Libro Blanco de los Marketplace :: INGLES

SUCCEED ON
MARKETPLACES
INTERNATIONALLY

THE
FOUNDATIONS
OF
MARKETPLACES
BOOST YOUR
INTERNATIONAL
SALES WITH
MARKETPLACES
INTEGRATE INTO
MARKETPLACES
EASILY
P6 P14
P50
A / What is a marketplace?
B / Marketplaces'
business model
C / Why go on marketplaces:
3 points of view
D / Selling on marketplaces:
making the right decisions
E /A rise in mobile
marketplaces
A / European e-commerce
potential and specificities
B / The most popular
marketplaces around the
world
C / Enter markets around the
world thanks to marketplaces
D / Challenges to anticipate
A / Generalities
B / How to distribute your
product catalogue
C / Content optimisation
D / Order management
E / Avoid having your
marketplace account
suspended
F / The essential steps to carry
out before launching on a
marketplace
G / Sales tools for
marketplaces
01 02 03
Table of contents

CONCLUSION SOURCES
& ANNEXESP56
P58
04 05
Integrate onto marketplaces effectively and develop your activity successfully

Payment Pay seller
Commission and
fee management
A marketplace is an online virtual space where retailers and
consumers come together to buy and sell goods and services.
Amazon, eBay and Alibaba are just some examples of this type of
sales outlet, and millions of retailers and even private individuals
sell on marketplaces to benefit from their features and audience.
Marketplaces have a very wide client base, ranging from individuals
to professionals, whether it be distributors, wholesalers, brands
or manufacturers. They can also be major ‘offline’ players, who
haven’t launched an e-commerce strategy yet. The marketplace
takes control of the technical and marketing elements, which
removes differences between retailers on the site, putting them all
on a level playing field.
01 / THE FOUNDATIONS
OF MARKETPLACES
IN THIS CHAPTER
A / What is a marketplace ?
B / Marketplaces' business model
C / Why go on marketplaces: 3 points of view
D / Selling on marketplaces: making the right decisions
E / A rise in mobile marketplaces
Preface

A / WHAT IS A
MARKETPLACE?
THE TYPE OF MARKETPLACE
The marketplace environment is very varied, and lets all types of retailers
to sell in a particular zone to a particular audience.
There are B2B, B2C and C2C marketplaces, where people exchange
physical goods, intangible goods, and services.
With so many different marketplaces, it is important to distinguish
between generalist marketplaces and vertical marketplaces. The former
include industry giants such as Amazon eBay and cDiscount, which offer
a range of products from a variety of sectors. The latter include Galeries
Lafayette, Zalando and ePrice, which display products from a particular
universe (fashion, beauty, electronics, etc.).
Marketplaces can also employ a hybrid model, whereby the operator is
also a retailer on its own marketplace (eg Amazon), or they can be a pure-
player, where the operator acts purely as an intermediary (eg eBay).
TRAFFIC
The appeal of this support depends on the volume and quality of the
visits that it generates. The more visitors there are, the higher the sales
potential. Marketplaces are an efficient sales channel because they
increase visibility and generate traffic thanks to their renown.
For example: Amazon (18 million monthly visits in France) and Fnac.
com (9 million monthly visits in France) demonstrate the capability of
marketplaces to attract internet users.
01 / What is a marketplace ?6

PAYMENT
The issue of financial transactions is always a
sensitive one for retailers and operators alike. As
a third-party trusted seller, marketplaces have
to provide a secure environment and deal with
bank transactions and payment verification.
When dealing with sales, the issue of financial
transaction is sensitive for the operator. As a
third party trusted seller, marketplaces have to
provide a secure environment and take care of
bank transactions and subsequent verification
checks. When a product is sent, the marketplace
will clear the payment for the retailer, taking a
slice of commission.
Operators can use payment systems like Paypal,
Stripe, Hipay or even develop their own payment
system like Amazon did with Amazon Payment,
or Tmall with Alipay. Ideally, marketplaces want
consumers to buy as many products as possible
in one go from different retailers using one
simple payment process.
THE CATALOGUE
For a standard catalogue, the marketplace
operator has to define:
1. Which products are authorised
On eBay for example, product restrictions
are pretty much nonexistent; there are many
categories. However, on other marketplaces
(often hybrid ones), like Fnac.com or Galaries
Lafayette, operators define exactly which
products can be sold, with precise categories.
They retain entire control of your catalogue.
2. Offer visibility
On Amazon, you can display different offers in
the product information. However, on eBay, if
you search for a product, the different offers will
appear on different pages.
3. Pricing rules
On Amazon for example, a retailer cannot display
a product for a higher price than it is displayed
on other channels, whether that be other
marketplaces or its own website (principle of
parity pricing).
01 / What is a marketplace ? 7

COMMUNICATION TOOLS AND
SALES CYCLE MANAGEMENT
TOOLS
A retailer can push their most performing
products, or products that are relevant for a
certain period, or conversely, push their least
performing products as sales items to offload
stock.
Communication between shoppers and retailers,
whether that takes place before purchasing or
after (SAV), is an integral part of the sales cycle.
Normally, if you sell on marketplaces, you don’t
get access to clients’ email addresses, so these
communication tools are a great alternative to
help you get in touch with consumers.
On PriceMinister for example, retailers are in
charge of their own marketing strategy. They can
create their own advertising campaigns, create
promotions in just a few hours, choose their own
delivery fees, and buy keywords so their brand
appears when someone searches with said
keyword1
.
There is no doubt that marketplaces are full of
potential, but they are also very competitive,
and there is a chance that you will be competing
alongside another retailer with the same target
audience, selling the same product as you.
Therefore, it can be very difficult for retailers
to stand out from the crowd. Marketplaces
provide a range of solutions to help retailers
deal with this problem, and improve the visibility
of their products and online store. Depending
on the solution, they are set up either by
retailers themselves, or using teams from the
marketplace in question.
The first solution, which is free, improves
natural referencing by optimising the content
distributed on marketplaces: product page titles,
descriptions and keywords.
As well as this, certain marketplaces have
extra features, which come at an added cost,
which let retailers promote their products or
online shop, and subsequently become more
visible to internet users. An example of these
added solutions is product promotions, whereby
retailers can improve their position in the results
pages. Retailers can also usually buy advertising
space on marketplaces, which they can use to
display offers.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK
When using marketplaces, retailers have to
be able to communicate their General Sales
Conditions and legal notices. The retailer has to
provide consumers with all the pre-contractual
information that they are entitled to. Section
7.1.a of the Consumer Protection (Distance
Selling) Regulations Act, passed in 2000, states
that retailers must provide contact details,
full price (including tax), delivery costs and
information regarding payment and delivery prior
to a sale.
The terms and conditions for setting up an
e-boutique, and accountability of each party
should be set out within the General Sales
Conditions. These days, e-commerce is highly
controlled, and marketplaces now have stringent
legal requirements. Numerous seals of approval
and certifications exist for retailers to provide all
the necessary guarantees to reassure shoppers2
.

It is important to know a marketplace’s business model, so you can
understand their pricing and payment methods :
SALES COMISSION
The classic pricing model, sales commission, is the most
popular option for marketplaces. When a sale takes place on a
marketplace, the operator will take a commission fee.
For example, Amazon have a commission rate of 15% for cultural
products and 12% for computer accessories. Marketplaces usually
have a summary table which sets out their commision rates
according to product category.
PROFESSIONAL SUBSCRIPTION
Certain marketplaces have a monthly subscription for retailers,
which has supplementary advantages, including improved visibility
in search results.
For example, PriceMinister gives the retailers a chance to sign
up to a fixed monthly subscription ranging from €39 to €499,
with a gradually decreasing commission rate according to the
subscription.
ADVERTISING
Marketplaces generate heavy traffic and another way they make
money is through selling advertising space, such as banners,
partner brands, and product ads.
B /
MARKETPLACES'
BUSINESS
MODEL

FROM AN OPERATOR'S
POINT OF VIEW
For a hybrid operator, opening a marketplace has three main
benefits: widening the product offering, improving customer service
and increasing profitability. In effect, by opening your site to other
e-commerce sites, you can index a great number of products
which will place the platform amongst reference sites in its field.
Furthermore, the operator frees themselves from buying stock,
which is one of the main problems of managing a business.
FROM A SHOPPER'S POINT OF VIEW
Marketplaces have a large selection of products and prices. In
one product sheet, internet users can find all the available prices,
proposed by both operator and third party retailers. Marketplaces
provide consumers with an optimal purchasing experience, with
one basket and the ability to pay for all products in one transaction,
regardless of the number of retailers the consumer is buying from.
For shoppers, the marketplace acts as a trusted party to reimburse
the internet user or sanction the retailer if the product is faulty or if
delivery time takes too long.
C / WHY GO ON MARKETPLACES :
3 POINTS OF VIEW
FROM A RETAILER’S POINT OF VIEW
For retailers, selling on marketplaces lets retailers increase sales
rapidly as they reach new client segments and enter new markets,
all the while mastering acquisition costs.
Marketplaces present a relatively weak financial risk for retailers.
The retailer only pays when a transaction takes place, because
most marketplaces work on a sales commission basis.

