Germany is Europe’s second-largest e-commerce market and one of the most demanding: shoppers expect next-day delivery, free and easy returns, and the option to pay by invoice. In 2026 online sales grew again, but parcel growth slowed, returns hit a record and new packaging and consumer rules took effect. 2027 adds higher wages and more compliance. This guide explains how e-commerce fulfilment (fulfillment) in Germany works, what it costs, which carriers and marketplaces matter, and what changes in 2027.
Quick answer
To sell successfully in Germany, hold stock in a German or nearby warehouse, ship with a major carrier such as DHL, offer next-day delivery and simple returns, and register your packaging in the LUCID register before your first sale. In 2027, plan for higher labour costs (minimum wage €14.60 per hour), the first full year of the new packaging law and, for parcels from outside the EU, €5 in fees per item.
German e-commerce in numbers
| Indicator | Latest figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online goods sales | €83.1 billion in 2025, +3.2%; forecast €86.3 billion in 2026 (+3.8%) | bevh |
| Parcel volume | 4.37 billion parcels in 2025 (+1.8%); up to 5.08 billion by 2030 | KEP-Studie 2026 |
| Returns | About 550 million return parcels expected in 2025; around 24% of B2C parcels | University of Bamberg |
| Marketplace share | 57% of online retail via marketplaces; Amazon about 63% of online retail | HDE Online-Monitor 2025 |
| Payment | PayPal 28.7% and invoice 26.1% of online sales | EHI Retail Institute |
| Minimum wage | €13.90 per hour in 2026, €14.60 from 1 January 2027 | Federal Government |
| Prime logistics rent | €9.21 per m² per month, top-5 hubs, Q1 2026 | CBRE |
What German online shoppers expect
- Fast delivery: next-day delivery is the norm for domestic shops and Amazon Prime, so parcels shipped from abroad often lose out.
- Free, easy returns: Germany is one of Europe’s return champions. Around one in four B2C parcels comes back, and in fashion the share is much higher.
- Familiar payment: PayPal and buying on invoice (Kauf auf Rechnung) together account for more than half of online sales.
- Trust and transparency: clear delivery times, German-language customer service, a full legal notice (Impressum) and visible reviews.
- Out-of-home delivery: parcel lockers such as DHL Packstations and parcel shops are widely used.
2026 in review
- Online sales grew again. After two weak years, online goods sales rose 3.2% to €83.1 billion in 2025, and the bevh expects 3.8% growth in 2026.
- Parcel growth slowed, costs rose. Parcel volume grew only 1.8% to 4.37 billion in 2025. B2C parcels were almost flat (+0.6%), while private-to-private shipments grew fastest.
- Returns hit a record. Researchers at the University of Bamberg expect about 550 million return parcels for 2025 and 560 million in 2026.
- The minimum wage jumped 8.4% to €13.90 per hour on 1 January 2026.
- A withdrawal button became mandatory. Since 19 June 2026, online shops and marketplace sellers must offer an easy-to-find electronic withdrawal function for consumer contracts.
- New packaging law. On 12 August 2026 the EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR) and Germany’s new VerpackDG replaced the old Packaging Act. Sellers based abroad without a German branch must now appoint an authorised representative.
- Parcels from outside the EU got more expensive: a €3 customs duty per item from 1 July 2026, plus a €2 EU handling fee per item from November 2026.
What changes for e-commerce fulfilment in Germany in 2027
- Higher labour costs. The minimum wage rises another 5% to €14.60 per hour on 1 January 2027. Picking, packing and delivery are labour-intensive, so expect warehouse and carrier price increases, and more automation.
- First full year of the new packaging rules. LUCID registration remains a personal obligation, marketplaces check it, and foreign sellers need an authorised representative in Germany. Packaging also has to get leaner ahead of the PPWR limit of 50% empty space in e-commerce packaging from 2030.
- Replaceable batteries. From 18 February 2027, the EU Batteries Regulation requires portable batteries in most devices to be removable and replaceable by end users. Electronics sellers should check their product range with their suppliers.
- €5 per item for parcels from outside the EU. 2027 is the first full year with both the €3 duty and the €2 handling fee, which makes bulk importing into a German or EU warehouse the default for non-EU brands. See our guide to the €3 EU customs duty.
- Paperless freight. From 9 July 2027 all EU authorities must accept electronic freight documents (eFTI), which simplifies inbound freight to your warehouse.
- Carbon costs ahead. The EU’s new carbon price on road fuels (ETS2) has been postponed to 2028, but allowance auctions start in 2027. Carriers already pay Germany’s CO₂-based truck toll, so delivery surcharges remain likely.
- Returns stay high. With return volumes still rising, fast returns processing and restocking matter as much as outbound speed.
How e-commerce fulfilment in Germany works
Your stock arrives by truck or container and is checked into a warehouse in Germany or a neighbouring country. Orders from your webshop and marketplaces flow in automatically; the warehouse picks, packs and labels them the same day and hands them to a carrier for next-day delivery. Returns come back to the same warehouse, where they are inspected and restocked. Read more about the core warehouse processes.
Where to put the warehouse: central and western Germany, such as Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia, reach most of the population overnight. Many brands also serve Germany from Poland or the Netherlands, close to the border, combining lower costs with next-day or two-day delivery. See our German warehouse market report.
What does fulfilment cost in Germany?
Fulfilment providers usually charge for each step separately:
| Fee | Typical basis |
|---|---|
| Inbound / receiving | Per pallet, carton or hour |
| Storage | Per pallet, shelf or cubic metre per month |
| Pick & pack | Per order plus per additional item |
| Packaging | Per box or at cost |
| Shipping | Per parcel, by size and weight, at the provider’s carrier rates |
| Returns | Per return, including inspection and restocking |
German prices are among the higher ones in Europe because of labour costs and warehouse rents: prime logistics rents averaged €9.21 per m² per month in Germany’s top-5 hubs in Q1 2026. Fulfilling from Poland can be cheaper for some products, as long as delivery times stay competitive. Compare 3PL vs in-house fulfilment costs and our guide to fulfilment costs.
