marketplaces - WORLDEF

Momox Expands Recommerce Operations to the Netherlands

German recommerce platform Momox has entered the Dutch market with a dedicated website and app, marking its expansion into its sixth European market.

The company enables consumers to sell used books, CDs and DVDs directly through its platform. The Netherlands launch comes after Momox identified strong demand from Dutch customers who were previously purchasing and selling products through international marketplaces.

Dedicated Dutch Platform

With its new local operation, Dutch consumers can scan the barcode of eligible products through the Momox app and receive an immediate purchase offer. Once an offer is accepted, sellers can send their items free of charge through DHL or PostNL.

Momox then checks the products before completing the payment process.

The company had already been active in the Netherlands through marketplaces such as Amazon and Bol. According to Momox, the strong response from Dutch consumers created an opportunity to establish a dedicated local platform.

Strengthening Recommerce in Europe

The Netherlands expansion is part of Momox’s broader international growth strategy and reflects the increasing demand for second-hand products across Europe.

The company is particularly focusing on sourcing Dutch-language books locally. By purchasing used products directly from Dutch consumers, Momox aims to keep more books in circulation while expanding the selection available to second-hand shoppers.

Founded in Germany in 2004, Momox has built its business around the circular economy by purchasing used products from consumers and reselling them through its own platforms and other marketplaces.

Recommerce Market Continues to Grow

Momox’s entry into the Netherlands comes as European consumers increasingly turn to second-hand and recommerce platforms. Rising interest in affordability, sustainability and circular consumption is creating new opportunities for retailers and marketplaces to extend the life cycle of products.

For Momox, the Dutch launch represents another step in building a broader European recommerce network and strengthening its position in the growing second-hand e-commerce market.

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Etsy Cuts 12% of Workforce Days After $1.4 Billion Depop Sale

Etsy is restructuring its business and cutting around 200 jobs just days after receiving $1.4 billion from the sale of its Depop marketplace to eBay, creating a striking contrast between the company’s fresh cash injection and its decision to reduce its workforce.

The company announced the layoffs on August 5, with the cuts affecting approximately 12% of its workforce. Most of the impacted positions are in product and engineering, according to reports. Etsy said the restructuring is designed to simplify its organizational structure, improve coordination and accelerate decision-making.

Layoffs Follow Strong Second-Quarter Performance

The workforce reduction came alongside Etsy’s second-quarter results, which showed continued growth in its core marketplace.

Etsy Marketplace revenue increased 9.3% year over year, while gross merchandise sales (GMS) rose 7.5% to approximately $2.6 billion. The company also reported comparable net income of $114 million, representing an increase of more than 50% from the previous year.

The results suggest that the layoffs are not simply a response to deteriorating marketplace performance. Instead, Etsy is positioning the restructuring as part of a broader effort to make the company more focused and efficient.

CEO Kruti Patel Goyal said cost savings would be a consequence of the restructuring rather than its primary objective. She also said the layoffs were not driven by artificial intelligence, although Etsy continues to use AI in product development and other areas of the business.

$1.4 Billion Depop Sale Adds to the Restructuring Story

The timing of the layoffs has drawn particular attention because Etsy completed the $1.4 billion sale of Depop to eBay on July 30, only six days before announcing the workforce reductions.

The transaction is part of Etsy’s broader strategy to streamline its portfolio and concentrate resources on its core marketplace. The company previously sold Reverb, another marketplace business, in 2025.

Rather than using the proceeds primarily to expand its workforce, Etsy is simultaneously restructuring its organization and returning capital to shareholders. The company has authorized an additional $2 billion share repurchase program.

Etsy Refocuses on Its Core Marketplace

The latest moves highlight a broader shift in Etsy’s strategy: moving away from operating multiple marketplaces and toward strengthening its flagship Etsy platform.

The company expects the restructuring to be substantially completed by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Employees affected by the cuts are expected to receive severance packages, including at least 16 weeks of pay and extended healthcare coverage, according to the company’s disclosures.