The marketplace is an excellent sales channel for qualified traffic, with a
higher purchasing intention than price comparison engines. The brand image
and marketplace’s popularity and traffic are highly beneficial, particularly for
smaller online retailers and new entrants. The marketplace makes sales cycle
management tools and payment management tools available for retailers.
Finally, when a retailer sells on marketplaces, they get the best possible
position on Google’s search pages, thanks to marketplaces’ strong SEO.
Therefore, retailers can be less dependent on their own SKUs which could be
relatively weak if their e-commerce site is small3
.
In general, the main advantages of marketplaces are:
○○ The option to test new markets simply and quickly.
○○ Thanks to their reputation, marketplaces can improve retailers’credibility
and reassure clients who are worried about security.
○○ Easy to get started and to control acquisition costs.
○○ No need to spend money on translating your website. Nevertheless, you
usually have to translate the product catalogue.
○○ Access a larger market in terms of demographics and location (cross-
border).
○○ Increased visibility means higher traffic, which allows retailers to sell more
products and clear out stock more easily.
○○ Marketplaces have various management tools (order, stock, sending and
payment) to help retailers.
○○

D / SELLING ON MARKETPLACES:
MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS
There are many marketplaces, both domestic and international. Faced
with a multitude of options, it is important to choose the best ones to
save time and avoid sticky situations. Budgeting and targeting are the
two most important criteria to take into account.
Retailers should choose marketplaces based on different criteria, such as
the marketplace’s sector positioning, requirements and commission rate.
You have to identify marketplaces in keeping with your product type. If
you sell clothing, it is better to broadcast your products on sites like La
Redoute and Zalando. For hi-tech products, use PriceMinister, ePrice and
La Fnac.
Make sure you learn about each marketplace’s demands when
processing orders.
Certain marketplaces give you more freedom than others in terms of
order processing, reimbursement conditions, etc. It is important to
evaluate whether these conditions match with your capability, trade
policy, etc.
If you are starting on marketplaces, do not run before you can walk:
start with one or two to get a good grasp on how they work (order
management, stock issues, compulsory EAN codes). Then, little-by-little,
venture onto other marketplaces.
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E / A RISE IN MOBILE
MARKETPLACES
If the e-commerce market is synonymous with growth, it is in some part thanks to the
strong emergence of m-commerce.From 2012-2013, purchases made using a mobile
device have started to increase significantly. By 2015, only three years later, the
m-commerce market represented 35% of the whole e-commerce market4
.
Therefore, marketplaces have had to evolve and invest in mobile to adapt to these
practical evolutions as well as the new challenges of the market. These days, many
have mobile-friendly websites or applications.
Thus, if a retailer sells on these sites, they are also active on mobile devices, and can
benefit from the consequent opportunities and advantages.
APPLICATIONS
More and more it seems to be mobile
applications seem to be fuelling m-commerce
more and more. Over half of all worldwide
purchases in 2015 made using a mobile device
were done via an application (54%)5
.
It can be very profitable for retailers to be
active on marketplace apps, whether that
be applications for big marketplaces (such
as Amazon, Cdiscount or even La Redoute)
or on vertical marketplaces that only exist
as applications (eg, Wish, Mallzee and Wine
Advisor).
According to a worldwide study led by Criteo,
transactions are nearly 4x more common on
apps than mobile sites and the average basket
cost is higher6
.
What’s more, when a retailer appears on
a popular marketplace app, they benefit
from increased traffic, whilst being closer to
consumers in their everyday lives.
For marketplaces that exist only in application
form (which tend to be specialised), retailers can
benefit from a more qualified audience.
Lastly, one of the main challenges for retailers
in an increasingly fragmented purchasing
environment is customer retention. Appearing on
both computer and mobile-friendly sites along
with the complementary app is a great way to
tackle this.

CROSS/MULTI DEVICE
Although most sales come via traditional e-commerce, not m-commerce, mobile
devices are present throughout the purchasing journey. According to Criteo, 50% of all
e-commerce is the result of a cross-device purchasing process7
.
Therefore, it is important to think about your mobile presence and develop a cross-
device strategy, because even if the final transaction is not made on a mobile device,
the user will probably use one during the process.
A mobile strategy (i.e. being present on a mobile site and/or app) lets retailers
accompany mobile users in their everyday life, and gives them the potential to convert
a customer at different stages of the purchasing process.
There are two different possibilities for retailers:
○○ If a retailer already distributes products on a given marketplace, they will appear
on the equivalent mobile site or application. As marketplaces are mainly mobile-
friendly, the retailer can still benefit from its audience and a surplus of visibility on
these new channels.
○○
○○ The retailer can also choose to integrate onto other marketplaces that are only in
application form. These types of marketplaces tend to be specialised, and show
just how important m-commerce has become.
○○
The retailer, small or large, will be able to benefit from the marketplace’s
advancements and thus, indirectly, benefit from its investments.

Exemples of shopping applications:
General
Home / electronics
Food / Wine /
Liquors
Fashion / Beauty /
Lifestyle

02 / BOOST YOUR
INTERNATIONAL
SALES WITH
MARKETPLACES
IN THIS CHAPTER
A / European e-commerce potential and specificities
B / The most popular marketplaces around the world
C / Enter markets around the world thanks to marketplaces
D / Challenges to anticipate
UNITED STATES
CHINA
FRANCE
UNITED
KINGDOM
GERMANY
RUSSIA
CANADA
AUSTRALIA
JAPAN
SOUTH KOREA
2
1
5
3
6
9
8
10
4
7
02 / Boost your international sales with marketplaces20

A / EUROPEAN E-COMMERCE
POTENTIAL AND SPECIFICITIES
The European e-commerce market was worth over €400 billion by
the end of 2015.
3 countries account for 61% of all European e-commerce: United
Kingdom, France, Germany.
According to a Forrester study, (Western European Online Cross-
Border Retail Sales Forecast, 2013 to 2018), the value of cross-
border sales in Europe surpassed €29 billion in 2015 and is set to
exceed €40 billion in 2018.
By 2018, 83% of European cross-border shoppers will choose to
buy online from another European country and spend €428 each
year on average (compared with today’s figure of €363)8
.
+ 550
MILLION
INTERNET
USERS
50
COUNTRIES
+ 300
MILLION
ONLINE
SHOPPERS
+ 800
MILLION
INHABITANTS

In Western Europe, the UK and Germany are the two most attractive buying
destinations for online buyers around the world. In 2015, more than a quarter
of English online retailers’ orders were made from abroad. In Germany, over
half of all online retailers were selling products to at least two foreign countries.
The author of the Forrester report, Michelle Beeson, explains in his blog
that at the moment ‘Europe is still a group of distinct national markets,
rather than one unique market. Countries still operate differently in terms
of administration, payment structures, marketing and even in terms of
consumer tastes, which can vary hugely from one country to another.’
As a result, marketplaces hold a lot of potential for retailers that want to start
selling in Europe. This sales channel simplifies cross-border selling, as it deals
with each market’s special features and tend to have a great client base.
While UK, France and Germany are the European ecommerce market leaders,
smaller markets like Cyprus, Malta, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and
Luxembourg also play a significant role, as these are the countries with the
highest cross-border penetration in 2014. The reason cross-border e-commerce
is so popular in these countries is because domestic products do not meet
all of domestic consumers’ demands. Therefore, they turn to other countries
to satisfy their wants and needs, and tend to put their trust in renowned
marketplaces in Europe.

