The current state of eCommerce in Europe: 3 million online stores mapped and analyzed
- about 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
🟡 Geographic opportunities exist beyond established markets - Eastern Europe shows growth potential. 🟡 Specialization beats generalization - focused businesses outperform broad competitors. 🟡 All sectors are digitalizing - even traditional B2B industries are embracing eCommerce. 🟡 Market gaps in Balkan countries represent untapped potential.
In order to understand economic development, it is essential to look beyond the obvious markets, as success depends on understanding both current hotspots and emerging opportunities.
Have you ever wondered which European countries dominate the digital commerce space? While headlines often focus on global giants and emerging markets, Europe's eCommerce ecosystem tells a fascinating story of regional diversity, digital maturity, and untapped potential.
Our analysis from May 2025 examined 93,543,475 active websites across Europe, uncovering striking patterns in how different nations have embraced online commerce. Among these, we identified over 3 million eCommerce websites, revealing not just who's leading, but where the next wave of growth might emerge.
The dominant five: Europe's eCommerce powerhouses
The United Kingdom leads Europe's digital commerce with 474,220 online stores, representing 15.5% of all European eCommerce sites. France follows with 373,920 websites (12.2%), while Germany hosts 352,425 sites (11.5%). Together with Spain (247,558 sites, 8.1%) and Italy (244,441 sites, 8.0%), these five nations control over half of Europe's eCommerce landscape.
The chart shows the top 10 European countries sorted by their eCommerce market share (in percentage). The actual numbers of eCommerce websites are displayed in their respective bars.
Beyond the giants: emerging opportunities
The Netherlands stands out with 234,518 eCommerce sites serving just 17 million people – one of Europe's highest per-capita concentrations. Poland's 121,246 stores signal Central Europe's digital transformation, while smaller markets like Iceland (25,105 sites) and the Baltic states (47,000+ sites combined) demonstrate remarkable digital density relative to their populations.
The data reveals clear digital divides. Albania (4,031 sites), North Macedonia (3,059 sites), and Moldova (350 sites) show lower penetration – representing both challenges and opportunities for first movers.
What Europe's online stores sell
Our industry analysis reveals specialty retail dominates with 48.2% of all eCommerce sites, from boutique fashion to hobby shops. Diversified consumer services (16.5%) and hospitality (6.5%) follow, showing how service industries have embraced digital commerce.
Surprisingly, professional services operate 69,097 eCommerce sites (2.7%), while industrial machinery companies run 50,929 sites (2.0%). Healthcare's 38,270 transactional websites represent the sector's digital transformation, from telemedicine to medical supplies.
Displayed here are the top 10 eCommerce industries in Europe. The industry with the highest presence (in percentage market share) can be found at the top of the graph. The number of websites associated with those industries can be seen in their corresponding bars.
Key insights for European digital commerce
This data reveals critical trends shaping the market:
🟡 Geographic opportunity varies widely. While UK and German markets show maturity, Eastern European countries offer growth potential. The Netherlands' density and Iceland's per-capita penetration demonstrate that market size doesn't determine digital success.
🟡 Specialization wins online. The dominance of specialty retail shows focused businesses thrive in eCommerce. Success comes from excelling in specific categories rather than competing broadly.
🟡 Every sector is digitizing. From machinery to healthcare, no industry remains untouched. This creates opportunities for B2B platforms and specialized providers across all verticals.
🟡 Market gaps create opportunities. Low penetration in some Balkan countries represents untapped potential for businesses willing to navigate these emerging markets.
Looking ahead
The European eCommerce landscape stands at an inflection point. Established markets seek differentiation through innovation, while emerging markets build digital infrastructure. Success requires understanding both where eCommerce thrives today and where tomorrow's opportunities lie.
For businesses evaluating European expansion, the data suggests looking beyond obvious markets. Whether optimizing existing operations or planning market entry, knowing these geographic and industry patterns provides essential intelligence for strategic decisions.
For deeper insights into European market dynamics and to explore specific country data, visit Dataprovider.com's Market Intelligence platform.