For Etsy, the combination of marketplace growth, portfolio divestments, workforce restructuring and a major share-buyback authorization signals a more focused phase of its business strategy.

The company is now betting that a leaner organization and greater concentration on its core marketplace can translate recent financial momentum into sustainable long-term growth.

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Marketplaces in Indonesia to Collect Taxes on Behalf of E-Commerce Sellers

Indonesia will put a new practice aimed at increasing tax compliance in the digital commerce ecosystem into effect as of November 1, 2026. Under the new regulation, designated e-commerce marketplaces will collect income tax on behalf of businesses making sales and transfer it to the tax authority. The government announced that the implementation had previously been postponed twice and that the final date was determined following economic conditions and the completion of the preparation process.

E-Commerce Platforms in Indonesia Assigned Tax Collection Responsibility

Under the new system, major marketplaces such as Tokopedia, Shopee, Lazada, and Blibli will deduct income tax from the sales of sellers who meet the criteria and transfer it to the government. While the regulation particularly covers small and medium-sized enterprises, sellers with annual turnover below 500 million rupiah may be exempt from the practice if they submit the required declaration. The platforms will also share sales data with tax authorities.

Tax Compliance and the Digital Economy Are Being Targeted

According to Indonesian officials, the regulation does not introduce a new tax; it only changes the method of collecting the existing income tax. The aim is to increase tax compliance in online commerce, reduce unregistered economic activities, and bring the digital economy under more effective oversight. In this context, shifting the responsibility for tax collection from individual sellers to platforms is also intended to facilitate administrative processes. Indonesia therefore plans to establish more effective tax management within its rapidly growing digital commerce ecosystem.

Implementation Postponed Due to the Preparation Process

The government previously decided to postpone the implementation twice. During the postponement period, the aim was both to support consumer spending and to allow e-commerce platforms to complete their technical preparations. According to the latest announcement, the new system will enter into force on November 1, 2026, and platforms will assume responsibility for tax collection from that date onward. The Indonesian government states that the practice will strengthen tax compliance in the digital commerce sector.

E-Commerce Market Continues to Grow

According to data from Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, Indonesia’s e-commerce market reached approximately $71 billion in gross merchandise value in 2025. While the market is expected to rise to approximately $140 billion by 2030, the new tax system aims to transform the growing digital economy into a more sustainable and formally registered structure.

Indonesia Plans New E-Commerce Rules After Seller Complaints

CarrefourSA Completes Majority Ownership Transfer to Yeni Mağazacılık

Ownership Transfer Officially Completed

ISTANBUL – CarrefourSA has officially completed the transfer of its majority ownership to Yeni Mağazacılık A.Ş., the retail company behind Türkiye’s discount chain A101, following the receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

The transaction covers 89.28% of CarrefourSA’s shares, previously held by Sabancı Holding and Carrefour Nederland BV. With the closing of the deal, CarrefourSA becomes part of Aydın Group’s retail portfolio under Yeni Mağazacılık.

CarrefourSA and A101 to Continue as Separate Brands

Despite the acquisition, CarrefourSA and A101 will continue to operate as separate brands, maintaining independent management structures, distinct retail formats, and their existing brand identities. The companies emphasized that the integration is designed to strengthen CarrefourSA’s financial position while preserving its premium supermarket positioning, with A101 continuing to focus on the discount retail segment.

CarrefourSA will remain under the leadership of CEO Hatice Evren, who will oversee the company’s next phase of growth. Aydın Group stated that the retailer will benefit from stronger financial backing, enabling investments in customer experience, supplier partnerships, employee development, and nationwide expansion.

Growth Strategy Focuses on Expansion and Investment

According to Erhan Bostan, Board Member of Aydın Group, the company aims to leverage CarrefourSA’s strengths in fresh food, product variety, and quality while expanding its footprint across Türkiye. The group plans to increase accessibility by opening new stores and strengthening collaboration with local suppliers, contributing to employment and the country’s organized retail sector.

