This blog post is for everyone with a UK Seller account looking to expand his/her business into Europe, and more specifically into Germany.
We will explain which steps are necessary, what you have to know about the german market, and how you can import your products hassle-free into the EU. We will also give out a recommendation on who could help you set foot onto Amazon.de if you don’t want to take the risk of doing it all by yourself.
Why you should expand to Amazon.de
The german e-commerce market has been strong ever since. If you look at basic market statistics, you will find that Amazon.de has some impressive numbers compared to Amazon.co.uk:
- Germans spend on average € 1.377 on Amazon each year, while in the UK, the average is € 999
- Germans have a higher average basket value of € 36, compared to just € 27 in the UK
- Germans have the highest ordering frecueny within Europe, with an average of 39 orders per year
- Amazon.de sees higher annual net sales of $ 45,9 billion compared to Amazon.co.uk with $ 43,3 billion
- Amazon.de receives about 500 million monthly visits, while Amazon.co.uk only receives about 388 million
It is well-known that Germany boasts immense purchasing power, as it is Europe’s largest economy. On top of that, Amazon.de acts like a „gateway“ to the rest of Mainland Europe with even more lucrative markets. As soon as you have built a presence in Germany and stored your inventory in Amazons fulfillments centers on german ground, you can easily access the whole European market and fulfill orders across France, Italy, Spain – thanks to the Pan-EU FBA program. But more on that later…
Selling on Amazon.de as a UK-based seller is, on most cases, well worth it.
We recommend expanding to the german market, if:
- You already sell successfully on Amazon UK → expansion is a logical next step
- Your product has decent margins → you stay profitable despite import duties
- Your product is lightweight/small → best / cheapest for shipping
- You can handle administrative paperwork and tax compliance
- Your products are attractive to German buyers
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Which kind of products are especially popular on Amazon.de? – Electronics and Smart Tech |
You have to consider cultural differences before wanting to sell your products to german customers. An example would be accessoires for afternoon tea gatherings: Even though Germans celebrate different cultures and enjoy traditional english tea blends, they usually drink coffee and eat cake in a socialized setting. Other examples would be Marmite or biscuits which are way less popular in Germany. The same could go for fashion trends, media, outdoor accessoires, lifestyle products, and so on.
So please do your market research to assess whether your products have a demand in Germany or if they could even fill a market gap.
What makes expanding to Amazon.de complicated
The main reason UK sellers on Amazon hesitate to make the big move across the channel, are post-Brexit logistics, shipping and VAT compliance, which might in some cases absorb up to half of your revenue in fees and tax. So it can be a bit tricky to keep the business really lucrative, and the difference lies not only in the import approach you are choosing, but also in your price margins – they must be high enough to still leave you with a profit afterwards.
You have two main options when it comes to selling on Amazon.de:
- You can either ship your products over to Germany every time a purchase was made, or
- You can build up a physical inventory on german ground.
If you choose to store your products in Germany, a German VAT registration is required. VAT ist called „Umsatzsteuer (USt.)“ in german.
In order to sell on Amazon.de, you must complete a few crucial steps to solve the complexity of the matter.
1. Choose Your Selling & Shipping Strategy
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- Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM): You store your goods in the UK and ship orders directly to German customers. This saves you from registering for foreign VAT, but shipping costs are higher and delivery times are longer.
- Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) – Export: Use Amazon’s Remote Fulfillment EU-UK to store goods in the UK and let Amazon handle cross-border delivery into Germany. Expect to pay more on cross-border shipping fees per unit, but to save on administrative costs and tax. This approach is more suitable for low sales volumes.
- Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) – Local: Ship your inventory to a german Fulfillment Center to store your products closer to the customer base. The consequences are faster Prime shipping and lower Amazon fees, but you still need to handle the bulk import into the EU and you need to get a german VAT number. High sales volumes usually justify this additional complexity.
We will talk more about the different logistics solutions in a second!
2. Translate and Optimize Listings
German customers prefer shopping in their native language. But if you really want to stand out, you don’t just translate your UK listings: You research the most impactful german keywords, understand local search behaviour, make a competitor analysis for the german market, and adjust your listings accordingly. Also pictures need to be adjusted in case they contain any text or strong cultural symbolism.
