Overview

Amazon’s European network now spans five major storefronts—United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain—giving sellers access to more than 150 million active shoppers. Entering these markets can add substantial revenue, spread risk across borders, and raise brand visibility throughout the continent. Mastering the tax, logistics and localization steps is essential for a fast launch and to avoid costly setbacks.

Key Points

• Five primary marketplaces — The EU Amazon ecosystem comprises amazon.co.uk, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.it and amazon.es, each operating with its own language, local currency and fulfillment rules.
• 150 million shoppers — Collectively the five sites attract over 150 million active buyers, providing a large audience for both niche and mainstream products.
• VAT registration thresholds — Germany sets a €100,000 annual limit, while the United Kingdom uses an £85,000 threshold; exceeding these figures forces sellers to register for VAT and adjust pricing.
• Fulfillment options — Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) typically delivers orders within 48 hours across most EU countries, whereas Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) can be cheaper for bulky or low‑turn items.
• Localized product copy — Translating titles, bullet points and backend keywords into each country’s language can lift conversion rates by up to 30 percent.
• Prime eligibility boost — Products that qualify for Amazon Prime in Europe enjoy higher placement; a German seller who enabled Prime saw sales rise 22 percent within three months.

How to Expand to Amazon Europe

1. Create a single European seller account — Open one Seller Central profile that links all five marketplaces; for example, a U.S.‑based vendor can manage inventory for amazon.de and amazon.fr from the same dashboard, eliminating the need for separate logins.
2. Register for VAT in required countries — Identify markets where projected sales exceed local thresholds and obtain the appropriate VAT numbers before shipping; a UK‑based entrepreneur expecting €120,000 in German sales secured a German VAT ID ahead of the first dispatch.