Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2016-2031)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 8.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €15.0bn in 2026.
Trends and Insights
Competition between online clothing retailers is increasing
- According to an analysis by the EHI Retail Institute from 2025, 70.4% of retailers in the fashion and accessories sector have an online shop. Only technology retailers are even more strongly represented at 78.9%, while food retailers lag far behind at just 6.8%.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2026-2031)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
The online trade in used and new goods is likely to become more closely linked in future
- More and more people are choosing to buy second-hand items online, especially clothing and books. According to a recent market analysis by the German Retail Association, sales of 9.9 billion euros were achieved in 2024, representing an increase of 7.2% compared to 2023. An increase of just 3.8% was observed in online retail of new goods. However, the total turnover of 88.8 billion euros makes it clear that the market for second-hand goods remains a niche market.
Biggest companies in the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany industry.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Women's clothing, Menswear and Children's and youth clothing. Women's clothing is the largest segment of the Online Clothing Retailing in Germany.
Trends and Insights
Trend awareness and the frequent renewal of the wardrobe lead to high sales of women's clothing
- This segment includes garments designed specifically for women, such as dresses, skirts, blouses, trousers, jackets and underwear.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The sector includes clothing retail that does not take place in showrooms, at stalls or at markets, but via mail order and online retail. This includes pure online retailers as well as brick-and-mortar shops with an online presence. Furthermore, teleshopping and internet auctions also fall under the industry definition. The online trade in second-hand clothing and shoes is not part of the industry.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany include Women's clothing, Menswear, Children's and youth clothing and Sports and functional clothing.Companies
Companies covered in the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany include .Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany include multichannel, omnichannel, metaverse, augmented reality (ar) and virtual reality (vr).Industry Code
WZ 47.91.1 - Online Clothing Retailing in Germany
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in online clothing retail. German consumers are paying more attention to environmentally friendly materials and fair working...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
- Employees, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
- Businesses, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
- Profit, including historical (2016-2026)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Factors that influence volatility in the industry
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Sales of women's clothing are significantly higher than in other segments. Many women are fashion-conscious and update their wardrobe frequently, which leads to high demand.
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2026
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2026
- Major market segmentation in 2026
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Purchase this report to unlock analyst insights.
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2026
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2026
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2026
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2026
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2026
Detailed analysis
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Market leaders such as Zalando are increasingly dominating online clothing retail. Large providers use economies of scale and benefit from extensive analyses of customer data...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2021-2026
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Online clothing retailers must take consumer rights into account, among other things. In particular, compliance with the right of cancellation, warranty law and the General D...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Online clothing retailers are facing increased price competition. Factors such as efficient procurement, efficient logistics and returns management have a significant impact ...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2026
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2026
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2016-2031)
- Revenue per Employee (2016-2031)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2016-2031)
- Employees per Establishment (2016-2031)
- Employees per Enterprise (2016-2031)
- Average Wage (2016-2031)
- Wages/Revenue (2016-2031)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2016-2031)
- IVA/Revenue (2016-2031)
- Imports/Demand (2016-2031)
- Exports/Revenue (2016-2031)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2016-2031)
- IVA (2016-2031)
- Establishments (2016-2031)
- Enterprises (2016-2031)
- Employment (2016-2031)
- Exports (2016-2031)
- Imports (2016-2031)
- Wages (2016-2031)
Top Questions Answered
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What is the market size of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany in 2026?
The market size of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany is €15.0bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany in 2026?
There are 11,879 businesses in the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 5.2 % between 2021 and 2026.
Has the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 8.7 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany is expected to grow.
What does the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany include?
Women's clothing and Menswear are part of the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany.
How competitive is the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Online Clothing Retailing industry in Germany.
Related Industries
Widen your competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
Complementors
View all industries in Germany
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Germany include:
- German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
- European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
- United Nations Comtrade
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