For this step, Amazon offers the „Build International Listings“ tool free of charge to sellers. With this tool, your listings from Amazon.co.uk are automatically translated into German and are ready to go live after your careful review.
3. Get an EORI number and VAT number
Everyone who moves goods across borders within Europe needs an EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification). This number is used for customs declarations and import/export documentation. You can obtain it in a quick simple process by applying online.
You won’t need an EORI number if you plan to use Amazon’s Remote Fulfilment!
If you use local FBA or Pan-EU to make your products available in Germany, you need to comply with german tax obligations and apply for a VAT number. I strongly advise you to use a german tax consultant for your declarations as these can get complicated!
You won’t need a german VAT number if you plan to use Amazon’s Remote Fulfilment!
4. Comply with extended producer responsibilities
The LUCID number is something specific to Germany which many foreign sellers aren’t aware of. Germany has strict packaging regulations in place and everyone who sells packaged products there must register with the Lucid Packaging Register, purchase a license for the type and amount of packaging to be used, and regularly report statistics to the system. The LUCID number needs to be reported to Amazon.
But it’s not only the packaging: If you sell electrical and electronic equipment, you need to get a WEEE-number to display on all items and fulfill your extended producer responsibilities, which include taking care of the end-of-life recycling and disposal of your products, as well as submitting regular reports.
5. Manage Prices and Payments
Also, you mostly likely can’t just convert your prices in Pounds into Euros if you really want to have a competitive advantage. Research prices on the german market and don’t forget about your margin in order to find the lowest possible price in Euros that still leaves you with a profit.
TIP: When using the „Build International Listings“ tool, you can activate a special pricing rule called “Same as the source marketplace, adjust for taxes and fees”. Then your £-prices and your €-prices will be synchronized, but the €-prices will result a bit higher to reflect fulfilment fees, tax rates, and exchange rate.
You can avoid high bank conversion fees by using the Amazon Currency Converter for Sellers or a third-party international transfer service (like Wise or Payoneer) to easily transfer Euros directly to your business bank account in the UK.
6. Meet the expectations of german customers
Germans can be a tough audience. Their focus on quality and value-for-money is deeply rooted in their purchasing behaviour. They usually take their time to analyse, compare and read through the reviews before making a bigger purchase. On the other hand, they love to make big orders and then return anything they are not totally convinced of.
Germans generally expect:
- Fast delivery within 1-2 days
- Good documentation / invoices
- Clear German-language listings → they don’t trust listings with spelling errors or weird wording
- Favourable return policies and reliable return processes
- Excellent customer service
Expanding your business from Amazon UK to Amazon Germany can significantly boost your sales and market reach. However, navigating the complexities of this expansion, especially with the post-Brexit regulations, can be challenging. So let’s explore the different possibilities to make your products available to German customers.
Logistics solution #1: Local Inbounding
If you wish to pay local FBA rates as highlighted in the cost overview above, you need to ship your products from your warehouse in the UK (or directly from the production site in China) to a german Fulfilment Center. There are over 20 fulfilment centers spread across the nation, so you have plenty of choice.
The import into the EU is not handled by Amazon. So you need to use a reliable freight forwarder („Spedition“ in german) and also a customs broker that takes care of the customs clearance at the border. They will pay all the import duties on your behalf.
Here are a few providers you could use:
For taking advantage of local FBA fees in Germany, you have two options:
- Storing your goods exclusively in german warehouses and pay slightly higher fees of € 0,26 per unit
In that case you need a VAT number for Germany. The standard VAT rate is 19%, with a few exceptions of only 7%.
- Allowing Amazon to store your goods also in Poland and the Czech Republic via the Central European Program (CEP) resulting in lower base fees, with the simple reason that Amazon can do a more cost-effective storage.
In that case you need a VAT number for all three locations. The standard in Poland is 23%, in the Czech Republic it’s 21%.
Logistics solution #2: PAN-EU program
The fees for the local FBA and the PAN-EU program are the same but it is important to not confuse these two approaches.
If you want to participate in the PAN-EU program, you are required to store your products in at least 2 EU-countries and activate your listings in Amazon’s 5 main stores: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands. More stores are optional but these five are obligatory.
