Cross-border e-commerce in Europe accounted for sales of €237 billion last year (excluding travel), an annual increase of 32%, Cross-Border Commerce Europe reported on Thursday.
According to a study carried out with FedEx Express and Poste Italiane, Swedish company Ikea has maintained its number one position among the top 500 European players in the sector.
The 'Cross-Border Retail Europe Top 500' for cross-border e-commerce is a comprehensive compilation of cross-border data on the websites of European retailers. The ranking is based on several parameters, including cross-border online sales in Europe and the number and percentage of cross-border visits.
Ikea leads the ranking for the third year running, just ahead of Zalando and H&M. Other notable companies in the top 10 include Lego, Jysk, Lidl, Decathlon, and Adidas. The top 10 alone account for 19% of total sales in the Top 500.
In 2023, European online shops achieved cross-border sales of €107 billion, while B2C (business-to-consumer) online sales for goods in Europe rose by 13% to €741 billion.
Country-wise, Germany overtook the UK to become Europe's leading cross-border market. The UK, on the other hand, is suffering the consequences of Brexit, and has seen its cross-border sales fall to an all-time low (€27.5 billion, down 1.8% on the previous year).
Pure players (companies with products or services that are sold entirely online) or marketplaces still account for 42% of the top 500. Fashion, jewellery, and footwear are the second-largest sector, with a 39% share. Next come products for the home, garden, and DIY with 13.3%.
