As tariff negotiations and trade tensions continue to occupy international headlines, cross-border e-commerce has become a focal point of strategic relevance in Europe.
The continent’s deeply integrated trade framework – bolstered by the European Union and a network of bilateral trade agreements – positions it as a natural hub for online cross-border activity.
However, the extent to which individual countries rely on foreign digital retailers varies significantly, revealing an uneven yet fascinating e-commerce terrain.
Cross-Border Share
Cross-border e-commerce in Europe
The concept of “cross-border share” is central to understanding these dynamics.
In a company context, it refers to the proportion of net online sales generated outside the firm’s home market.
Viewed at the country level, it captures the share of a nation’s e-commerce revenue attributed to retailers headquartered abroad.
This metric provides a proxy for domestic retail resilience and consumer reliance on international platforms.
In markets with robust domestic ecosystems – such as Germany, France and the Netherlands – the cross-border share tends to be lower.
This is not necessarily because consumers are less inclined to shop abroad, but because local champions like Zalando, Bol, and Carrefour command significant market share both at home and across Europe.
Germany’s case is particularly illustrative: despite being home to some of Europe’s most prominent e-commerce firms, its cross-border share still approaches 60%, driven by the omnipresence of global giants like Amazon and the inherent borderlessness of digital commerce.
By contrast, countries in Southern and Eastern Europe typically exhibit far higher cross-border shares.
Markets such as Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Turkey, and Lithuania report rates exceeding 75%.
These economies often lack a mature domestic digital retail landscape, nudging consumers toward global platforms like Amazon or Temu.
Such platforms are frequently perceived as offering better selection, competitive pricing, and more reliable logistics.
Regional Outliers
Yet, regional outliers complicate this narrative.
Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Greece all maintain surprisingly low cross-border shares, a testament to the strength of local players.
In Poland, for example, Allegro continues to outpace Amazon significantly in terms of market leadership.
In several of these countries, Amazon is either absent or only recently introduced its national domain, giving domestic firms room to dominate.
Crucially, the prevalence of international platforms does not preclude the circulation of local goods – particularly within marketplaces that host both foreign and domestic sellers.
Nevertheless, the varied patterns of cross-border activity underscore the importance of national infrastructure, consumer behaviour, and digital maturity in shaping Europe’s evolving e-commerce mosaic.
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