The German marketplace ranking for electronics has Amazon in first place, followed by Media Markt and eBay. Lower down, just ahead of the tenth position, Kaufland, refurbed, and Back Market have made their way into the ranking, according to research from ECDB. The success of refurbed and Back Market in Germany reflects a shifting consumer mindset. This shift particularly impacts one group of retailers.
Refurbishers compete with Kaufland, Galaxus, and Saturn
As you can see in the graph, Kaufland and Galaxus are positioned alongside Back Market and refurbed. But the two refurbish marketplaces surpass them in electronics GMV and growth rates. Refurbed leads Back Market in growth, with 15.8% compared to 9.8%, but Back Market achieved a higher GMV in 2024 in Germany, reaching € 280 million versus € 232 million for refurbed.
Challenges for traditional retailers Kaufland and Galaxus trail behind
Although they have positive growth rates, their GMVs remain lower. The largest market share still belongs to dominant players like Otto and Media Markt, alongside Amazon, eBay, and Apple. For lower-ranking retailers, competing against strong brand loyalty and the affordability of refurbished items is a challenge. Saturn struggles to maintain relevance Saturn, the sister company of Media Markt under Ceconomy AG, struggles in the ranking. It holds a GMV of €631 million in 2024 but has seen a decline of -10.4%.
The problem for Saturn is not its competitive strategy but its similarity to Media Markt. As both companies operate nearly identical business models, consumers typically choose based on convenience or preference, often favoring the larger brand, Media Markt. Additionally, electronics purchases are not frequent enough to sustain both brands equally.
Refurbishment services as a response
Both Media Markt and Saturn offer refurbishment services where consumers can trade in their old devices for store credit. While this approach aligns with the sustainability trend, it has not prevented Saturn’s decline. Future growth potential for refurbishers Back Market and Refurbed are still small but could grow as awareness and demand for refurbished products increase.
Conclusion
Refurbed and Back Market enter Germany’s top electronics marketplaces, competing with major players. Their growth highlights changing consumer preferences and challenges for traditional retailers.
Market
Trade-in
Repair
Refurbishing
