OTTO or Amazon? There is no answer to this question that applies to every seller. The two marketplaces charge their fees differently, treat returns differently and demand different amounts of your own logistics. Which channel pays off depends on your product range, your price point, your return rate and your volume.
This comparison puts both marketplaces side by side using official figures: size, access, fees, shipping, advertising and returns. Two worked examples show how much the outcome depends on the item. At the end you will find which starting position makes which channel worth a closer look.
In short
OTTO Market: EUR 99.90 net base fee per month, 7 to 22% commission depending on product group, shipping from your own warehouse or via a service provider, commission refunded on returns
Amazon.de: EUR 39 net on the Professional plan or EUR 0.99 per item, referral fees usually 8 to 15% according to Amazon, Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) optional, a refund administration fee remains on refunds
As of: 17 September 2026, checked against the OTTO and Amazon pages
Size: what the official figures say
Both companies publish key figures, but not the same ones. The table shows what each of them states officially and what the figure measures.
| Figure | Value | What the figure measures |
|---|---|---|
| OTTO: partners on OTTO Market | 6,100 | Sellers that sell on otto.de |
| OTTO: active customers | 13 million | Customers of OTTO as a whole, not only of the marketplace |
| OTTO: items | 19 million | Product range of OTTO as a whole |
| OTTO: revenue by GMV, financial year 2025/26 | EUR 7.5 billion | Revenue of OTTO by gross merchandise value, not only of the marketplace |
| Amazon: German SMEs selling on Amazon | more than 40,000 | Small and medium-sized enterprises from Germany that sell on Amazon; not all sellers on Amazon.de (SME report 2026, reference year 2025) |
| Amazon: referral fees | usually 8–15% | Range that Amazon states for most categories |
A factor such as “on Amazon you compete with X times more sellers” cannot seriously be derived from this: in that figure Amazon counts only small and medium-sized enterprises from Germany, not all sellers on Amazon.de. For your decision, what matters more anyway is how many sellers appear for your specific products. You check that by searching for your most important items on both sites.
Contribution margin per item
Analyse OTTO sales, commissions and returns. Add your purchase prices and your own shipping costs to see the contribution margin.
Access: who can sell on OTTO and Amazon
This is where a fundamental difference lies. OTTO itself states that it does not admit every seller to the platform and reviews every application individually. According to OTTO, the requirements include:
- A company legal form and VAT ID from Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, France or Spain; OTTO is opening the countries outside Germany step by step
- No small business exemption under Section 19 of the German VAT Act (UStG)
- German-speaking customer service
- Shipping from a warehouse in Germany or the EU
- Returns to a warehouse in Germany or in selected EU countries
- Identity verification by OTTO Payments, OTTO’s payment service provider
On Amazon you choose a selling plan when registering and provide a credit card and a bank account. The Professional plan is required for categories that need approval and for Sponsored Products. OTTO targets customers in Germany. On Amazon you can also sell in other European Amazon stores, for example via the European Fulfilment Network or Pan-European FBA, with their own shipping and tax questions.
Fees compared
Both marketplaces quote their fees excluding VAT and calculate the commission on the gross price the customer pays. The building blocks differ:
| Fee | OTTO Market | Amazon.de |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed costs | EUR 99.90 base fee per month, regardless of product range | Professional plan EUR 39 per month or Individual plan EUR 0.99 per item sold |
| Commission | 7 to 22% depending on product group, tiered by price in 17 groups; payment fee of 2.7% included | Per category, usually 8 to 15% according to Amazon; minimum fee of EUR 0.30 in most categories |
| Basis | Selling price and shipping charges, each including VAT; 16% on the customer-paid shipping share | Total selling price including shipping charges and gift wrap |
| Shipping | Your own costs for shipping and return labels | With FBM your own costs; with FBA a fulfilment fee per unit plus storage fees |
| Return | Commission is refunded according to the onboarding guide | Referral fee is refunded minus a refund administration fee of 20%, capped at EUR 5.00 |
| Payout | Weekly on Thursdays, 14-day due date, fees offset directly | According to Amazon, fees are charged to the credit card on file and proceeds are paid into the bank account |
Commission in selected categories
The categories of the two marketplaces do not map one to one. The table puts similar groups side by side. “Portion” means that the rate applies only to the part of the price within that tier.
| Product range | OTTO Market (as of 1 April 2026) | Amazon.de |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics, computers | Electronics 7%, PC components 7% | Consumer electronics 7%, computers 7% |
| Tools | Tools & machinery 13% | Tools and home improvement 13% |
| Toys | 15% | Toys and games 15% |
| Garden | 15% | Lawn and garden 15% |
| Furniture | 19% on the portion up to EUR 150, 18% up to EUR 500, 17% above | 15% on the portion up to EUR 200, 10% above |
| Watches | 18% on the portion up to EUR 250, 12% above | 15% on the portion up to EUR 250, 5% above |
| Jewellery | 22% on the portion up to EUR 100, 20% up to EUR 200, 18% above | 20% on the portion up to EUR 250, 5% above |
| Women's clothing | 17% on the portion up to EUR 25, 16% up to EUR 75, 14% above | Clothing and accessories: 5% up to EUR 15, 10% up to EUR 20, 15% above EUR 20; for Prime offers above EUR 45, 15% on the portion up to EUR 45, 7% above |
| Men's shoes | 18% on the portion up to EUR 50, 16% up to EUR 100, 15% above | Shoes 15% |
| Beauty | 8% on the portion up to EUR 10, 12% up to EUR 15, 15% above | 8% up to EUR 10 total price, 15% above |
All rates and tiers in detail: the guide to OTTO marketplace fees and the overview of Amazon fees and FBA costs. What counts is the product group or fee category your product is assigned to.