Generally, Europeans
prefer to buy from other
Europeans rather than
from other countries
around the world.
© Dave Lastovskiy
24

OUTLOOK FOR MAIN EUROPEAN
MARKETPLACES :
Contrary to the situation in France, where nine marketplaces
feature in the top 15 most popular e-commerce sites, retailers that
want to start selling on marketplaces in UK or Germany have to use
eBay and Amazon, as these two giants dominate the two markets.
The European marketplaces market is not uniform. In order to sell
efficiently and effectively in each country, retailers have to take the
specifics of each country into account.
02 / Boost your international sales with marketplaces 25

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FRANCE
○○ 2nd largest e-commerce market in Europe.
○○ Delivery cost and time are key determinants in France.
○○ The marketplace industry is highly developed, with countless vertical
structures to consider.

66 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€6 BILLION
M-COMMERCE SALES
11%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
36 MILLION
ONLINE SHOPPERS
87%
INTERNET PENETRATION
€65 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

FOCUS ON MARKETPLACES IN FRANCE
France is one of the most dynamic e-commerce
markets in the world (5th). With an internet
penetration rate of 87%, France is one of the
European e-commerce market leaders, with a
market value of €65 billion in 2015, set to grow
by 14% in 2016.
The French e-commerce market has a special
feature: marketplaces are very popular. Out of
the top 15 most visited e-commerce websites in
France, nine are marketplaces, most of which
are vertical and local.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Ranking Brand Unique visits /
month
Average coverage
(% internet population)
Unique visits /
day
Amazon
Cdiscount
Fnac
eBay
Voyages-SNCF.com
PriceMinister
La Redoute
Vente-privée
Darty
Carrefour
Leroy Merlin
Booking.com
Auchan
E.Leclerc
Boulanger
18 134 000
11 175 000
9 328 000
8 116 000
6 440 000
5 874 000
5 746 000
5 360 000
5 307 000
5 286 000
5 230 000
4 818 000
4 341 000
4 239 000
4 174 000
37,9%
23,4%
19,5%
17,0%
13,5%
12,3%
12,0%
11,2%
11,1%
11,1%
10,9%
10,1%
9,1%
8,9%
8,7%
2 010 000
947 000
668 000
984 000
466 000
453 000
394 000
826 000
331 000
393 000
345 000
307 000
318 000
305 000
233 000

What’s more, marketplace popularity has grown rapidly: between 2014
and 2015, the volume of marketplace sales grew by more than 35%. More
precisely, it has been estimated that marketplaces generated around €3
billion worth of sales in 2015, which is equivalent to 9% of the entire French
e-commerce market. There is no sign of this popularity slowing down, as Xerfi
has predicted marketplace turnover to reach €10 billion by 20189
.
As for retailers, 29% of e-tailers distribute their products on the market’s major
marketplaces and marketplace sales represent nearly half of these retailers’
sales10
. It should be mentioned that in 2015, 182,000 e-commerce sites were
reported in France11
, which makes the market extremely competitive, especially
for smaller retailers. Marketplaces can be a great alternative for these retailers
because they can benefit from their visibility and traffic.
Today, marketplaces are a key feature of consumer buying behaviour. A recent
study has shown that nearly 95% of French people have used a marketplace,
sometimes without noticing12
.
What’s more, French people are happy buying things from marketplaces:
between 8 and 9 out of 10 surveyed say that they are satisfied using
marketplaces. They also rate their service highly, which they say simplifies the
purchasing process.

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○○ Top e-commerce market in Europe.
○○ Free delivery is common.
○○ Click & Collect is a popular delivery option in UK.
○○ 95% of UK retailers sell on marketplaces as well as on their own site.
○○ 86% sell on Amazon and 68% use eBay, which just goes to show the
hold these two players have on the market13
.
UNITED KINGDOM

€40 BILLION
M-COMMERCE SALES
18%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
43.5 MILLION
ONLINE SHOPPERS
93%
64 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€157 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

○○ 3rd largest e-commerce market in Europe.
○○ The rate of returns in Germany is the highest in Europe.
○○ Credit card is not the preferred payment method; they prefer to use
solutions like SEPA Direct Debit, Sofort or Giropay.
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GERMANY

€20 BILLION
M-COMMERCE SALES
13%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
52 MILLION
ONLINE SHOPPERS
89%
80 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€60 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

○○ Biggest market in Southern Europe.
○○ Mobile devices are very popular in Spain.
○○ When targeting the country, online retailers have the chance to
access other markets like Portugal (lots of Portuguese buy online from
Spanish sites) and South America.
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SPAIN

12%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
16,6 MILLION
ONLINE SHOPPERS
80%
47 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€18 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

○○ Italy has one of the highest rates of mobile penetration in Europe.
○○ Free delivery is a key factor which determines whether someone
completes a purchase.
○○ Online payment is still not universally accepted by Italians, most of
whom prefer to pay in cash.
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ITALIA

15,6%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
17,7 MILLIONS
ONLINE SHOPPERS
68%
61 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€16,6 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

○○ Online sales represent nearly 20% of all purchases in the Netherlands.
○○ Delivery fees are a real barrier to purchase for Dutch consumers.
○○ Bank transfer using iDeal is the chosen payment method.
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NETHERLANDS

16%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
13 MILLION
ONLINE SHOPPERS
98%
16,9 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€16 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

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SWEDEN
○○ With a booming e-commerce market, Sweden is the ideal market if
you are looking to conquer a young audience.
○○ Like prices to appear in their own currency, and like to pay with an
invoice after receiving their order.

12%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
6 MILLIONS
ONLINE SHOPPERS
92%
9 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€9,7 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

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POLAND
○○ e-commerce growth rate over the last few years has been impressive.
○○ Free returns is a key element for Polish customers.

18%
ANNUAL E-COMMERCE
GROWTH RATE
12 MILLION
ONLINE SHOPPERS
70%
38 MILLION
TOTAL POPULATION
€7,6 BILLION
E-COMMERCE SALES
Main marketplaces:

B / THE MOST POPULAR
MARKETPLACES AROUND
THE WORLD
Estimates state that big marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba will account
for 40% of worldwide online sales within the next five years14
.
The main challenges of selling on marketplaces are15
:
○○ Customer service (66%)
○○ Maintaining a competitive price (51%)
○○ Supplying products (49%)
○○
When consumers were asked which websites they would be the most inclined to
buy from, 66% replied marketplaces, whereas only 62% chose online retailers’ own
sites. However, there are certain nuances between different countries. The majority
of consumers in Russia (78%), China and USA (76% for both) prefer buying from
marketplaces, whilst shoppers in Australia (81%), UK (72%) and Canada (71%) are
more willing to buy from retailers’ own websites16
.

Amazon is a hybrid player; in other words, it
is both a marketplace and a retailer. Thus,
their products are displayed alongside those
of partner sites. Amazon is one the most
famous marketplaces in the world, alongside
MORE THAN 20
CATEGORIES AVAILABLE
ON AMAZON
2003
LAUNCH DATE
89 BILLION
DOLLARS
E-COMMERCE TURNOVER
IN 2014
1ST
E-COMMERCE WEBSITE
IN THE WORLD
183 MILLION
PRODUCTS LISTED
2 MILLION
THIRD-PARTY RETAILERS
eBay. Originally dedicated to cultural products,
the platform has expanded its offering, and
continues to increase its product categories as
well as its worldwide presence.

