Netherlands 14:27 Market Dynamics: The Dutch E-commerce Landscape 21:22 Challenges for International Sellers in the Dutch Market 25:01 Future Prospects for bol and International Sellers 27:05 Turning logistical necessity into a success
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LTM 118: AI vs. Social - Who’s winning the future of commerce? Insights from K5 conference on debate
03.07.2025
32 Minuten
Men focus on AI, women on community and content – that was the impression left by this year’s K5 keynote. While the male speakers see AI as the ultimate game changer that could make online shops obsolete and secure the dominance of large platforms, the female speakers envision the future in creator and content-driven commerce. In this episode, Ingrid and Valerie discuss these perspectives and highlight where the common ground lies: in action, in speed, and in the importance of content. They also take a closer look at a perspective that is often completely overlooked – that of the consumer who simply wants, - or needs- , to buy at the lowest possible price. Note from the sponsor PlentyONE: Selling on Amazon, Ott0, Zalando, or Kaufland? Then you already know: every marketplace has its own rules, fees, and expectations. But what if you had one clear, structured overview that compares them all – side by side? Our partner PlentyONE, has created exactly that: a free whitepaper that helps you find the right platforms for your products, categories, and strategy. It covers Marketplace access requirements, fees & commissions, fulfillment rules & SLAs - and much more – from Amazon to Zalando. It provides many insights into multichannel commerce and helps you to work out your individual roadmap for a successful multichannel strategy. Get the white paper right here: https://www.plentyone.com/de/multichannel-whitepaper?utm_source=marketplaceuniverse&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=CP_MKT_Whitepaper_Multichannel &utm_content=podcast-spoken-ad Note from the sponsor bol: Bol has established itself as a local hero in the Netherlands and Belgium and has become the market leader in the region thanks to a clear focus on customer satisfaction and innovation. It offers more than 42 million products in 28 categories and access to more than 13 million customers. This also makes bol attractive for retailers from neighboring countries. Want to know more about bol? Then look forward to our podcast episode 119 next week, in which we talk to Patricia Lay, Partnership growth manager at bol and, Hassan Imran, e-commerce manager at Neudorff ePeformances, about his experiences with selling on bol. Note from the sponsor eBay: On July 10, we’re inviting a select group of decision-makers to join us for our final live Connect Event  before the summer break – the eBay „Entscheider Dinner“. This exclusive dinner is designed for meaningful conversations, new connections, and fresh marketplace insights in a relaxed setting. A few seats are still available for brand representatives who want to be part of this handpicked group. If you’d like to join us for an inspiring summer evening full of ideas, exchange, and excellent food – register now: https://webforms.pipedrive.com/f/2XDfDE0vbHe8h96aXSfyWrvp8zpVs4yHFNCmobskstDVlYZklO5oapv41ZpvF2zPJ Chapters: 00:00 Adventures at K5 Conference 03:10 Insights from the K5 Conference 05:23 The Future of E-Commerce: AI and Shopping Agents 12:00 The Role of Community and Content in Commerce 18:03 Speed vs. Strategy in E-Commerce 23:54 Understanding the Average Consumer 30:01 Final Thoughts and Future Directions
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Über diesen Podcast

More than half of all e-commerce sales are generated on online marketplaces - if that's not reason enough for a regular talk show! Marketplace specialists Valerie Dichtl and Ingrid Lommer take up the challenge.

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