Shipping and fulfilment
On OTTO you ship yourself or through a service provider. OTTO does not describe a fulfilment offering of its own like Fulfilment by Amazon on its partner pages. For outbound shipping, according to OTTO, Hermes, DHL, DHL Express, GLS, DPD and UPS are available. Returns to a warehouse in Germany go through Hermes, DHL or GLS, returns to selected EU countries only through DHL. With every shipping confirmation you transmit a return tracking number.
On Amazon you have a choice. If you ship yourself (FBM), you bear shipping and packaging costs yourself. With Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon takes over storage, packaging, shipping, customer service and returns according to its own description; for this you pay fulfilment fees per unit and storage fees. FBA offers can qualify for Prime. How FBA and FBM differ in the cost calculation is explained in the glossary entry FBA and FBM.
Advertising: click prices and metrics
The basic mechanics are the same on both marketplaces. Sponsored Product Ads on OTTO and Sponsored Products on Amazon are billed per click, and ad placements are allocated in an auction. You set bids and a budget; according to both providers, there are no monthly fees.
- OTTO: According to OTTO Advertising, the minimum CPC is currently EUR 0.20; the actual click price depends on competition in the product category. On top of that come Sponsored Display Ads, which OTTO serves on otto.de and on more than 1,500 web and app properties outside OTTO.
- Amazon: You bid a maximum amount per click and set a daily budget. Sponsored Products run on Amazon and on selected apps and websites and are available on the Professional plan.
Blanket statements such as “advertising is cheaper on OTTO” or average ROAS figures from agency reports are of little help for the decision: click prices and conversion depend on category, competition and product. More telling is whether an item still has a contribution margin after advertising costs. The metrics for this are explained in the entries ACOS, TACOS and ROAS; how OTTO bills SPA and SDA is covered in the guide to OTTO advertising costs.
Returns: what remains of the fees
With high return rates, the returns mechanics often matter more than the commission rate.
| Return | OTTO Market | Amazon.de |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | According to OTTO's onboarding guide (January 2024), OTTO refunds the commission originally charged | Amazon refunds the referral fee minus a refund administration fee of 20% of the referral fee, capped at EUR 5.00 |
| Return shipment | Return label from your return tracking number; costs arise when the label is used | With FBM your own costs, where applicable for a return label; with FBA Amazon handles the return shipment |
| Additional fees | OTTO does not state a separate returns fee | With FBA a returns processing fee for returns above the category's return rate threshold; clothing, accessories and shoes are exempt, and there the returns processing fee is 50% of the fulfilment fee |
| Timing | 30-day return period for customers; the credit note is offset against a later payout | The rate for the threshold fee refers to the units of one month that come back in the same or the following two months; the fee therefore does not appear with the order |
Your own costs of a return come on top on both marketplaces: the lost outbound shipping, the loss in value of the goods and working time. How to separate them for OTTO and calculate them with an example is shown in the guide on reducing OTTO returns.
Two worked examples: marketplace costs per month
The examples are invented and compare only the fees of the marketplaces, net. Purchase price, your own shipping, return shipping costs and advertising are deliberately left out because they depend on your contracts and campaigns. The assumptions are: you ship yourself on both marketplaces, shipping is free for customers, and on Amazon a non-Prime offer on the Professional plan.
Example A: furniture item at EUR 300, 30 orders, 3 returns
| Item | OTTO Market | Amazon.de |
|---|---|---|
| Commission per sale | EUR 150 × 19% + EUR 150 × 18% = EUR 55.50 | EUR 200 × 15% + EUR 100 × 10% = EUR 40.00 |
| 27 kept sales | EUR 1,498.50 | EUR 1,080.00 |
| 3 returns: remaining fee | EUR 0.00 | 3 × EUR 5.00 = EUR 15.00 |
| Base fee or selling plan | EUR 99.90 | EUR 39.00 |
| Marketplace costs per month | EUR 1,598.40 | EUR 1,134.00 |
For high-priced furniture, the commission on Amazon is lower because Amazon charges only 10% on the portion of the price above EUR 200. The refund administration fee is capped at EUR 5.00 here (20% of EUR 40.00 would be EUR 8.00).