Amazon FBA
Fulfillment By Amazon is a service where Amazon
takes care of delivery, even if the product is sold
by a third-party retailer. Amazon deals with stock,
product delivery and the after-sales service. If
a retailer signs up to use FBA, they also benefit
from added visibility for their offers.
Amazon has also created an offshoot of their FBA
service specifically dedicated to the European
market: Pan-European FBA.
Acting on the same principle, Amazon provides a
stock management service throughout Europe.
By signing up to the service, retailers can sell
their products on 5 of Amazon’s European sites
(UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy) and leave
it up to the marketplace to manage orders.
The Buy Box
One of the main advantages of Amazon is
its “Buy Box”, which is awarded to the best
retailers. These retailers are chosen based on
the following criteria: track record, sales, stock,
buyer satisfaction and price. This box appears
on the product detail page, where customers
begin the purchasing process by adding items
to their basket. Amazon’s popularity means that
many retailers may sell the same product, so if a
retailer has the Buy Box, their product will seem
more attractive, and indeed Buy Box placement
has increased the volume of sales for many
sellers.
Sponsored Products17
As one of the most popular marketplaces in
the world, when retailers sell on Amazon they
face strong competition. Therefore, one of the
main challenges for retailers is how to improve
visibility and in turn boost sales. This is exactly
what Amazon’s ‘Sponsored Products’ feature
aims to do.
These Sponsored Products appear in search
results pages and on product pages, on
computers, smartphones and tablets. Sponsored
Products work using a bid system and are
invoiced using the cost per click model. After
a retailer has chosen which product they want
to push, they have to state the maximum cost
that they are willing to pay per click and choose
which keywords they would like to attach to said
product. Amazon also lets retailers access the
metrics, which means they can optimise their
adverts from the outset.
Once a retailer has configured everything,
Amazon selects the bids according to the
retailer’s budget and the relevance of the
keywords.

Tmall represents about 60% of Chinese B2C ecommerce market.
$589 BILLION
E-COMMERCE
TURNOVER
418 MILLION
ONLINE
SHOPPERS
+ 35%
WORLDWIDE
E-COMMERCE
SPENDING
$57 BILLION
CROSS-BORDER
PURCHASES IN CHINA
$899 BILLION
2016 PREDICTIONS
50%
ONLINE SALES MADE
THROUGH MOBILE
$14,3 BILLION
GENERATED IN 2015 (+ 60% INCREASE
FROM PREVIOUS YEAR) FOR THE ALIBABA’S
SINGLE’S DAY
The Chinese market in a few figures:

Tmall
Launched in 2014, the Tmall Global marketplace is part of the Tmall.com group,
which is the top B2C marketplace in China. As a branch of the Alibaba group, which
dominates more than 80% of the Chinese online market, Tmall Global allows retailers
based outside of China to sell products directly to Chinese consumers. Tmall therefore
allows international products to be distributed to Chinese consumers, who are very
partial to high-quality European products. Retailers do not need a sales licence for
China, order forms can be filled in and goods delivered from all over the world and
payments can be processed in the customer’s local currency.To ensure the process
of starting to sell in China is as easy as possible, Tmall has established a range
of parterships to help retailers with a variety of challenges: opening an account,
configuration, shop design, logistics, marketing, etc18
.
Big international names already trust Tmall Global to sell their products in China, such
as Superdry, Unilever, Twinings, Lush, Karen Millen, Desigual, Costco Wholesale, etc19
.
Promote your products on Tmall
Like Amazon, Tmall Global lets you highlight certain products in order to position them
at the top of the results pages. This service is billed by performance (ie. per click)
and works using a bid system.Tmall also offers a display service called Zuan Zhan.
Retailers can choose to display their adverts through adverts. The retailer is billed
using the CPM payment method.
Lastly, like other marketplaces, there are a range of tricks for retailers to use to
maximise the natural referencing of their products on a Tmall Global store. The
retailer can also improve their products’ positioning in search results’ pages.

Cdiscount has more than 40 different universes to sell.
Cdiscount launched its marketplace in August 2011 under
the name ‘C le marché’ (C the market)20
.
+ 100 000
REFERENCES
10,2%
GROWTH COMPARED
TO 2014
€1,737 BILLION
OF TURNOVER IN 201521
10.5 MILLION
UNIQUE VISITORS PER
MONTH IN FRANCE
30 000
SALES PER DAY
125,000 DELIVERY PACKAGES
EVERYDAY AND 19 ORDERS
EVERY TWO SECONDS22
THE MARKETPLACE
REPRESENTS 27.5% OF
CDISCOUNT’S TOTAL SALES
106%
INCREASE OF MERCHANTS
COMPARED TO 2014
44,9%
SHARE OF MOBILE IN GLOBAL
CDISCOUNT TRAFFIC23

Cdiscount’s sponsored products service24
:
Like their competitors, Cdiscount give third party retailers on their
site the option to sponsor their products or store by signing up
to the ‘pole position programme’, which also works using the bid
system. Sponsored products are displayed in the search engine and
product lists: the aim is to obtain the most interesting position and
to be visible in what marketplaces call ‘Premium’ spaces (at the
top of the page for example). For third party retailers, this lets them
position themselves advantageously against competitors, generate
quality traffic and increase sales.
To launch the ‘sponsored products’ service, the retailer has to
start by choosing one or several products to highlight, and then fix
the maximum amount which they are willing to pay per click. The
retailer pays automatically when an internet user clicks on their
advert. There is also the option to define a daily budget.
Cdiscount also has three specialised vertical marketplaces:
Comptoirsanté, Moncornerdeco, Comptoirdesparfums.

28,8%
MARKET SHARE IN JAPAN
(RAKUTEN ICHIBA)25
€3.7 BILLION
OF TURNOVER
23 MILLION
PACKAGES DELIVERED EVERY
YEAR IN MORE THAN 25
COUNTRIES
+ 600 000
SKUS GENERATED
EACH DAY
80 MILLION
USERS
85 MILLION
MEMBERS

3 ways to promote your products and store on Rakuten
Rakuten provides a range of solutions to retailers that sell on their marketplaces, to
help them overcome common marketplace issues like increased competition or a lack
of visibility.
With « Rakuten Ads26
», Rakuten-Priceminister lets retailers create campaigns either
to highlight products in search results pages, promote a special offer and/or drive
traffic to their boutique. To set up Rakuten Ads, retailers have to choose keywords
which they want to position themselves on. Rakuten Ads work using the cost per click
method, so the retailer pays according to the performance of their Rakuten advert.
What makes Rakuten different from other marketplaces is that Rakuten has plenty of
ways for retailers to promote products.
Rakuten also has a loyalty system called « Rakuten Super Points27
» for its
marketplaces, which let retailers improve customer loyalty in a playful way and
increase the visibility of their products and store. The principle is simple: €1 spent is
the equivalent of a certain amount of Super Points. The retailer decides how many
Super Points correspond to a certain amount, and they can be accumulated to use on
a future purchase.
Priceminister also has « Rakupons28
», discount coupons which are valid for up to a
week. Rakupons work by performance: only the coupons used will be invoiced to the
retailer. To communicate about their ‘Rakupons’, Priceminister allows retailers to use
‘Rakuten Mail’29
, a free newsletter service.

M-commerce
CREATED IN 1995
BY PIERRE OMIDYAR IN USA30
Figures (2015)31
25 MILLION
ACTIVE RETAILERS
AROUND THE WORLD
$83 BILLION
TURNOVER
(END OF 2014)
4,5 MILLION
ACTIVE BUYERS
IN FRANCE
157 MILLION
ACTIVE BUYERS AROUND
THE WORLD
97%
OF FRENCH PROFESSIONAL
RETAILERS SELL
INTERNATIONALLY ON EBAY
800 MILLION
ITEMS ONLINE
50%
EBAY APP ACCOUNTED
FOR 50% OF THE SITE’S
MOBILE ACTIVITY
AT THE END OF 2014
+ 305 MILLION
THE EBAY APP HAS BEEN
DOWNLOADED OVER 305
MILLION TIMES

How to promote products on eBay ?
Aside from its display service for advertisers and retailers, eBay has
extensive, detailed advice to help retailers improve their natural
referencing on the marketplace. These tips help retailers choose
the most appropriate keywords and product information (title,
description, image, etc.) and advise them on how to make adverts
mobile-friendly.
The marketplace also lets retailers highlight potential offers (price
reductions, free delivery, special events) at no added cost.