Parcel carriers in Germany
| Carrier | Strengths for e-commerce |
|---|---|
| DHL | Market leader with the densest network, including Packstation lockers and post office branches; trusted by German shoppers |
| Hermes | Large B2C network with many parcel shops; strong with fashion and larger retailers |
| DPD | Precise delivery time windows and a large pickup network; strong in B2B and cross-border |
| GLS | Good value for B2B and cross-border shipping within Europe |
| UPS | Express and international shipping |
| Amazon Logistics | Delivers Amazon orders, including those fulfilled by Amazon |
Most fulfilment providers work with several carriers, so you can choose the best option per product, delivery speed and destination. Compare them in our guide to the best parcel carriers in Germany.
Fulfilment for German marketplaces
Marketplaces account for 57% of German online retail, and Amazon alone for about 63% of online sales, including its marketplace. Other important platforms are Otto, Zalando, Kaufland, eBay and Temu.
- Amazon.de: Prime-level delivery speed is the benchmark, whether you use Amazon’s own fulfilment or ship from your own warehouse.
- Zalando and About You: fashion platforms with high return rates, so returns handling is critical.
- Otto Market: a German-focused marketplace with stricter seller requirements, such as German-language customer service.
- Kaufland: strong in home, garden and DIY, with one account covering several European countries.
See all major platforms in our list of the top 30 online marketplaces in Europe.
Legal checklist for selling online in Germany
- Packaging (VerpackDG / PPWR): register in the LUCID packaging register under your own name, join a dual system for packaging that reaches consumers and, if you have no German branch, appoint an authorised representative.
- Electrical products (ElektroG): register with stiftung ear before selling electrical or electronic equipment.
- Batteries: register under the battery rules, and check the replaceable-battery requirement from 18 February 2027.
- Product safety (GPSR): every consumer product needs an EU-based responsible person named on the product or packaging and in listings.
- Consumer rules: a 14-day withdrawal right, the withdrawal button since June 2026, a full Impressum and German-language terms.
- VAT: storing stock in Germany usually requires a German VAT registration; the EU’s One-Stop Shop only covers cross-border sales to consumers. See EU VAT for e-commerce: OSS and IOSS.
How to choose a fulfilment provider in Germany
- Delivery promise: can they ship same day for next-day delivery across Germany?
- Integrations: do they connect to your shop system (Shopify, WooCommerce, Shopware, Magento) and your marketplaces?
- Returns: how fast do they inspect, restock and report returns?
- Carriers: do they offer DHL and alternatives at good rates?
- Compliance support: can they help with packaging, labelling and product rules?
- Growth: can you add other countries later without changing provider?
- Transparent pricing: clear fees per step, without surprises.
Read next: Fulfilment in Germany · German e-commerce market 2027 · Shipping from China to Europe
Frequently asked questions
How does e-commerce fulfilment in Germany work?
Stock is stored in a warehouse in or near Germany. Orders from your shop and marketplaces are picked, packed and handed to a carrier such as DHL on the same day, for next-day delivery, and returns come back to the same warehouse to be inspected and restocked.
What changes for e-commerce fulfilment in Germany in 2027?
The minimum wage rises to €14.60 per hour, 2027 is the first full year of the new packaging law (VerpackDG and PPWR), replaceable-battery rules apply from 18 February 2027, and parcels from outside the EU pay €3 duty plus a €2 handling fee per item.
How big is e-commerce in Germany?
Online goods sales reached €83.1 billion in 2025, up 3.2%, and the bevh forecasts about €86.3 billion for 2026. Around 4.37 billion parcels were delivered in 2025.
Which parcel carriers are used most in Germany?
DHL is the market leader, followed by Hermes, DPD, GLS, UPS and Amazon Logistics. Most fulfilment providers work with several carriers.
How high are return rates in Germany?
About one in four B2C parcels is returned. Researchers at the University of Bamberg expected around 550 million return parcels in 2025, most of them fashion.
Do foreign online sellers need a LUCID registration in Germany?
Yes. Anyone selling packaged goods to consumers in Germany must register in the LUCID packaging register under their own name, even when using a fulfilment provider. Since 12 August 2026, sellers without a German branch must also appoint an authorised representative.
Should I store stock in Germany or in a neighbouring country?
For the fastest delivery, store stock in Germany. Warehouses in Poland or the Netherlands near the border can serve Germany in one to two days at lower cost for some products. Storing stock in Germany usually requires a German VAT registration.
Sources
Figures are taken from the sources below and were checked in October 2026. Market estimates from research firms are labelled as estimates in the text.
- bevh – E-commerce in Germany 2025 and forecast 2026 (via etailment) – online goods sales
- BPEX/BIEK – KEP-Studie 2026 (via Hermes newsroom) – parcel volumes
- University of Bamberg – Retourenforschung – return volumes
- HDE – Online-Monitor 2025 – marketplace and Amazon share
- E-commerce Germany News – PayPal remains the most popular online payment method (EHI data)
- Bundesregierung – Minimum wage FAQ – 2026 and 2027 rates
- Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister – What changed on 12 August 2026 – VerpackDG, PPWR, authorised representative
- Verbraucherzentrale – Withdrawal button from June 2026
- Right to Repair Europe – Removable and replaceable batteries guidelines – 18 February 2027
- European Commission – EU customs reform – €2 handling fee
- European Commission – eFTI Regulation
- CBRE – Germany Logistics Market Q1 2026 – prime rents