Which means: You will need a VAT number for all the countries you activate for storage (at least 2) and you will need to adjust your listings for all the countries you activate for selling.
Amazon will then handle the rest and distribute your goods accordingly to match the demand and ensure short delivery times.
The Pan-EU program is the best solution for UK sellers who wish to access the main markets of the EU. If you want to limit your operations to the UK and Germany only, this is not the right fit for you.
Logistics solution #3: Remote Fulfilment
For anyone who wants to avoid the tax registration in Germany and generally prefers an easy process, the Remote Fulfilment between UK and EU is the way to go. This program is the equivalent to the European Fulfilment Network (EFN) but adjusted to post-Brexit logistics.
With Remote Fulfilment, you can sell on the most powerful Amazon market in the EU without sending inventory across the channel or filing tax reports abroad. Once an order has been placed, Amazon takes the product out of your UK warehouse and handles all the logistics to deliver it.
If you compare the fees for this program to the local FBA fees, you will see that storing in the UK and shipping into the EU costs significantly more. For comparison:
- Small Parcel 2 100g: € 5,98 (cross-border shipping) vs. € 3,08 (in-country storage).
- Small Parcel 3 400g: € 6,79 (cross-border shipping) vs. € 3,26 (in-country storage).
- Medium Parcel 1 900g: € 7,42 (cross-border shipping) vs. € 3,80 (in-country storage).
There is also an important price limitation: B2C shipments are generally limited to a maximum value of € 150 per parcel to take advantage of the customs duty exemption for low-value shipments by the EU. If the product value exceeds € 150, import duties may be charged separately to the buyer, either during checkout or upon import. Similar restrictions also apply to B2B sales.
Because of these regulations, shipping via Remote Fulfilment is only a legitimate choice when selling cheaper products for every-day use, as above the € 150 threshold customers must be willing to pay the additional import duties – and unless you offer a highly-valued product which is not available otherwise in Germany, they probably won’t do that.
| Important News:
The European Commission decided in 2025 to remove the € 150 threshold and simplify duty calculations in 2026, in order to facilitate e-commerce shipments across borders. Let’s see how this will affect the Remote Fulfilment by Amazon! |
Logistics solution #4: FBM / 3PLs
Alternatively, you can opt for self-fulfilment, which Amazon calls „Fulfilment by Merchant“ (FBM). This gives you the advantage to use a warehouse of your choice where you can store your whole inventory to be made availabe on different platforms like ebay and your website.
This option gives you more control but requires managing shipping and returns independently. Of course you don’t usually take care of that yourself, but use a third-party logistics providers (3PL) to fulfill orders and manage the EU imports. A 3PL partner is basically the equivalent of Amazon FBA, as they take care of the whole process incl. storage, packaging, shipping, customs clearance, customer service, returns etc.
Some FBM sellers don’t need such an all-inclusive-service as they, for example, run their own warehouses. For single shipments they then usually use a professional courier who moves the goods from A to B and ensures a smooth legal transit at the border.
Courier services between the UK and the EU are offered by:
If you choose this approach, you put a stop to the growing dependance on Amazon for everything and choose service providers to your liking, who might or might not be able to offer better rates than Amazon. One clear disadvantage is that your products won’t be eligible to Prime customers in Germany. Also you will experience a lower conversion rate as you will be listed as seller and shipper, and customers might be hesitant to trust you (especially if your seller ratings are kind of low!).
The ultimate comparison: Which solution is best for you?
Pros and Cons of Local Inbounding (local FBA)
Seller „Natural & Noble“ stores their products in Germany for Amazon to send them as fast as possible
You export your inventory in bulk from the UK to one of Amazons Fulfilment Centers in Germany, or have it send directly to both UK and German warehouses when importing from the production country.
