If you run an e-commerce business in the Netherlands, Poland or elsewhere in the EU and you see OTTO as a new opportunity, there is one thing to understand first, because it is the opposite of what most people assume.
In short
Direction: you sell on the German otto.de marketplace, for German customers, in EUR. This is access to the German market, not a pan-EU expansion.
First partner: Protest Sportswear (Netherlands), live since spring 2026.
Rollout: Netherlands, then Poland (pilot from June), Austria, France and Spain by year end, Denmark in early 2027.
No German company required.
What "international" actually means here
When a marketplace "goes international", most sellers picture the Amazon model: one account, and suddenly you sell across several countries. OTTO is the opposite.
On direct request, OTTO Market confirmed to us that the marketplace model does not change. EU partners are simply allowed to sell on the existing German otto.de for the German market. In plain terms: your listings sit on otto.de, in German, your customers are German, and everything is in EUR. You are not expanding across Europe through OTTO. You are getting access to one large national market with around 12.2 million active customers.
Who can join: OTTO's requirements
OTTO Market is a curated marketplace and stays one. Every company is reviewed before it is activated. These are the core requirements.
Legal form and registered office
Dutch companies: registered office in the Netherlands, legal form B.V., N.V. or V.O.F., a valid Dutch VAT ID, and participation in the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) scheme. You use your Dutch VAT ID for OSS.
Polish companies: registered office in Poland, legal form Sp. z o.o., S.A. or Sp. j., a valid Polish VAT ID, and OSS participation using your Polish VAT ID. The Polish pilot starts in June with selected partners.
German companies: a German legal form, a German VAT ID, and a registered office in Germany. Small businesses under the German § 19 UStG rule are excluded.
Operational requirements (all countries)
- German-language customer service: you must offer it. Customers should get the usual OTTO service experience.
- Shipping: from a warehouse in Germany or the EU.
- Returns: accepted at a warehouse in Germany or in selected EU countries (Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Spain and Czech Republic).
- No German entity required: you can sell with your own national legal form.
The rollout: which countries, when
| Country | Status | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Live (first partner: Protest Sportswear) | Spring 2026 |
| Poland | Pilot, selected partners | from June 2026 |
| Austria, France, Spain | Announced | by end of 2026 |
| Denmark | Announced | early 2027 |
OTTO notes that the priority of markets may still shift, so treat the order as a statement of intent rather than a fixed date.
What it costs
The fee model is the same as for German sellers, because it does not change for the internationalization: a base fee of EUR 99.90 net per month plus category commissions between 5% and 22%, all in EUR. There is no multi-currency and no separate country marketplace. You sell on otto.de under the same conditions as a German seller.
The real question: are you profitable on otto.de?
Between OSS VAT, the monthly base fee, category commissions, shipping and returns, your true profit per product on otto.de is hard to read from OTTO Partner Connect alone. The headline revenue looks fine; what is left after every deduction is a different number.
That is what profitkonsole does. It connects to your OTTO Partner Connect account and shows your real contribution margin per product in EUR, with fees, shipping and returns already deducted. It is the number that tells you whether a product actually makes money on the German market, before you scale it.
Start your 14-day free trial
Connect your OTTO Partner Connect account and see your real profit per product, in EUR, with fees, shipping and returns already deducted.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a German company to sell on OTTO?
No. You can sell with your own national legal form, for example a Dutch B.V. or a Polish Sp. z o.o., as long as you meet OTTO's requirements (valid national VAT ID, OSS participation, German-language customer service).
Can I sell from the Netherlands or Poland?
Yes. Dutch sellers can join now. Polish sellers join through the pilot starting in June 2026. You need a valid national VAT ID and OSS participation.
Is everything in euros?
Yes. otto.de is a German marketplace, so prices, fees and payouts are in EUR. There is no multi-currency.
Do I need German-language customer service?
Yes, it is mandatory. Your customers are German and should get service in German.
What does it cost?
A base fee of EUR 99.90 net per month plus category commissions between 5% and 22%, the same conditions as for German sellers.
Sources & notes
Status: June 2026. Details on the marketplace model, currency, requirements and timeline are based on official OTTO Market communication and on a direct inquiry to OTTO Market by profitkonsole as a listed service partner. Country priorities may still change.