Specilized marketplaces

Industry estimates suggest there are over 400 marketplaces across Europe, with most being category-specific.

Somatotypes:

Category-specific marketplaces are rising. Especially in fragmented European markets.

If we compare e-commerce models to human body types, here's how it would look:

• A WebStore is like an ectomorph—lean, specialized, but slow to grow globally (whether it’s muscle or mass).

• A generic marketplace like Amazon is an endomorph—it grows fast, taking in everything, but can feel chaotic

• A category-specific marketplace? That’s the —the ideal athlete. Agile, balanced, and built for performance

Example: The Biggest Sports(only) Marketplace in Europe

🚴 Decathlon is already No.1 in sports gear in several countries such as FR🇫🇷, NL🇳🇱, ES🇪🇸, IT🇮🇹  ect..
- GMV around €16 billion. (18% online, rest offline.)
- Fun fact: In the 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 60% of online orders are picked up in stores
- Physical + digital = 🔥.

Now here’s where it gets interesting:
- Amazon’s GMV in Europe is ~€100 billion.
- But… only 5–10% of that comes from sports gear.
- Decathlon is probably selling more sports gear than Amazon in Europe.


Next big contented in CEE region....

Example 2: Refurbed

In June 2024, refurbed is set to broaden its reach by launching in Belgium, Finland, Portugal, and the Czech Republic, advancing its mission to be Europe’s premier destination for refurbished goods.

By GMV, it is the 4th largest secondhand platform in Europe (and second in electronics)

In comparison, it may seem small, but it still generates sales worth hundreds of millions of EUR per year.