In a number of African countries (headquarters in Nigeria):
In a number of African countries (Northern, Western and Eastern Africa):

C / ENTER
MARKETS
AROUND
THE WORLD
THANKS TO
MARKETPLACES
According to a Forrester Consulting study, 82% of consumers
around the world have already bought a product from abroad, but
they tend to prefer buying from global, well-reputed marketplaces,
as they trust them32
.
On the other hand, according to Ecommerce News, by 2020,
marketplaces will account for 39% of the worldwide e-commerce
market33
.
Advantages of marketplaces when expanding abroad:
○○ Strong audience
○○ Good reputation
○○ Adapted payment methods
○○ Key communication methods
○○ Relationships already in place with service providers such as
translators and custom agents
○○ Master acquisition costs
○○ No need to invest in website translation
○○ Option to trial your products abroad quickly

D /
CHALLENGES
TO ANTICIPATE
Marketplaces are a great way to start selling cross-border, but
before getting started, it is crucial you understand the key elements
to develop your business abroad successfully.
LOGISTICS
You have to ensure that you adapt your logistics strategy (ie
transport costs, delivery time, returns…). It is recommended
to get in touch with local logistics providers that specialise in
e-commerce34
.
Bad logistics and bad stock management can be perceived
negatively by marketplaces, and they may subsequently impose
sanctions. Setting up high-quality logistics is also a great way to
stand out from the competition.
AFTER-SALES SERVICE
Make sure at least one person in your team can speak the local
language of each country you sell in. People like to speak to client
support in their own language, as this is reassuring when resolving
disputes.
Most marketplaces expect retailers to meet certain service
demands, and have minimum requirements for the following:
○○ A timeframe to accept orders
○○ Customer response time
○○ Free delivery above a certain amount

CONTENT
Your content should be adapted for the local market. All content (not just the title)
should be translated to suit each country.
It is important to pay attention to customer satisfaction: customers will expect the
same brand experience and the same level of service that they receive on your own
site35
.
PAYMENT METHODS
Even though the lines between each country’s trends are becoming increasingly
blurred thanks to globalisation, there are still certain features which are specific
to each country. For example, in Germany, shoppers prefer to pay by bank transfer,
whereas in The Netherlands, the favourite payment method is iDEAL and Alipay leads
the way in China.
BUSINESS LOCATION
In most countries, retailers do not have to create a specific branch to sell
internationally. Nevertheless, it is a requirement in certain countries like India (eg
Amazon India) and China.
To reassure shoppers, the Chambers of Commerce in the respective countries can
provide businesses with a local address and telephone number at the minimal cost.

○○ Organise logistics
○○ Adapt payment methods
○○ Adapt content to suit each market
○○ Target international markets depending on:
• Product type (usage, local legislation, etc.)
• Resources (customer service in the local language, translated
content, etc.)
○○ Fix competitive prices: take the purchase price and delivery costs
into account, without forgetting added costs caused by taxes and
customs.
○○ Carry out market research to learn about the most popular products,
competitors, pricing, etc. You should also take cultural and linguistic
differences into account.
○○ Check current legislation, norms and legal provisions: customs, tax
system, intellectual property laws, etc.
○○ Deal with client enquiries in the appropriate language.
SELLING
INTERNATIONALLY:
THE BASIC ESSENTIALS

03 / INTEGRATE INTO
MARKETPLACES
EASILY
IN THIS CHAPTER
A / Generalities
B / How to distribute your product catalogue
C / Content optimisation
D / Order management
E / Avoid having your marketplaces account suspended
F / The essential steps to carry out before launching
on a marketplace
G / Sales tools for marketplaces
03 / Integrate into marketplaces easily64

PRICE COMPARISON SITES AND
MARKETPLACE: SAME OBJECTIVE,
BUT A DIFFERENT APPROACH
A / GENERALITIES
Marketplaces and price comparison sites have the same end goal: to increase
turnover.
However, marketplaces approach this end goal differently to price comparison sites.
On marketplaces, online consumers are not redirected towards a retailer’s site,
because marketplaces integrate products directly onto their platform.
The requirement level is higher and the investment is larger because retailers have to
comply with each marketplace’s technical specifications.
Once you have chosen which marketplaces you want to use, you have to send your
product catalogue. To get started, the online retailer has to generate a file in the
required format. Creating this file is a complex step, whether the file is in:
○○ CSV format, as this has to contain precise title headings or
○○ XML format, as this can be complex and requires developer level knowledge.
○○
In both cases, marketplaces evolve quickly, as do their data feed requirements.
Therefore, make sure you stay informed about the latest updates, so you can adapt
accordingly and continue distributing products as well as possible.
B / HOW TO DISTRIBUTE YOUR
PRODUCT CATALOGUE

Once the file is ready, it needs to be updated several times a day, and in order to
refresh product data (new products, price, stock count, etc), you will need to download
the file from the marketplace’s interface.
This is a crucial step once you know how well your products are selling.
Some marketplaces only let you load your product catalogue using API, so the retailer
has to use technicians to import their products (a costly solution, given the necessary
developments).
Multiply all this by the amount of marketplaces you sell on and it’s not long before
integration becomes time-consuming.
An online retailer has to create a unique product source file in either XML, CSV or
TST, and this file has to conform to Lengow’s technical specifications. For retailers
who use e-commerce solutions such as Prestashop and Magento, Lengow has
plug-ins to suit their specifications. Lengow generates a feed which fits each
marketplace’s technical specifications. Lengow also lets retailers distribute
product catalogues using available APIs. Therefore, the retailer can adapt and
optimise content, define when they want their source feed to refresh, create
product exclusion rules, etc.
WITH
03 / Integrate into marketplaces easily 67

When discussing the feed format, you also have to talk about ‘content.’ When selling a
product on a marketplace, you need to provide more information than you would were
you selling on a price comparison site.
Remember the 5 main points:
TITLE, DESCRIPTION, SHIPPING COSTS, ETC.
The way to optimise content is the same for marketplaces and price comparison sites.
Titles have to contain key words. The description has to start with a concise summary
of the product, and then should go into detail about its characteristics.
Provide as much enticing information as possible: shipping costs, delivery time,
guarantees, payment method, etc.
ITEMISATION MANAGEMENT
Not all retailers have itemised products, but the majority tend to. On a retailer’s site,
the internet user can choose the thickness of their duvet, the material of their couch,
or the colour of a skirt. Marketplaces have to offer the same level of detail when users
search for a product as would be offered on individual retailer sites, as to conserve or
even improve user experience. Therefore, group itemised products together to indicate
the variation type and its value. Each marketplace has developed its own tool, so the
way you fill in variations is not uniform between the marketplaces.
C / CONTENT OPTIMISATION

ATTRIBUTES
Search filters are popular marketplaces and there are hundreds of
attributes available. The most popular attributes appear as filters in
marketplace search engines. Filters provided change dependant on the
category you are looking at. Appearing in these filtered results can really
help improve your product catalogue’s visibility.
You have to enhance your data feed with as much information as
possible: it is therefore essential that your own site has a similar level of
detail.
It is very useful to do all of this beforehand, and this preparation
becomes very useful if you decide to export your product database
automatically.
Good attribute management is very important, particularly when dealing
with specialist marketplaces.
PRODUCT CATEGORISATION
Categorising your products is compulsory. To do so, retrieve the
marketplace’s thesaurus and then reuse this data to indicate which
category your products fall in.
This categorisation can become tedious if you choose to display a varied
and extensive product catalogue, but it is a necessary step, and not one
to forgo.

EAN/GTIN
European Article Numbering or an EAN code is the European barcode.
GTIN codes, Global Trade Item Number, is the unique international code
for all commercial units.
They are both essential for marketplaces and let you appear alongside
other retailers selling the same product.
In most cases they are obligatory. Sometimes, they can make it easier
to integrate onto marketplaces, as the marketplace can retrieve product
information from another retailer (eg Amazon).
Make sure you do not forget to fill in EAN codes. Certain marketplaces
control their validity and refuse products if they are not valid.
FORMATTING
Line breaks, carriage returns, italics and/or bold letters can be used in
descriptive texts. To add these extras, you have to transmit a product
description using HTML tags. However, make sure you check if it is valid
as not all marketplaces accept HTML code in product descriptions.
Graphics can play a key role, as some marketplaces have individual
boutiques, which are spaces dedicated to a certain retailer, which can
be customised to suit the brand. All sold products are indexed in this
boutique and a navigation system makes it easy for you to consult these
products. It is another tool to improve your visibility and increase the
value of your average basket.

