What 24,000 Shoppers Revealed About the World’s Top Marketplaces in 2025

Marketplaces have officially become the new global storefront. For brands planning to scale internationally, understanding where shoppers actually buy is now a strategic advantage. And thanks to fresh insights from 24,000 global shoppers, we now have a clearer view of the world’s most influential marketplaces, and what they mean for eCommerce expansion in 2025 and beyond.

At Axelwin, we work with D2C brands across Europe, the US, and emerging markets. What we see on the ground perfectly aligns with the report’s data: marketplaces are no longer optional. They are the infrastructure that powers global eCommerce.

This article breaks down the top marketplaces country by country, and outlines how brands can turn this landscape into a scalable international growth engine.
(Source: DHL 2025 E-Commerce Trends Report: 24,000 shoppers across 24 global markets.)

North America: Where Marketplace Dominance Defines the Entry Strategy

🇺🇸 United States: Amazon (82%)

🇨🇦 Canada: Amazon (90%)

North America remains Amazon territory. For cross-border sellers, Amazon offers:

• unmatched reach

• high delivery trust

• established customer behavior

For brands, Amazon is a conversion layer that complements D2C.

Axelwin’s recommendation:
Pair your Shopify store with a marketplace-led scaling strategy. Our Shopify store build service and Amazon launch approach work together to create a unified expansion ecosystem.

Europe: A Region of Marketplaces, Not a Single Market

Europe is the most fragmented marketplace region in the world. This fragmentation is an opportunity if approached strategically.

Western Europe: Amazon First

• 🇩🇪 Germany: Amazon (86%)

• 🇬🇧 UK: Amazon (88%)

• 🇫🇷 France: Amazon (81%)

• 🇦🇹 Austria: Amazon (88%)

• 🇮🇹 Italy: Amazon (~90%)

Central & Eastern Europe: Local Champions Win

• 🇵🇱 Poland: Allegro (87%)

• 🇳🇱 Netherlands: Bol.com (88%)

• 🇨🇿 Czech Republic: Alza (74%)

• 🇸🇪 Sweden: Elgiganten (52%)

• 🇹🇷 Turkey: Trendyol (88%)

For brands expanding into Europe, regional differentiation is essential. A single Amazon EU launch won’t unlock full European revenue.

Axelwin’s recommendation:
Use a region-by-region playbook:

• Launch on Amazon for Western Europe

• Expand on Allegro, Bol, Alza, and Trendyol for local dominance

• Leverage our Marketplace Launch & Regional Growth service for execution

• Build the brand home on Shopify for high-margin markets

This integrated marketplace + Shopify strategy is where Axelwin creates a unique competitive advantage.

Asia & Southeast Asia: Marketplace-First Growth Opportunities

🇮🇳 India: Amazon (93%)

Amazon’s logistics and Prime ecosystem makes it the primary point of entry.

🇲🇾 Malaysia & 🇹🇭 Thailand: Shopee (85–95%)

Shopee dominates lifestyle, beauty, and fashion categories ideal for D2C brands.

🇨🇳 China: Taobao (89%)

The most advanced marketplace ecosystem globally, but limited cross-border entry unless paired with a local partner.

Axelwin’s recommendation:
Go marketplace-first in SEA.
Shopee and TikTok Shop offer strong discovery, strong performance marketing synergy, and fast onboarding.

Our International Ecommerce Expansion service helps build the right operational and growth model for each market.

Latin America: Mercado Libre Is the Gateway

🇧🇷 Brazil: Mercado Libre (80%)

🇦🇷 Argentina: Mercado Libre (94%)

Mercado Libre is the Amazon of LATAM; logistics, payments, and regional trust included.

Why this matters:
LATAM is a high-growth, high-demand region for international brands, but logistics and payments are difficult without marketplace infrastructure.

Axelwin’s recommendation:
Test LATAM through Mercado Libre cross-border before committing to local setups. A low-risk, high-leverage entry strategy.

Middle East & Africa: A Mixed, Fast-Growing Marketplace Landscape

🇦🇪 UAE: Amazon (90%)

🇲🇦 Morocco & 🇳🇬 Nigeria: Jumia (76–89%)

🇿🇦 South Africa: Takealot (92%)

These markets have younger online populations and growing demand. Marketplaces here solve trust, delivery, and payment challenges for brands entering for the first time.

Axelwin’s recommendation:
Use our AI-Driven Commerce & GEO strategy to evaluate demand signals and build sustainable entry funnels.

Why Shoppers Choose Marketplaces First

Across regions, shopper behavior is consistent:

• Lower prices

• Trusted delivery and returns

• Product variety

• Familiar buying experience

Over 98% of global shoppers rely on marketplaces for a reason:
Marketplaces remove friction. They reduce uncertainty, simplify payments, and standardize expectations.

For brands, this means the quickest path to international revenue is through platforms consumers already trust.

How Brands Should Use This Marketplace Power Map

Here’s the Axelwin Playbook:

① Build your brand home on Shopify

Your Shopify store remains the anchor of your global identity.
→ Use Shopify builds to create fast, conversion-focused foundations.

② Launch on the dominant marketplace per region

Not every marketplace matters. Only the ones your customers trust.
→ Execute with Marketplace Launch & Growth.

③ Adapt your strategy by country

Europe, Asia, LATAM each require tailored approaches.
Axelwin builds country-specific roadmaps via International Ecommerce Expansion.

④ Drive traffic intelligently with paid media

Paid performance must be aligned with your global funnel.
→ Use Google & Meta Ads to fuel marketplace + Shopify growth.

⑤ Optimize constantly with CRO & UX

Market expansion with strong onsite conversion.
→ Improve conversion with UX & CRO Optimization.

⑥ Use AI and GEO analysis to identify scaling opportunities

Axelwin’s GEO + AI capabilities allow brands to detect demand patterns.
→ Learn more via AI-Driven Commerce.

This Shopify + Marketplaces + International Growth model makes Brands competitive across regions.

Final Word: The Most Global Opportunity of the Next Decade

Global eCommerce is entering a transformative chapter. Marketplaces have become the infrastructure of international retail, and for brands, this is the most exciting moment we’ve seen in years.

The path forward is clear:

• Go where shoppers already buy.

• Build a system that connects Shopify + marketplaces + paid media.

• Scale with confidence, geography by geography.

At Axelwin, we help brands turn this marketplace landscape into a repeatable, profitable international growth engine. International growth is where brands win next, let’s create the strategy that takes you into new markets.

Insights by Axelwin