The completed transaction marks a significant development in Türkiye’s organized retail sector, strengthening Aydın Group’s multi-brand strategy while allowing CarrefourSA and A101 to continue serving different customer segments.

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Uber Agrees €13 Billion Acquisition of Delivery Hero to Create Global Delivery Powerhouse

Uber has agreed to acquire Delivery Hero in a landmark €13 billion transaction that will significantly reshape the global food delivery and quick commerce industry. The deal expands Uber’s presence into more than 50 additional markets, creating a combined delivery and mobility platform operating across 99 countries.

Under the terms of the voluntary takeover offer, Uber will pay €41.50 per Delivery Hero share, valuing the German delivery giant at approximately €13 billion ($14.8 billion). Adjusting for Uber’s existing ownership stake, the effective transaction value stands at roughly $13.7 billion. Delivery Hero’s management and supervisory boards have unanimously endorsed the offer and intend to recommend shareholders approve the acquisition.

Strategic Expansion Across High-Growth Markets

The acquisition gives Uber control of Delivery Hero’s extensive portfolio across Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, including well-known brands such as talabat, HungerStation, PedidosYa, foodpanda, Glovo, and South Korea’s Baedal Minjok. Together, the combined businesses generated approximately $236 billion in gross bookings during 2025, highlighting the scale of the new global platform.

The Middle East and North Africa emerges as one of the transaction’s most valuable regions, with Uber gaining full control of talabat’s operations across the Gulf and HungerStation’s leading position in Saudi Arabia, strengthening its competitive position in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital commerce markets.

Divestments Aim to Ease Regulatory Approval

To address potential antitrust concerns, Delivery Hero has separately agreed to sell businesses operating in 14 overlapping markets to New York-based investment firm SSW Partners for approximately $1.6 billion (€1.4 billion).

The divestiture includes several European operations, notably Yemeksepeti in Türkiye, foodora businesses in Northern Europe, Glovo’s operations in Spain, Portugal, Poland and Romania, alongside several other regional brands. SSW Partners will independently seek long-term strategic owners for these businesses following the transaction.

Germany Remains a Strategic Hub

Despite the ownership change, Uber has committed to maintaining Delivery Hero’s Berlin headquarters through at least 2029 while investing €2 billion in Germany over the next five years. The investment will support local employment, engineering talent and partnerships focused on autonomous mobility technologies, reinforcing Germany’s role in Uber’s long-term innovation strategy.

Leadership Transition Begins

The announcement also marks the beginning of a leadership transition at Delivery Hero. Co-founder and CEO Niklas Östberg, who has led the company since its founding in 2011, is preparing to hand over executive leadership after transforming the business into one of the world’s largest food delivery platforms.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2027, subject to shareholder approval and regulatory clearances. Upon completion, Uber expects the acquisition to immediately contribute to earnings and deliver stronger profitability through operational efficiencies and expanded cross-platform services.

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European Retail Media Surpasses €13 Billion as Digital Ad Market Hits Record High in 2025

As Europe’s digital advertising market settles into a more sustainable growth cycle, retail media is emerging as one of the industry’s biggest winners. Advertisers increased spending on retail media by 16.7% in 2025, lifting the segment to €13.3 billion and pushing it beyond 10% of total digital advertising investment in Europe for the first time. The milestone underscores how retailers are becoming increasingly important advertising platforms alongside traditional digital channels.

According to the latest IAB Europe AdEx Benchmark Report, overall digital advertising expenditure across 30 European markets climbed 10.5% year over year to €131.1 billion. While the pace slowed from the exceptional 16% growth recorded in 2024 and the post-pandemic surge of 2021, every market covered by the report still expanded, highlighting the continued resilience of Europe’s digital economy.