Create and manage this unique feed with Lengow. You have to fill in variations in the solution as you
would for marketplaces.
Lengow retrieves information and then adapts it to suit each marketplace’s format, saving time and
resources. There are a range of tools within the Lengow solution to help you fill in product attributes
as best as possible, either as a whole or one by one.With Lengow, you can set up automatic rules,
which let you automate a number of actions. Several types of automatic rules can be created in
Lengow:
○○ Optimisation rules for titles and descriptions, which helps improve visibility on a range of channels
○○ Automatic rules to highlight attractive features. For example: display the fact you offer free delivery
in the title
○○ Rules linked to profitability ensure you only distribute products that meet a certain profit margin
○○ Automatic rules can help you prepare for sales periods by highlighting promotions in the title
○○ Rules to help you take marketplace commission into account (eg: price + 15%)
The possibilities are immense, and Lengow saves retailers a great amount of time, allowing them to
monitor all their actions from one single platform.
These automatic rules can also be duplicated from one product category to another, and from one
marketplace to another, in just a few clicks, so you can choose which campaigns to add them to.
The aim is to help retailers sell the right product at the right moment. Thanks to Lengow’s
optimisation rules, you can improve your conversion rate and click quality. You can also deactivate
low profit-making products automatically.
Lengow lets you take control of your campaigns which means you spend less time and money calling
upon technical help.
Each marketplace’s thesaurus can help you choose which categories correspond to your own, in one
click.
WITH

Revenues Average sale Costs
2000 000$
1000 000$
November
2016
December
2016
January
2016
February
2016
Revenues
$5714.3
Costs
$2758
ROI
48,26%
Clicks
$532
CPC
$1,1
CPA
$5
100 000
100 00
100 0
100
10
0
How to monitor my sales ?
All the figures you need are centralized in one spot.
Statistics overview
Let's see how much
money you made
yesterday
Performance
statistics
Go into detail and
analyze how to
develop your sales
Campaigns
statistics
Review your marketing
campaigns and see
how to impove then to
sell more!More details
Identify your best
market and which
channels outperform to
boost your sales!
Check precisely how your business is doing to adopt adequate
measures and sell more!
Statistics dashboard:

D / ORDER
MANAGEMENT
Once your orders are online, and you have started to receive your first orders, there
are 4 necessary steps: retrieving the order, processing it, managing logistics and
updating the stock count (or taking the product down if it is now out of stock).
RETRIEVING ORDERS
Retailers normally start by retrieving orders manually. This means connecting to
each interface to export vital billing information (name, surname, delivery address,
etc.). When the number of orders increases, this becomes too time consuming, so
many choose to automate the process.
One way to automate the process is by using each marketplace’s API but they
provide a product catalogue feed in their own format with their own values, which
you would then have to adjust in your management tool.
Multiply this process by the amount of channels used, and the wasted cost and time
are evident.

PROCESSING
ORDERS
After retrieving the order, you have to indicate to
the customer and marketplace whether the order
has been accepted or rejected.
Beware: cancelling an order after accepting it
can harm your reputation. A bad rating will affect
your sales volume.
If you accept the order, you have to indicate this
in your order management system so that it is
entered in your own sales cycle.
Once the package has been shipped, you have to
connect to your system once more to update the
order status.
We advise you to provide as much information as
possible regarding the order status, as internet
users like to track their orders
.
LOGISTICS
If you sell a product on a marketplace, you can
ship it using your normal logistics provider.
However, certain marketplaces like Amazon
and Cdiscount provide a logistics service. They
take care of preparing and shipping packages,
delivering the order more quickly to the
customer, saving you time.
UPDATE PRODUCT
DISPLAY
Once the order has been finalised, you have to
tell the marketplace that the stock count for
the product is lower. In certain cases, when
the product is out-of-stock, you have to take
it down altogether. You can do this from the
marketplace’s back office or from a data feed.
Take note: different marketplaces have different
rules as to when a product has to be taken
down. For some, it is when the product it out of
stock; for others, it is when there are only three
products left. Make sure you learn about each
marketplace’s requirements.

It goes without saying that managing orders can become complicated. Lengow is plugged into many
marketplace’s APIs to retrieve and centralise orders within one interface.
The system retrieves orders regularly, and categorises them according to status. The retailer can
modify the status of each order individually, as a whole or in a semi-automated manner. Lengow has
an API which lets retailers retrieve orders from all marketplaces using one uniform data feed. Some
retailers use certain e-commerce platforms and Lengow has plugins to let these retailers import
orders automatically.
Lengow has developed specific modules for retailers that use e-commerce solutions to make it
easy to connect their online shop to Lengow. These plugins are for retailers who use the following
solutions: Magento, PrestaShop, Woocommerce, Shopware, Joomla, osCommerce and Thelia.
How does it work ?
Using the module, export the product catalogue from your online shop into Lengow and choose
which marketing channels you want to use. You manage the main rules directly from your back-
office: choose products, images and files to export, etc.
For orders, you have to configure payment and delivery methods in advance. After that,
marketplaces orders are synchronised and accessible directly within your ecommerce solution. This
saves you time when processing and accepting orders and ensures optimal inventory tracking.
It is also possible to integrate Lengow’s API into your system. If you do so, when an order status
changes, this is transmitted directly to Lengow.
Lengow will update the status and then send the information to the marketplace in question.
Lengow centralises and helps retailers to automate their sales as best as possible, to let them
focus more on developing their business, be it domestically or abroad.
WITH

Centralized management of catalogs:

E / AVOID HAVING YOUR
MARKETPLACE ACCOUNT SUSPENDED
Marketplaces reserve the right to suspend retailer’s accounts, either temporarily or
permanently. Here are the main reasons why retailers become suspended:
○○ When a retailer is inactive for a given period
○○ When a retailer does not meet all the minimum service requirements. Generally,
marketplaces reserve the right to suspend or delete a retailer’s account if they do
not meet these requirements, even if it is a one-off. Here are several examples:
• Shipping rates which are too costly or too slow
• A high returns rate
• An insufficient message response rate
• A high rate of faulty orders
○○ Bad stock management
○○ Not paying fees and/or commission
○○ Serious breach of rules:
• Selling prohibited or counterfeit products
• Using inappropriate keywords
• Fake bids, etc.
To avoid your account being suspended, read the marketplace’s contract carefully,
as well as any extra rules, to make sure you respect the platform’s expectations. Be
sure to keep your stock up-to-date, so as to not display offers which you cannot follow
through with.

It is also crucial to pay attention to your
customers’ comments. You can avoid negative
comments by having a proactive attitude. When
there is a problem with an order, do not hesitate
to contact the client immediately to resolve the
dispute privately.
Five successive negative reviews can impact
sales for several weeks afterwards, until you
pick yourself back up and start receiving positive
feedback. Therefore, it can actually be less costly
to reimburse every unhappy customer, than risk
falling to a satisfaction rate below 80%.
Customer satisfaction is a main element, so
always make sure your customer satisfaction
rate is as best as can be on marketplaces.
Customers can make or break a reputation, and
the latter can occur if you do not follow through
with commitments. Marketplaces will also
impose sanctions if your customer satisfaction
rate is too low.
If a marketplace shuts down your account, find
out the cause of this suspension and study
sales practices. Then,create new objectives. For
example, Amazon asks retailers whose accounts
are suspended to send them a plan of action to
resolve the problem. Once they have read this
plan, Amazon decides whether to reactivate the
retailer’s account or not.

F / THE ESSENTIAL STEPS TO CARRY OUT
BEFORE LAUNCHING ON A MARKETPLACE
1. Choose which marketplaces you would like to sell your products on
2. Make sure your product catalogue is well organised and correctly categorised
3. Perfect your stock and shipment management
4. Sort out EAN codes
5. Set up a responsive after-sales service
6. Carry out regular benchmarking
A SUMMARY:
Major difficulties for
retailers
Lengow’s solutions
High commission Optimises profitability thanks to automatic rules
Optimised catalogue that is sent automatically via API
Orders from different marketplaces are centralised within one
unique platform and are fed back automatically to your back office
Automatic rules allow you to deactivate products which are out of
stock
Lengow lets its clients sell on a large variety of high-quality
marketplaces
A perfectly optimised feed in terms of titles, descriptions and
images for maximum visibility
Tools which let you analyse performance according to product,
channel and/or country
Catalogue management
Order management
Stock management
Brand image
problems
Positioning according to
competitors
Manage performance

G / SALES TOOLS FOR
MARKETPLACES
The success and popularity of marketplaces continues to grow, so a number of tools
have been created order to make retailers’ lives easier.
Firstly, translation platforms for product catalogues. Translating websites and product
descriptions is one of the main challenges of selling cross-border, but it is a necessary
investment as it allows retailers to distribute a catalogue adapted to suit each country.
These days, it is easy to find out which products and/or product categories sell best
and on which marketplaces. You can subsequently adapt your offering according to
each platform. Some companies reveal the most searched-for keywords, for retailers
to use accordingly.
Retailers can also access analytical tools to measure their performance and to test
future sales projects in line with different scenarios. The goal is to maximise ROI, all
the while minimising costs and risks.