Your products are perceived as local and not as imports; customers pay the local German VAT of 19% which is already included in the product price.
| Pros | Cons |
| Cheaper Fees You only pay the local fulfilment fees and even less if you participate in the Central European Program. The fees depend on packaging size and weight. |
VAT Registration needed You need to apply for a German VAT number, file ongoing tax declarations and pay for a local tax consultant. |
| Faster Delivery Products reach german buyers within one or two days, if they use Prime. This also enhances your BuyBox rate and overall performance. |
Take care of Import Logistics You need an EORI number and use the services of a freight forwarder and customs broker. This also involves paying import duties. |
| Double Inventory By stocking warehouses both in the UK and in Germany you tie up your capital in a doubled inventory. |
Pros and Cons of Remote Fulfilment UK-EU
Amazon UK imports this product upon ordering
This program, which is the post-Brexit equivalent of the European Fulfillment Network (EFN), allows you to keep 100% of your stock in UK Fulfillment Centers. When a German customer buys on Amazon.de, the item is automatically shipped across the border.
Your products are marked as „imports“; customers pay the German Import VAT of 19% which is already included in the product price.
| Pros | Cons |
| No VAT Registration needed You have no legal responsibilities outside of the UK. |
Higher Fulfilment Fees You pay higher FBA fees which either eats into your margins or forces you to raise your product prices in Germany. |
| Simpler Inventory Management You don’t need to forecast, manage or restock a second inventory in Germany. |
Slower Delivery The delivery usually takes 3 to 7 business days. This could affect your conversion rate, even though you are still eligible for a Prime badge. |
| No Import Hassle You don’t need an EORI number and don’t need to pay import duties, as Amazon takes care of all cross-border transactions. |
Price Cap Items valued over € 150 face stricter EU customs regulations; the customers carry the burden. |
Pros and Cons of Self-Fulfilment (FBM Exports)
Seller „Healthy Living For You“ uses FBM exports to sell on Amazon.de
UK sellers who choose to not use Amazon for their fulfillment needs handle the shipping themselves or use a third-party logistics provider.
Items on Amazon.de are marked a imports and customers usually pay an extra shipping fee which can be a lot higher than Amazon’s standard delivery fees.
| Pros | Cons |
| Multi-Channel Inventory If Amazon is just one of serveral sales channels for you, you can stock all your products in one warehouse and fulfill orders from several stores. |
No „Prime“ Badge / Slower Delivery Seller-Fulfilled Prime is extremely difficult to obtain when doing cross-border shipping. You lose a competitive advantage on Amazon and see a lower conversion rate. |
| No Tax Obligations in Germany You don’t need a VAT number outside of the UK. |
More Responsibility and Risk You are in charge of customer service and might receive complaints if a package is delayed at customs. You could receive a higher amount of A-to-Z Guarantee claims. |
| Customs and Import complexity You will be shipping individual packages into the EU which means every order requires an automated process and flawless documentation. For that, you need to use an excellent courier that offers door-to-door delivery with customs clearance service. |
Summary: Which solution should you choose?
| Local Inbounding (German FBA) | Remote Fulfillment (UK-to-EU) | Self-Fulfilment (FBM Exports) | |
| Inventory Location | Germany | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| German VAT Needed? | Yes | No | No |
| Fulfilment Provider | Amazon | Amazon | Of your own choice |
| Fulfilment Cost | Low (Domestic Rates) | High (Cross-Border Rates) | High (Cross-Border Rates) |
| Import Process | In bulk to Amazon’s Fulfilment Center in Germany | Separately upon ordering | Separately upon ordering |
| Importing Party | You | Customer | Customer |
| Service Providers needed | – Freight forwarder / customs broker (import) – Amazon (fulfilment) |
Amazon only (full-service) | – Third-party-logistics provider (full-service), or – Courier service (shipping only) |
| Delivery Time | 1-3 Days | 3-7 Days | 3-7 Days |
| Customer pays | Product price incl. local VAT* (+ € 3.99 regular delivery fee) |
Product price incl. Import VAT* (+ € 3.99 regular delivery fee) (+ import fees for products above € 150) | Product price incl. Import VAT* + variable delivery fee (+ import fees for products above € 150) |
| Free Delivery with Prime | Yes | Yes | No |
| Typical Conversion | Highest | Medium | Lowest |
| Biggest Advantage | Faster fulfillment & lower fees | No VAT-registration / EORI-number / other service providers needed | Full control over inventory and service providers |
*Local VAT and Import VAT for Germany are equally 19%, in some exceptions 7%.
