German Marketplace Seller Fees Compared: Amazon.de vs Otto vs Zalando vs Kaufland

Understanding the true cost of selling on each German marketplace is essential for pricing strategy and profitability analysis. Each platform charges different commissions, monthly fees, and fulfillment costs. This comparison breaks down the fee structures of Amazon.de, Otto Market, Zalando, and Kaufland to help you choose the right mix for your business.

Fee Structure Overview

| Fee Type | Amazon.de | Otto Market | Zalando | Kaufland | |----------|----------|-------------|---------|----------| | Monthly Subscription | EUR 39/mo (Pro) | None | None | None | | Referral Commission | 7-15% | 7-15% | 5-25% | 7-15% | | Fulfillment (optional) | FBA fees | N/A | ZFS fees | N/A | | Payment Processing | Included | Included | Included | Included | | Listing Fee | None | None | None | None |

Amazon.de Fee Breakdown

Selling Plan

• Individual Plan — EUR 0.99 per item sold (no monthly fee)
• Professional Plan — EUR 39/month (unlimited listings)

Referral Fees by Category

| Category | Commission | |----------|-----------| | Electronics | 7% | | Computers | 7% | | Home & Garden | 15% | | Clothing & Accessories | 15% | | Shoes & Handbags | 15% | | Sports & Outdoors | 15% | | Beauty | 8% | | Books | 15% | | Automotive | 12% | | Toys | 15% |

FBA Fees (Germany)

If you use Fulfillment by Amazon:

• Pick and Pack — EUR 2.40-5.80 per unit depending on size/weight
• Monthly Storage — EUR 26/m3 (Jan-Sep), EUR 36/m3 (Oct-Dec)
• Long-Term Storage — Additional surcharge for items stored over 365 days
• Removal/Disposal — EUR 0.25-0.50 per unit

Total Cost Example (Amazon.de)

For a EUR 50 product (clothing category):

• Referral fee: EUR 7.50 (15%)
• FBA fulfillment: ~EUR 3.50
• Monthly pro-rata: ~EUR 0.10
• Total fees: ~EUR 11.10 (22.2% of sale price)

Otto Market Fee Breakdown

Seller Fees

• Monthly fee — None
• Commission — Category-based, typically 7-15%
• No listing fees — Products listed at no additional cost

Commission Rates by Category

| Category | Commission | |----------|-----------| | Electronics | 7-10% | | Fashion | 10-15% | | Home & Living | 10-15% | | Sports & Leisure | 10-15% | | Beauty | 10-12% |

Fulfillment

Otto does not offer a marketplace fulfillment service — sellers handle their own shipping. This means:

• Lower total fees compared to Amazon FBA
• You control the shipping experience
• Carrier costs (DHL, Hermes, etc.) are your expense
• Must meet Otto's 2-day shipping SLA

Total Cost Example (Otto)

For a EUR 50 product (fashion category):

• Commission: EUR 6.00 (12%)
• Shipping cost (DHL Paket): ~EUR 4.50
• Total fees: ~EUR 10.50 (21.0% of sale price)

The Otto Odoo Integration tracks all fees through settlement reconciliation for accurate margin reporting.

Zalando Fee Breakdown

Partner Program Fees

Zalando's fee structure varies by brand and category:

• Commission — 5-25% depending on brand tier and product category
• Marketing contribution — Optional Zalando Marketing Services (ZMS) costs
• ZFS fulfillment — Additional fees if using Zalando Fulfillment Solutions

Commission Rates by Category

| Category | Commission Range | |----------|-----------------| | Premium Fashion | 5-12% | | Mid-Market Fashion | 12-18% | | Shoes | 10-20% | | Accessories | 15-25% | | Beauty | 10-15% | | Sports | 10-18% |

Zalando negotiates commissions individually with brands, so rates vary significantly.