Example B: women’s jacket at EUR 89.90, 100 orders, 30 returns
| Item | OTTO Market | Amazon.de |
|---|---|---|
| Commission per sale | EUR 25 × 17% + EUR 50 × 16% + EUR 14.90 × 14% = EUR 14.34 | EUR 89.90 × 15% = EUR 13.49 (rounded) |
| 70 kept sales | EUR 1,003.80 | EUR 944.30 |
| 30 returns: remaining fee | EUR 0.00 | 30 × EUR 2.70 = EUR 81.00 |
| Base fee or selling plan | EUR 99.90 | EUR 39.00 |
| Marketplace costs per month | EUR 1,103.70 | EUR 1,064.30 |
Here the two are close together. Without the monthly fee, OTTO is cheaper: EUR 1,003.80 against EUR 1,025.30 (EUR 944.30 + EUR 81.00), because OTTO refunds the commission in full on the 30 returns while Amazon keeps EUR 2.70 per return (20% of EUR 13.49). OTTO’s higher base fee tips the balance. With more orders or a higher return rate, the picture shifts. For a Prime offer above EUR 45, Amazon applies a lower rate of 7% to the portion of the price above that; for this you need Fulfilment by Amazon or Prime shipping handled by yourself, with its own costs.
Which marketplace suits which starting position?
The table is no substitute for your own calculation. It shows which question should be settled first in which situation.
| Your starting position | What counts for the decision |
|---|---|
| You want to hand over storage, shipping and returns | Amazon offers its own service for this with FBA. On OTTO you need your own warehouse or a service provider. Compare FBA fulfilment and storage fees with your logistics costs. |
| High-priced furniture, watches or jewellery | Amazon charges markedly lower rates on the higher portions of the price (example A). Also check shipping, freight-forwarded goods and returns handling on both sides. |
| Fashion or shoes with a high return rate | OTTO refunds the commission on returns, Amazon keeps a refund administration fee (example B). With FBA, clothing, accessories and shoes are not subject to the threshold rule but to a separate returns processing fee of 50% of the fulfilment fee. Calculate with your rate per item. |
| Electronics and computers | Commission is 7% on both marketplaces. The difference comes from the base fee, shipping, advertising costs and accessory categories with different rates. |
| Few sales per month | Fixed costs weigh more heavily: at 50 sales you pay EUR 99.90 base fee on OTTO, on Amazon EUR 39.00 on the Professional plan or EUR 49.50 as an Individual seller. Calculate the channel’s contribution margin for the month. |
| You want to sell in further EU countries | Amazon runs stores in several EU countries. OTTO sells to customers in Germany but admits sellers from several EU countries. If Amazon stores your inventory in other countries, VAT obligations can arise there. |
| You already sell on Amazon and are looking for a second channel | For OTTO you need an application, product data that meets OTTO’s requirements and your own returns handling. Whether it pays off is shown by the contribution margin per item by product group, not by revenue. |
Analysing OTTO and Amazon side by side
Many sellers do not choose between OTTO and Amazon but sell on both. Then what matters is that each channel is calculated by its own rules. In profitkonsole, Amazon and OTTO sit in one dashboard with the same metrics, each channel on its own and all of them together.
- OTTO: Orders, returns, fees and shipping profiles come through the OTTO API, the SPA advertising costs daily. You maintain purchase prices and shipping costs yourself.
- Amazon: Orders, fees and refunds come from your financial data, FBA and FBM separately, including the refund administration fee. You add purchase prices and your own shipping costs. Advertising costs that Amazon deducts from your payout come in automatically as a separate line; if you pay for Amazon Ads by credit card or invoice, you enter them as an indirect expense.
That way you see the contribution margin per item on both marketplaces and check the cases from this article with your own figures. The contribution margin is not yet your business profit; fixed costs such as staff and software come afterwards.
Conclusion
- There is no overall winner. Amazon has the lower monthly fee and lower rates in some high-priced categories; OTTO refunds the commission on returned items according to its onboarding guide.
- If you want to hand over logistics, Amazon offers its own service with FBA. On OTTO, shipping stays with you or your service provider.
- Advertising is billed per click in an auction on both marketplaces. Whether it pays off is shown by the contribution margin after advertising.
- Calculate with your product range, your return rate and your volume. Even two items can turn out very differently.
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OTTO and Amazon in one dashboard: commission, shipping, returns and advertising costs next to your purchase prices, each channel by its own rules.
Show sources & methodology
As of: 17 September 2026. All figures were checked on that day against the OTTO and Amazon pages linked below. The OTTO commission rates are as of 1 April 2026. The refund of commission on returns comes from OTTO’s onboarding guide (January 2024); the 16% on the customer-paid shipping share was confirmed to us by OTTO on request as current. The worked examples are based on assumptions and are not customer cases. Fees can change; your statements from OTTO and Amazon remain authoritative.
OTTO: Key figures at a glance, OTTO Market, FAQ, Assortment overview, Shipping & returns, Services, OTTO Advertising: Sponsored Product Ads, Onboarding guide (PDF, January 2024)
Amazon: Pricing, Fulfilment by Amazon, Amazon Ads: Sponsored Products, Amazon SME report 2026