Retail Media Outpaces the Broader Market

Retail media significantly outperformed the wider advertising market, reflecting brands’ growing appetite for advertising closer to the point of purchase. By placing sponsored products and display ads on retailers’ websites, marketplaces and shopping apps, advertisers gain access to valuable first-party consumer data while measuring campaign performance more effectively.

Crossing the 10% share of Europe’s digital advertising market marks a notable milestone for retail media. The channel has rapidly evolved from a complementary marketing tool into a core component of omnichannel advertising strategies, as retailers increasingly monetize their digital ecosystems and brands seek higher returns on advertising spend.

Video and Social Continue to Drive Digital Growth

Retail media was not the only standout performer. Video advertising remained the fastest-growing major format, rising 19.6% to €34 billion. For the first time, video represented more than half of all display advertising investment across Europe, reflecting continued consumer demand for video-first content.

Social advertising also posted robust results, growing 19.2% to €35.5 billion, with social video delivering the strongest performance among all advertising formats. Together, these trends illustrate how advertisers continue shifting budgets toward highly engaging, performance-oriented digital channels.

UK Maintains Leadership in European Advertising

The United Kingdom remained Europe’s largest digital advertising market, attracting €46.9 billion in investment during 2025. Germany ranked second with €21.6 billion, followed by France at €12.7 billion. Collectively, the three markets accounted for roughly 62% of total European digital advertising spend, reinforcing their dominant position in the region’s advertising landscape.

A Maturing but Expanding Market

The latest figures suggest that Europe’s digital advertising industry is entering a more mature phase of growth rather than slowing down. While overall expansion has normalized compared with the extraordinary gains seen after the pandemic, investment continues to migrate toward channels that combine measurable performance, first-party data and commerce capabilities. Retail media’s rapid rise illustrates this shift, positioning retailers as increasingly influential players in the future of digital advertising across Europe.

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Bangladesh Sees Positive Marketplace Shift as Jiji Acquires Bikroy

African classifieds marketplace Jiji has acquired Bikroy, Bangladesh’s largest online classifieds platform, marking the company’s first acquisition outside Africa and a major step in its international expansion strategy.

The acquisition comes just 13 months after Jiji officially entered the Bangladeshi market, where it launched operations to compete directly with established local players including Bikroy, Daraz and Ajkerdeal. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, although Jiji stated that the acquisition was completed using internal resources and shareholder support.

Founded in Nigeria, Jiji has built one of Africa’s largest digital classifieds ecosystems by following a “compete-then-buy” expansion strategy. The company previously acquired OLX Africa’s operations across several African markets in 2019 and later purchased Ghana’s Tonaton in 2022. Bikroy now becomes the third major competitor absorbed by the platform within six years.

Bikroy has been one of Bangladesh’s most recognized online marketplaces since its launch in 2012. The platform operates in both Bengali and English and has built a strong presence across categories including electronics, vehicles, property, jobs and household products.

Industry analysts view the move as a strategic effort by Jiji to replicate its African growth model in high-potential emerging markets. Bangladesh’s rapidly growing internet penetration, expanding middle class and rising online shopping adoption have made the country increasingly attractive for global e-commerce and marketplace companies.

Bangladesh Becomes a Key Digital Commerce Battleground

Bangladesh’s e-commerce sector is projected to reach between $12 billion and $13 billion within the next few years, driven by increasing smartphone usage and stronger digital payment adoption. According to industry data referenced by Jiji, nearly 79% of Bangladeshi consumers already shop online, while almost half are comfortable making payments through digital platforms.

By acquiring Bikroy instead of continuing direct competition, Jiji gains immediate access to one of the country’s largest online marketplace audiences and strengthens its position against regional competitors such as Alibaba-backed Daraz.

The acquisition also signals a broader trend in emerging-market e-commerce, where consolidation is becoming a key strategy for scaling digital marketplaces faster and reducing customer acquisition costs.

As competition intensifies across Asia and Africa, Jiji’s latest move highlights how global marketplace companies are increasingly targeting high-growth developing economies to secure long-term digital commerce leadership.