ZFS Fulfillment Fees

If you use Zalando Fulfillment Solutions:

• Inbound handling — Per-unit fee for receiving stock at Zalando warehouses
• Storage — Monthly per-unit fee based on space used
• Fulfillment — Per-order picking and packing fee
• Returns processing — Per-return handling fee (significant given 30-50% return rates)

Total Cost Example (Zalando)

For a EUR 50 product (mid-market fashion):

• Commission: EUR 7.50 (15%)
• ZFS fulfillment: ~EUR 4.00
• Return processing (at 40% rate): ~EUR 2.00 prorated
• Total fees: ~EUR 13.50 (27.0% of sale price)

The Zalando Odoo Integration imports all fees through settlement reports for accurate per-product margin analysis.

Kaufland Fee Breakdown

Seller Fees

• Monthly fee — None
• Commission — Category-based, typically 7-15%
• No listing fees — Products listed at no additional cost

Commission Rates by Category

| Category | Commission | |----------|-----------| | Electronics | 7-10% | | Home & Garden | 9-13% | | Fashion | 11-14% | | Sports | 10-13% | | Beauty | 9-12% | | Automotive | 8-11% |

Fulfillment

Like Otto, Kaufland does not offer marketplace fulfillment. Sellers handle their own shipping.

Total Cost Example (Kaufland)

For a EUR 50 product (electronics):

• Commission: EUR 4.00 (8%)
• Shipping cost (DHL Paket): ~EUR 4.50
• Total fees: ~EUR 8.50 (17.0% of sale price)

The Kaufland Odoo Integration tracks all commissions and fees through settlement imports.

Side-by-Side Total Cost Comparison

For a EUR 50 product across all four marketplaces:

| Marketplace | Commission | Fulfillment | Other | Total | % of Price | |------------|-----------|-------------|-------|-------|-----------| | Amazon.de (FBA) | EUR 7.50 | EUR 3.50 | EUR 0.10 | EUR 11.10 | 22.2% | | Otto | EUR 6.00 | EUR 4.50 (self) | — | EUR 10.50 | 21.0% | | Zalando (ZFS) | EUR 7.50 | EUR 4.00 | EUR 2.00 | EUR 13.50 | 27.0% | | Kaufland | EUR 4.00 | EUR 4.50 (self) | — | EUR 8.50 | 17.0% |

Key Takeaway

Kaufland offers the lowest total cost of selling. Amazon.de and Otto are comparable. Zalando is the most expensive but offers access to a fashion-dedicated audience that converts at higher rates for the right brands.

Tracking Fees in Odoo

ECOSIRE's marketplace modules import settlement reports with fee breakdowns:

• Amazon Odoo Integration — Referral fees, FBA fees, advertising, returns
• Otto Odoo Integration — Commission, shipping subsidies, return deductions
• Zalando Odoo Integration — Commission, ZFS fees, marketing, returns
• Kaufland Odoo Integration — Commission, shipping, promotional deductions

This data feeds into Odoo's profitability reporting for per-marketplace and per-product margin analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which German marketplace has the lowest seller fees? Kaufland generally has the lowest total cost of selling, with category commissions of 7-15% and no monthly subscription or fulfillment fees. However, its lower traffic means fewer sales volume compared to Amazon.de.

How much does it cost to sell on Amazon.de? Amazon.de charges a EUR 39/month Professional plan fee plus category-based referral commissions (7-15%). If using FBA, additional fulfillment fees (EUR 2.40-5.80 per unit) and storage fees apply. Total costs typically range from 20-30% of the sale price.

What are Zalando's seller fees? Zalando charges brand-negotiated commissions from 5-25% depending on brand tier and category. Optional Zalando Fulfillment Solutions (ZFS) add fulfillment and return processing fees. Total costs can reach 25-30% of sale price for mid-market fashion brands.

How can I compare marketplace profitability in Odoo? ECOSIRE's marketplace modules (Amazon, Otto, Zalando, Kaufland) import settlement reports with detailed fee breakdowns, enabling per-marketplace and per-product profit margin analysis in Odoo's reporting module.

Next Steps

Choose your marketplace mix based on product category, target audience, and fee tolerance. See our German eCommerce strategy guide for a complete playbook, or contact our team for a profitability analysis tailored to your products.