Some platforms let you analyse other competitors on the marketplace and their sales
strategies so you can discover which methods work best. Retailers can also use
dedicated pricing tools to find out which competitors sell what and for what price, in
order to adjust their pricing policy and stay competitive.
Lastly, it is possible to centralise all client feedback from different marketplaces in
a single tool. You can check this opinion according to date, score or marketplace to
make sure you are always on top of customer satisfaction.
All of these tools help save a large amount of time and generate more sales as they
let you benefit from the best market analysis and simplify sales management across
different marketplaces.
83

04 / CONCLUSION
Each year marketplaces become more important in the global
e-commerce landscape, from the point of view of both consumers
and retailers.
This trend is set to grow even more: according to the Ecommerce
Foundation, marketplaces will represent nearly 40% of all online
sales in 2020. What’s more, by 2020, 66% of online consumers
will buy products from marketplaces regularly.
Marketplaces have countless advantages for retailers, such as
improved visibility and more qualified traffic.
However, above all, marketplaces let retailers big and small export
products abroad and test out new marketplaces, reaching a larger
client base, which is crucial in the cross-border era.
It is well-known that marketplaces are a great way to enter local
markets, and nowhere is this phrase more true than in Asia.
When a retailer wants to display their product catalogue in China,
they have to sell on marketplaces, as they dominate the Chinese
e-commerce market; in particular, Alibaba (with its marketplace
Tmall) and JD.com Global, which represent 80% of the market.
04 / Conclusion84

Understandably, this booming sector is highly competitive, and
hybrid players have emerged or evolved to try and create a place for
themselves in this dense ecosystem.
This is certainly true for some price comparison sites, which are
gradually transforming into shopping guides. For example, Google
Shopping is becoming more and more like a marketplace. In 2015,
the price comparison site launched its ‘Buy Button’ (only available
on mobiles devices in USA at the moment) which lets internet users
buy a product directly from Google Shopping, without leaving the
site. Although it is still being tested in the USA, other e-commerce
players have followed in Google’s footsteps, such as the German
price comparison site Idealo. Retailers can now add a ‘Buy Now’
button to their products on Idealo, which lets customers buy directly
from the German price comparison site. This new model runs
alongside their traditional cost per click model.
Even though the marketplace model seems attractive, it is not
without negatives. For example, in 2014 Twitter brought out a
‘Buy Now’ button which let customers buy products directly from
Tweets. However, this feature was not as successful as expected.
Even though it was very easy for retailers to use thanks to Twitter’s
partnership with Stripe, consumers did not catch on. Established
marketplaces also face difficulties;for example, at the beginning
of June, Rakuten announced that they would be shutting down
their marketplaces in the UK, Spain and Austria. There are many
reasons why marketplaces fail, such as heightened competition,
bad positioning or even increased acquisition costs.
04 / Conclusion86

However, new opportunities continue to appear, and m-commerce
is a booming element of the marketplace sector. M-commerce
lets retailers widen their reach, whether that be on mobile-friendly
websites or an application. Once again, m-commerce is particularly
strong in Asia, where 46% of transactions are carried out on mobile
devices.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading this whitepaper, and that
it has helped you to understand marketplaces better, be that
their opportunities and challenges, how to integrate onto these
platforms, or how to use them.
04 / Conclusion 87

05 / SOURCES &
ANNEXES
PARTIE 1
1. Frenchweb
2. Haas Avocats: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/2334/made
3. Salmon: https://www.salmon.com/en/what-we-think/gate/media/filer_public/57/2e/572e5282-
db9f-4e61-8a41-75fca6e4c77e/how_to_grow_your_business_via_a_marketplace.pdf
4. Criteo: http://www.criteo.com/fr/news/press-releases/2016/02/m-commerce-le-commerce-mobile-
evolue-vers-un-environnement-multi-device-et-centre-sur-le-client-au-4e-trimestre-2015/
5. Criteo: http://www.criteo.com/fr/news/press-releases/2016/02/m-commerce-le-commerce-
mobile-evolue-vers-un-environnement-multi-device-et-centre-sur-le-client-au-4e-trimestre-2015/
6. Criteo: http://www.criteo.com/fr/news/press-releases/2015/11/m-commerce-forte-augmentation-
des-transactions-mobiles-au-t3-2015/
7. Criteo: http://www.criteo.com/fr/news/press-releases/2015/11/m-commerce-forte-augmentation-
des-transactions-mobiles-au-t3-2015/
SOURCES :
05 / Sources & annexes88

PARTIE 2
8. Forrester: http://blogs.forrester.com/michelle_beeson/15-06-22-online_retailers_go_in_pursuit_of_
europes_valuable_cross_border_consumers_worth_40_billion_by_2018
9. Mirakl/Sorgem/IBM – Xerfi: http://extranet.escalconsulting.com/filinfo/files/150205-Mirakl-
CPBarometre.pdf
10. Soledis: https://www.groupe-soledis.com/e-commerce/
11. Fevad: http://www.fevad.com/espace-presse/bilan-2015-du-e-commerce-en-france-les-francais-ont-
depense-65-milliards-d-euros-sur-internet#topContent
12. Mirakl/Sorgem/IBM: http://extranet.escalconsulting.com/filinfo/files/150205-Mirakl-CPBarometre.
pdf
13. My customer: http://www.mycustomer.com/selling/ecommerce/ecommerce-trends-marketplace-
takeover-and-cross-border-trade
14. Ecommerce News Europe: http://ecommercenews.eu/global-marketplaces-to-own-39-of-online-
retail-market-in-2020/
15. My Customer: http://www.mycustomer.com/selling/ecommerce/ecommerce-trends-marketplace-
takeover-and-cross-border-trade
16. Business Wire: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151014005361/en/
17. Amazon: https://services.amazon.com/services/sponsored-products-overview.htm
18. Les Echos: http://www.lesechos.fr/idees-debats/cercle/cercle-132494-e-commerce-chinois-les-
francais-a-la-conquete-de-lempire-du-milliard-1117682.php?pSvrSvs7RgxMjR1V.99
05 / Sources & annexes 89

19. Marketing Chine: http://www.marketing-chine.com/entreprises-chinoises/lannee-2014-de-jack-ma
20. LSA Commerce & Consommation: http://www.lsa-conso.fr/cdiscount/
21. Journal du Net: http://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/commerce/1170988-cdiscount-en-2015-
chiffre-affaires-volume-affaires/
22. Usine Digitale: http://www.usine-digitale.fr/editorial/amazon-cdiscount-et-la-fnac-sont-les-sites-e-
commerce-preferes-des-francais.N340495
23. Journal du Net: http://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/commerce/1152700-la-marketplace-de-
cdiscount-pese-le-quart-de-son-volume-d-affaires/
24. Cdiscount: http://www.cdiscount.com/informatique/ope-mp/produits
sponsorises/v-1074004-1074004.html
25. Rakuten-PriceMinister: http://www.priceminister.com/blog/dossier-de-presse-priceminister-
%E2%80%93-rakuten-3701
26. Rakuten-PriceMinister: https://services.priceminister.com/fr/outils-rakuten/rakuten-ads
27. Rakunte-PriceMinister: https://services.priceminister.com/fr/outils-rakuten/rakuten-super-points
28. Rakuten-PriceMinister: https://services.priceminister.com/fr/outils-rakuten/rakupon
29. Rakuten-PriceMinister: https://services.priceminister.com/fr/outils-rakuten/rakuten-mail
30. Ebay: http://pages.ebay.fr/aboutebay/thecompany/companyoverview.html
31. Ebay: http://presse.ebay.fr/sites/default/files/CHIFFRES%20CLEFS%20EBAY%20MAI%202015.pdf