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Vinted’s 47% GMV Surge Signals Positive Boom in Europe’s Resale Economy

Europe’s second-hand fashion market is gaining serious momentum, and Vinted is at the center of this transformation. The Lithuania-based platform reported a 47% year-on-year increase in gross merchandise value (GMV), reaching €10.8 billion, marking a major milestone in the evolution of recommerce across the region.

The strong performance reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior. As inflation and rising living costs continue to pressure households, more consumers are turning to second-hand platforms to save money and generate extra income. This trend has positioned Vinted not just as an alternative shopping channel, but as a mainstream marketplace within Europe’s e-commerce ecosystem.

In parallel with GMV growth, Vinted’s revenue rose by 38% to €1.1 billion, underlining its ability to scale both transaction volume and monetization. The company has now firmly established itself as one of Europe’s leading digital marketplaces, with operations spanning more than 20 countries and a growing user base driven by affordability and sustainability.

Vinted Drives Resale Economy Growth Across Europe

A key driver behind Vinted’s growth is its continued expansion beyond traditional fashion categories. While women’s and children’s clothing remain core segments, the platform has increasingly diversified into areas such as sports equipment, collectibles, and electronics. This broader product offering is attracting new user segments and increasing transaction frequency.

At the same time, Vinted is investing heavily in infrastructure. Initiatives like Vinted Go (logistics) and Vinted Pay (payments) are designed to strengthen its ecosystem and reduce operational costs over time. The platform now provides access to hundreds of thousands of pick-up and drop-off points across Europe, improving convenience and delivery efficiency.

However, this aggressive growth strategy has come with trade-offs. Despite record GMV and revenue, profitability declined, with net profit falling to €62 million due to increased investments in expansion, logistics, and market development particularly in competitive regions like Germany.

Still, the long-term outlook remains strong. Vinted’s leadership emphasizes cost efficiency and ecosystem development as core pillars for making second-hand commerce the “first choice” for consumers. As resale continues to gain traction, the platform is well-positioned to capitalize on both economic and sustainability-driven demand.

Ultimately, the latest results highlight a fundamental shift in retail dynamics. Second-hand commerce is no longer niche – it is becoming a defining force in Europe’s digital economy, challenging traditional retail models and reshaping how consumers buy and sell goods online.

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Wildberries Enters Ethiopia in 2026 as Digital Trade Growth Surges

Wildberries has officially launched operations in Ethiopia, opening its marketplace to local sellers and enabling them to reach international customers.

The move marks a significant step in the company’s expansion strategy, positioning Ethiopia as one of its first major entry points into the African e-commerce landscape.

Ethiopian products reach global audiences

Through the platform, Ethiopian businesses can now offer a wide range of goods to international buyers, including coffee, textiles, leather products, and handmade items.

The integration into the marketplace is expected to strengthen export potential for small and medium-sized enterprises while increasing global visibility for locally produced goods. It also provides sellers with access to a structured digital environment that simplifies cross-border trade.

Cross-border e-commerce gains traction

The launch reflects a broader trend of growing cross-border e-commerce activity, particularly in emerging markets.

By leveraging Wildberries’ logistics and marketplace infrastructure, Ethiopian sellers are able to access international markets more efficiently, reducing traditional barriers such as distribution complexity and limited reach.

Partnership supports digital economy development

The entry into Ethiopia follows cooperation with Ethiopian Investment Holdings, aimed at supporting the country’s digital economy and e-commerce ecosystem.

Through this initiative, Wildberries is contributing to improvements in logistics capabilities, technology transfer, and the creation of new opportunities for local businesses to scale beyond domestic markets.

Two-phase marketplace rollout

In its initial phase, Ethiopian products will be made available to international consumers through Wildberries.

A second phase is expected to introduce foreign sellers to the Ethiopian market, further expanding trade flows and strengthening the country’s position within global e-commerce networks.

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