The Best Online Marketplaces to Sell Beauty Products in Germany (2025)

The German beauty and personal care market is the largest in Europe, valued at over €15 billion. For independent beauty brands and third-party sellers (3P), navigating this market requires balancing massive audience reach with strict adherence to the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.

Success in Germany means choosing platforms that not only provide traffic but also support the necessary compliance, German language localization, and high-quality product presentation that German consumers demand.

Here, we’ve rounded up the top genuine third-party marketplaces in Germany (DE) where you can sell your beauty, cosmetics, and personal care products directly to customers.

The German Landscape: Generalists and Category Killers

Germany’s marketplace ecosystem is led by global giants, but also features powerful local players that dominate specific retail categories, including beauty.

1. Amazon Germany (Amazon.de)

Amazon is the undeniable giant of German eCommerce, receiving over 450 million site visits every month. Its scale makes it essential for any brand seeking maximum volume and visibility.

• Best For: Mass-market cosmetics, high-volume consumables, and beauty tools. Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service is critical for meeting German customer expectations for fast shipping. The referral fee for Beauty products is typically 12% of the sale price.
• Key Consideration: Sellers must strictly comply with EU Cosmetics Regulations, including appointing an EU “Responsible Person” and ensuring all labeling is in German.

2. OTTO Marketplace (otto.de)

As one of Germany’s most trusted and largest local retailers, the OTTO Group’s marketplace attracts approximately 60-70 million site visits per month. It is highly selective and focuses on premium, mid-market assortments.

• Best For: Branded, mid-to-high-end beauty and skincare products. OTTO customers value brand quality and trust. Entry to the OTTO marketplace is curated, often requiring a basic monthly fee (currently around €99.90/month) plus a commission that varies but is highly competitive.
• Key Consideration: OTTO has a high-quality bar for listings and operations, which translates into lower competition for approved sellers. The platform has also focused on promoting sustainable products.

3. Douglas Online (douglas.de)

Douglas is the undisputed category killer in German beauty retail, attracting over 4.3 million monthly visits to its website alone. Crucially, Douglas operates its own marketplace model in addition to its retail business.

• Best For: Prestige beauty, niche luxury fragrances, and high-end skincare. Sellers benefit from incredibly high customer trust and intent—shoppers come here specifically for beauty.
• Key Consideration: The marketplace model is usually highly curated and often structured as a direct partnership or vendor agreement. You must have a strong brand and meet their premium quality standards to gain access. Commission rates are typically higher, reflecting the niche, high-value audience.

4. Zalando (Partner Program)

Zalando is Europe’s largest fashion and lifestyle platform, with its German site receiving roughly 25-30 million visits per month. Since 2018, Zalando has aggressively expanded its Beauty category across key European markets, including Germany, via its Partner Program (the 3P model).

• Best For: Trend-driven beauty, colour cosmetics, and products with strong fashion synergy. Zalando attracts a young, social-media-savvy demographic. Commission structures for the Partner Program generally range from 5% to 25% depending on the category, price, and services used.
• Key Consideration: Success relies heavily on high-quality visuals and engaging content (often influencer-driven). They offer their own fulfillment solutions (ZFS) but also allow partners to use their own logistics.

5. Kaufland.de Global Marketplace

Kaufland.de (formerly Real.de) is a generalist marketplace rapidly expanding its reach, contributing to the Kaufland group’s overall digital audience of tens of millions of shoppers.

• Best For: Mass-market toiletries, personal care equipment, and value-driven products. Kaufland attracts a mass-market, price-competitive audience. Commission rates are generally competitive across all categories, often making it an attractive second-tier channel for broad inventory.
• Key Consideration: As a generalist, you must work harder to ensure your beauty products stand out against general home goods and electronics.

6. Flaconi (Partner Program)

Flaconi is another major pure-play beauty retailer in Germany, attracting over 3.7 million monthly visits. Like Douglas, they focus primarily on retail, but offer structured Partner Programs for selected brands and distributors.

• Best For: Mid-to-high-end fragrances and high-quality skincare. This is a dedicated beauty audience with high purchase intent.
• Key Consideration: This is a highly selective partnership model, meaning you need a verified, established brand presence and must comply with their strict service standards.

Critical Success Factor: EU & German Compliance

For beauty sellers, the most challenging hurdle isn’t traffic, it’s compliance. Unlike general goods, cosmetics are subject to extremely strict safety laws in the EU.

Failure to meet these requirements will lead to listings being suspended or inventory being destroyed on platforms like Amazon and OTTO, especially following the implementation of the new General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) in December 2024.

Choosing Your Platform: Strategy by Objective

Need help managing your online beauty orders or customer support across multiple marketplaces? Book a demo with eDesk today and discover how we can help you centralize messages, streamline operations, and grow your business with less effort.