32. Ecommerce News Europe: http://ecommercenews.eu/why-marketplaces-are-important-for-
european-ecommerce/
33. Ecommerce News Europe: http://ecommercenews.eu/global-marketplaces-to-own-39-of-online-
retail-market-in-2020/
34. Salmon: https://www.salmon.com/media/filer_public/57/2e/572e5282-db9f-4e61-8a41-
75fca6e4c77e/how_to_grow_your_business_via_a_marketplace.pdf
35. Salmon: https://www.salmon.com/media/filer_public/57/2e/572e5282-db9f-4e61-8a41-
75fca6e4c77e/how_to_grow_your_business_via_a_marketplace.pdf

Lengow's marketplaces statistics:
ANNEXES :
60%
OF OUR FRENCH CLIENTS
USE MARKETPLACES
79%
OF OUR BRITISH CLIENTS
USE MARKETPLACES
53%
OF OUR GERMAN CLIENTS
USE MARKETPLACES
UNITED KINGDOM
ITALIA NETHERLANDS PORTUGAL BELGIUM
GERMANY FRANCE SPAIN
Affiliation Marketplace Retargeting Sem Shopbot
28%
33%
23%
28%
37% 48%
22%
18%
Channel split by country:

Lengow has partnerships with more than 200 marketplaces worldwide:
General
Home
Fashion / Sport
Electronics
Beauty /
Lifestyle
Marketplaces top 5 for Lengow's customers :
2- 3-1-
4- 5-

COMPANY OVERVIEW
Lollipops is a feminine, creative accessories brand, and all their products come with a
touch of glamour, gourmet and fantasy. The brand has colourful, sparkling collections,
be it handbags, leather goods, shoes or even jewellery, all made in Lollipops’ unique,
daring, genre-mixing way. Lollipops’ accessories are always in line with the latest
trends, and are diverse, creative and affordable, all at once.
www.lollipopsparis.fr
GOALS AND DRAWBACKS
Before Lengow, Lollipops worked with another solution, but they were looking for an
interface with a plug-in dedicated to Magento, to help them manage their product
catalogues on marketplaces better. Their former platform was less user-centric, which
meant Lollipop often needed support when it came to using it.
Lollipops wanted to publish its product catalogue on marketplaces, without using
internal technical resources.
The client also wanted to evaluate its performance using more detailed statistics.
Lollipops called for Lengow’s help to launch onto fashion marketplaces, such as
Spartoo and La Redoute, quickly. They also needed an easy-to-use tool to be able to
distribute a large product catalogue.

Lollipops began to work with Lengow in September
2015. Today, three people (with different access
levels) use the platform to help with the following
marketplaces: La Redoute, Galaries Lafayette and
Spartoo.
The solution was easy to configure and the client
started using it quickly, thanks in particular to the
Magento module. The module allowed Lollipops to
integrate orders onto their back office easily, and
identify the orders’ origins..
Lollipops particularly valued the product segmentation
tool, as well as the optimisation rules that they were
able to set up (both manual and automatic). It was
very important for Lollipops, as a retailer, to be able
to create rules, particularly concerning stock or price,
so they could cater to different promotions or annual
sales easily.
The client also liked Lengow’s ergonomic interface
which let them filter products easily, despite having a
lot of product attributes.
One of the major improvements for Lollipops is the
customer service’s reactivity when dealing with a range
of different problems.
increase in
revenue
the amount of orders
Lengow deals with
daily
of revenue generated
from marketplaces
+172%
22%
30
A french retailer's
successful launch onto
fashion marketplaces
in 6 months
SOLUTIONS PROVIDED
BY LENGOW

THE BENEFITS FOR ACTIVITY
Lengow made it easy for Lollipops to deal with orders, thanks to the
Magento module. The main benefits for Lollipops were the increase
in sales, and the time saved. In effect, Lengow saved the client
huge amounts of time when it came to publishing new products
and setting up offers during commercial operations.
As for the increase in sales, Lollipops recorded the following
improvements between January 2015 (without Lengow) and
January 2016 (with Lengow):
○○ 172% increase in turnover from marketplaces in January 2016.
○○ In January 2015, only 13% of turnover came from marketplaces.
○○ In January 2016, marketplaces represented 22%..
○○ In January 2016, Lollipops was able to deal with about 30 orders
a day across the Lengow solution.
“ Lengow made it easy for us to access marketplaces, which
we thought would be good for our brand development. The
Magento plug-in made the whole process a lot easier, from
connecting to the marketplaces to managing orders. Today,
everything is centralised, and thanks to the statistics tool, we
can see the whole picture when it comes to our actions. “ ANTOINE RUCHO
Responsable e-commerce

COMPANY OVERVIEW
TECHNIKdirekt has been active since 1995 with their eponymous website
www.technikdirekt.de. The company has over 30 years’ experience, which means the
company is able to offer their customers a broad range of products:
Audiovisual, TVs, Computers, Telecommunications, Household Items. The company
also offers professional counselling and is priced reasonably.
www.technikdirekt.de/en
GOALS AND DRAWBACKS
Before using the Lengow platform, TECHNIKdirekt product feeds were managed
internally by the technical team. At the time TECHNIKdirekt were only selling in
Germany.
The company’s objective was to improve visibility and start selling in other countries.
They soon realised that it would be difficult to continue managing their product
catalogue for foreign countries.
The product mapping and matching were quite complicated to handle internally. It
could have worked with a lot of manpower and time, but it would have been very risky
economically.
Therefore, TECHNIKdirekt decided to find a partner to help them selling in France in a
reasonable time: They chose Lengow, the market leader.

SOLUTIONS PROVIDED
BY LENGOW
TECHNIKdirekt started to work with Lengow in 2011.
Today the company uses the solution for shopbots as
well as marketplaces in France.
The solution can help analyse customers and use this
analysis to optimise the selling process. Furthermore,
the solution helped TECHNIKdirekt decide how to price
products, and was able to provide the company with
a comprehensive overview, which included potential
competitors. Marketplaces also have decent reach,
which is difficult to achieve with country-specific
domains quite so quickly.
When the company wanted to integrate their product
catalogue onto the French marketplace FNAC, Lengow
was able to help them significantly with product
matching and product mapping. Middlesized or large
companies such as Technikdirekt could not replicate
the work that Lengow does.
TECHNIKdirekt was glad to find a partner with so much
experience working with marketplaces and which had
a reliable and supportive team, like Lengow.
TECHNIKdirekt benefited from Lengow’s automatic
rules. They created a rule for availability: if less than
20 units were in stock, only 1 would show on the
marketplace.
With Lengow as the ‘middle-man’, everything has
worked really well. All changes and new entries have
been implemented without any issues.
Sales in France
Conversion rate
Traffic to online shops
+30%
X 2
X 2
A german Retailer's
successful roll-out in
France

“ Lengow is our so-called middle man, and we
have found the perfect partner to deal with the
whole integration process. Our perception of the
company was pretty much accurate, and I can say
that we have been lucky to work with Lengow. " MARTIN SAFTENBERGER
SALES MANAGER
THE BENEFITS FOR ACTIVITY
Obviously the company noticed that the name ‘TECHNIKdirekt’
had gained a certain awareness in countries where they had been
active on marketplaces. They also noticed that customers now
come directly to their own website TECKNIKdirekt to buy.
TECKNIKdirekt has achieved ROI in all areas. The company has
achieved satisfying ROI because Lengow has helped manage
costs. As a middle-sized company and not a listed company,
TECKNIKdirekt integrated successfully and easily in France and
generated revenue with Lengow solution.
Marketplaces have increased overall demand for TECKNIKdirekt.
The company is very satisfied using marketplaces and has achieved
great results with Lengow.
○○ Sales in France increased by over 30%.
○○ Traffic to online shop has doubled.
○○ Conversion rate has improved significantly: it has more than
doubled.

Lengow is the ecommerce automation solution
that helps brands and distributors improve their
performance, automate their business processes and
grow internationally.
Intuitive and innovative, the Lengow platform is the
key that opens the door to strong profitability and
visibility for products sold by online retailers around
the world on all distribution channels: marketplaces,
comparison shopping engines, affiliate platforms and
display/retargeting. With more than 1,800 partners
that have been collaborating with Lengow since 2009,
the Saas solution offers a powerful ecosystem to the
3,500 merchants that use it in 45 countries accross
the globe.
20 rue Treilhard, 75008 Paris, France
+33 (0)1 84 79 10 88
contact@lengow.com
www.lengow.com
http://blog.lengow.com
@lengow_UK
À propos de Lengow
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