Local Inbounding is for you, if…
- you have high sales volumes
- you expect your product to sell well in Germany
- you want to scale competitively against domestic German brands
- fast shipping is crucial to your niche / target group
- you offer Premium products at higher prices
- you are in a niche with traditionally high return rates
Remote Fulfilment is for you, if…
- you have low sales volumes
- you expect low demand in Germany
- you want to test your prospective turnover on the german market
- you don’t have the capacity to restock two separate warehouses
- your products stay below a value of € 150
FBM Exporting is for you, if…
- you have your own logistics infrastructure or a reliable partner already and
- you have low sales volumes
- you want to test the german market at a low risk
- you are fine with slower shipping and lower organic ranks on Amazon
- your products stay below a value of € 150
What matters when selling on Amazon.de from the UK
Be well-prepared and take low risks only
- Start with 1-3 products only, preferably small and light products with high margins
- Research which products have a high demand on the german market (UK winners are not automatically as popular in Germany!)
- Have realistic profitability expectations and double-check your cost calculations. Exports are always less cost-efficient than in-country-sales.
- Remember that FBA costs are rising. In 2026, a 1.5% fuel and logistics-related surcharge was applied to FBA fees across the UK, France, and Germany.
Create high-value German listings
- Use the same ASIN for Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de so your product reviews will be transferred
- Use Amazons „Build International Listings Tool“
- Have titles, bullet points, A+-content and other texts translated
- Research german keywords and search phrases (don’t simply translate your english keywords!)
- Adjust your pictures and videos if needed and translate any text in your infographics
- Offer german-speaking customer support (if you don’t rely on FBA)
Choose a suitable pricing and advertising strategy
- Adjust your selling strategies to cultural differences in purchasing behaviour, psychology, preferences
- Analyse the prices of your german competitors and make sure your price leaves you with a profit
- Choose the right advertising strategy for your launch on the german market
Choose the right logistics solution
- Make the crucial decision between FBA and FBM.
- If you choose FBM: Equip yourself with the necessary infrastructure / employees and trusted logistics providers.
- If you choose FBA: Start with Remote Fulfilment.
- Use Pan-European FBA if you want to access all major markets within the EU (but only after validating demand!)
- Use Local FBA if you want to focus on the biggest EU customer base while minimalizing legal responsibilities.
- To save € 0,26 per item on FBA shipping fees, take part in the Central European Program (but then you must fulfill tax obligations in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic!)
Ensure legal compliance
- Apply for a local VAT number and seek professional accounting help (only valid for Local FBA!)
- Research your extended producer responsabilities and get registered at the right authorities, f.ex. LUCID for packaging, and WEEE for electronics
- Register an EORI number (only for Local FBA and FBM Exports!)
Don’t underestimate german return rates
German customers love to order things and decide at home if they really want it or not. Traditionally, return rates on the german market are among the highest!
If your products usually see high return rates (esp. in fashion, jewellery or furniture), local FBA could be better for you because returns are managed within the country. Under Remote Fulfilment, items are being shipped back across the border, which can also distress customers as they have to wait longer for their monetary refund.
If you use FBM, you can use a separate returns processing service. Items that are deemed resellable will be kept in a local warehouse until the next order comes in, otherwise they will be sent back in bulk to guarantee a more efficient shipping process. Damaged items will be disposed of locally.
Our recommendation: Get help from an Amazon agency
If you are serious about your expansion to Germany, but quickly realize that it is quite complicated to do it on your own, we are happy to help!
AdsMasters is one of the top-rated Amazon agencies in Germany that also welcomes international customers. Our most profitable customers have followed our approach to scaling and international expansion. As a UK seller who wants to start doing business in Germany, a local Amazon expert might be crucial to a successful launch while keeping your costs down.
Our dedicated team offers different services from consulting to full-service account management. We have expertise in content optimization, branding, ads optimization, external traffic, AI and automation, performance analysis, product launches, FBA, FBM, export and import, and many other elements native to the Amazon Seller Universe.
We are happy to hear from you! Write a message to hi[at]adsmasters.de or connect with Tobias Dziuba, the founder and CEO of AdsMasters, on LinkedIn.
