Successful marketplace strategies: IFH interview with Managing Partner Thomas Natkowski

To ensure long-term success, companies need a carefully chosen market strategy that is consistent with their overall positioning and internal processes. In an interview with the ECC Club, our Managing Partner Thomas Natkowski explains how companies can successfully implement such a strategy. In the interview, he discussed choosing the right platform, overcoming operational challenges, and the importance of clear positioning. We are publishing a copy of the interview here.

Thomas Natkowski
Managing Partner
eStrategy Consulting

Why should companies, in your view, engage with marketplaces, and what defines a successful marketplace strategy?

A marketplace strategy has become a central element for companies that want to sustainably increase their reach and competitiveness in e-commerce. It goes beyond simply deciding to be present on a platform. Instead, it represents a structured approach in which retailers or manufacturers must deliberately determine which marketplaces fit their products and business models. Several factors need to be considered. One of the most important steps is identifying the underlying motivation: Is the goal primarily to increase sales, reach new target groups, or secure existing market share?

Companies also need to clearly understand which marketplaces are relevant to their specific business model and product range. Factors such as platform reach, the marketplace’s business model (pure marketplace vs. platform with its own retail operations), and the target audience play an essential role. Another key criterion is the marketplace structure – for example, whether it operates an open or closed model, or whether the focus is B2C, B2B, or C2C. Companies must evaluate the potential of each platform and avoid cannibalisation between channels through precise control.

Additionally, operational requirements come into play: set-up processes, which can vary widely, as well as technical prerequisites for integrating with marketplaces, often pose underestimated challenges. Pricing models, conversion optimisation, and visibility strategies on each platform are also critical and require complex logic. However, with a well-thought-out marketplace strategy, retailers and manufacturers can unlock significant potential — whether through greater reach, entering new markets, or building direct connections with end customers.

What does the marketplace landscape in Germany look like, and what opportunities arise in cross-border commerce?

Compared to international competitors, German marketplaces are currently showing relatively weak development. Economic and e-commerce growth forecasts indicate that Germany is falling behind in both the European and global context. While German e-commerce is growing only slightly, countries such as the UK, Spain, and France are seeing stronger growth. Global markets like the US, China, or India are growing even more significantly. This disparity makes international marketplaces a promising option for companies aiming to operate cross-border.

Internationalisation not only provides access to new customer groups but also allows companies to benefit from stronger growth in other markets.

Companies looking to extend their marketplace strategy into cross-border commerce must consider additional factors. Beyond questions of reach and marketplace relevance, linguistic challenges, product data requirements, and regulations such as customs and tax rules come into play. Especially when trading with non-EU countries, specific customs regulations, tax duties, and local requirements must be observed. Another crucial factor is logistics: operational processes must be designed to ensure fast and efficient delivery to the destination country.

Overall, detailed planning and efficient operational management are essential to ensure that all opportunities in cross-border commerce are maximised.

For many retailers, becoming a marketplace themselves is part of their strategy. How do you assess the chances of success, and what needs to be considered?

More and more retailers are choosing to build their own marketplaces in order to strengthen their market position and expand their product range without taking on excessive risk. Large players such as Amazon have shown how successful this model can be. However, not every retailer has the potential to implement such a model successfully. One key success factor is the right positioning of the marketplace. While large generalists like Amazon or Otto dominate the market, there is room for specialised, so-called vertical marketplaces. These focus on specific niche markets and offer tailored solutions for their customers. A good example is Vinted, which has captured the second-hand fashion market.

However, retailers that want to build their own marketplace must consider several points. First, the strategic direction must be clearly defined: Which products should be offered, and how should the marketplace be positioned? Next comes the question of technical implementation. Many retailers prefer solutions that allow them to build their marketplace on top of existing technologies. Operational challenges should not be underestimated either: a marketplace requires not only a smoothly functioning system for order processing, but also clear rules for sellers, pricing models, and mechanisms to ensure quality.

Another challenge is to remain attractive to sellers without becoming a competitor to them. Many retailers fear that platform operators might compete with their own offerings. This requires clear positioning and transparent processes. Marketplace operators must also ensure that they differentiate themselves from existing platforms and deliver a unique user experience. A clear niche strategy or special services can help establish a strong market position.

What are examples of successful marketplace strategies or their further development?

The role of marketplaces is ultimately to efficiently connect supply and demand within a particular segment, create added value for both sides, and thereby build a profitable business model. In our experience, different dimensions can open up when further developing such models.

To evolve these business models, the playing field can be expanded by adding new product ranges — such as new merchants, new product categories, or horizontal extensions like selling used goods. Especially during periods of weak economic performance, this can create opportunities, as customers become more price-sensitive.

Scaling through programmatic approaches or through additional services for sellers — for example, fulfilment or marketing — as well as for buyers — such as insurance or installation services — can broaden the core business. Manufacturers and brands also offer additional monetisation potential, as they increasingly shift their budgets towards relevant online channels — keyword: retail media.

eStrategy Consulting has been active in the field of online marketplaces for many years. Our expertise is reflected in numerous projects, analyses, and publications. Further insights into digital marketplaces and platforms can be found here: Competence page. The original interview with the IFH can be found here.

eStrategy Consulting helps clients to use digital innovations to further develop existing business models and to create new business opportunities. We support the retail industry in its further development towards omnichannel and connected commerce and count manufacturers, classic big box retailers, the retail real estate industry or digital marketplaces and platforms among our clients.

eStrategy Consulting covers the entire lifecycle of digital innovation, from analysis to ideation, solution development and market launch. We work as strategy and concept developers as well as seamlessly integrated and pragmatic implementation managers. To do this, we rely on a mix of methods from the world of digital business and classic management consulting. The focus is both on our client’s applying customers as well as his organization and skills necessary to operate.