“TOP 500 B2C Cross-Border Retail Europe”: An annual ranking of the TOP 500 European cross-border online shops

7th Edition of the “TOP 500 B2C Cross-Border Retail Europe”: An annual ranking of the TOP 500 European cross-border online shops.

Brussels – 17th April 2025 – Cross-Border Commerce Europe, a leading platform fostering cross-border e-commerce throughout Europe, has released a comprehensive research paper. This annual report ranks the top 500 European e-commerce players, focusing on their cross-border performance. In 2024, the total online EU cross-border market reached €275.6 billion (excluding travel), representing a significant 36% share of the overall online market. After experiencing a slight dip in 2023, the total turnover for the TOP 500 European cross-border B2C brands skyrocketed to €69.5 billion in 2024, marking a 39% growth from the previous year. In this seventh edition, IKEA continues to lead in the “TOP 500 Cross-Border Retail Europe”, a study supported by FedEx Express and Poste Italiane.

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The rankings are derived by evaluating four primary parameters:

• Online cross-border sales from 15 Western European countries, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom
• SEO indicators reflecting cross-border performance
• Cross-border score based on the number of active countries
• The proportion and number of cross-border visitors

This ranking is further refined by seven secondary weighted parameters: brand authority, organic search traffic, linguistic diversity, currency options, payment methods, local logistics and marketplace functionality.

TOP 10
Based on the above-mentioned methodology, the TOP 10 “Elite” European etailers for 2024 are:

• TOP 1: IKEA
• TOP 2: Lidl
• TOP 3: H&M
• TOP 4: Zalando
• TOP 5: Jysk
• TOP 6: Notino
• TOP 7: Lego
• TOP 8: Adidas
• TOP 9: Decathlon
• TOP 10: Zara

The TOP 10 retailers, including a mix of pure players, retailer-marketplaces and brand manufacturers, represent a fifth of the TOP 500 sales. IKEA continues to dominate with a cross-border turnover of €5.2 billion. It is remarkable that the TOP 10 remained the same as in 2023.

Explosive Growth in Cross-Border E-commerce Among the TOP 500
The growth trajectory for cross-border e-commerce among the top European players is even more striking. After experiencing a slight dip in 2023, the total turnover for the TOP 500 European cross-border B2C brands skyrocketed to €69.5 billion in 2024, marking a 39% growth from the previous year. This substantial rise is indicative of the robustness of the cross-border market and the increasing competitive edge that these top players hold on the international stage.
TOP 500 sectors and product categories
Within the TOP 500, there has been a shift away from pure players towards brand manufacturers. Brand manufacturers like Lego, Nespresso, Adidas and Philips, who are developing their direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels.
Fashion, jewellery and luxury continue to dominate as the top category with a 43% share, followed by home, garden and DIY with a 9% share. Lidl, notable as a strong food merchant and e-tailer, secured the 2nd position in the TOP 500.

Cross-border eCommerce is expected to continue its growth trajectory in the coming years, with the TOP 500 attracting 1.7 billion monthly cross-border visitors.

AI and Augmented Reality Integration for Virtual Shopping Experiences
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the retail industry, reshaping how businesses engage with customers, manage operations, and optimize their offerings. As digital transformation accelerates, AI has become not just a tool of the future but a daily necessity for retailers aiming to remain competitive in an increasingly complex and digital-first marketplace. The vast range of AI applications spans across customer service, inventory management, personalized marketing, and product design, enhancing operational efficiency and the overall customer experience. Retailers are leveraging these capabilities to gain a competitive edge and deliver more personalized, efficient, and innovative services to their consumers.

Recommerce Market
The resale market for secondhand goods, or re-commerce, is transforming retail industries. Driven by sustainability goals, economic pressures, and technological advancements, re- commerce is reshaping consumer behavior and fostering global market connectivity. Its rapid growth highlights substantial economic, social, and environmental opportunities while exposing challenges like regulatory compliance, logistics, and quality assurance.

The re-commerce market is projected to continue expanding significantly. In 2023/24, the global secondhand market reached an estimated value of 200 billion and is expected to double by 2030. The fashion sector alone contributed approximately €7 billion to the EU’s GDP, while also creating 150,000 jobs across the continent. The consumer electronics re-commerce market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% from 2023 to 2030, further emphasizing the sector’s booming popularity.

“I would like to extend my warm thanks to our market research team and our partners, FedEx Express and Poste Italiane, for their support in establishing this new ranking. It highlights the leading European players in cross-border e-commerce and stimulates the entire retail industry,” concludes Carine Moitier, Founder of CBCommerce.eu.

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Press Coverage

Benelux

Fashion United
H&M, Zalando, Zara, leiders in crossborder e-commerce in Europa
https://fashionunited.nl/nieuws/business/h-m-zalando-zara-leiders-in-grensoverschrijdende-mode-e-commerce-in-europa/2025041664448

Delano
Ikea, Lidl, H&M lead cross-border sales in Europe
https://delano.lu/article/ikea-lidl-handm-lead-cross-border-sales-in-europe

Paperjam
Ikea, Lidl, H&M: sur le podium des ventes transfrontalières en Europe
https://paperjam.lu/article/ikea-lidl-handm-les-leaders-des-ventes-en-ligne-europeennes

AGF
Lidl op tweede plaats in top 10 Europese e-commercespelers
https://www.agf.nl/article/9725073/lidl-op-tweede-plaats-in-top-10-europese-e-commercespelers/

Retail Detail
L’e-commerce européen international fait son retour
https://www.retaildetail.be/fr/news/general/le-commerce-europeen-international-fait-son-retour/
Internationale Europese e-commerce maakt comeback
https://www.retaildetail.be/nl/news/algemeen/internationale-europese-e-commerce-maakt-comeback/

France

Leader Reunion
Plus de 7 Français sur 10 privilégient le made in France
https://www.leaderreunion.fr/plus-de-7-francais-sur-10-privilegient-le-made-in-france/

Fashion United
H&M, Zalando, Zara, leaders in cross-border fashion e-commerce in Europe
https://fashionunited.fr/actualite/business/h-m-zalando-zara-leaders-de-le-commerce-transfrontalier-mode-en-europe/2025041637820

DACH

Postbranche
7. Ausgabe des „TOP 500 B2C Cross-Border Retail Europe“: ein jährliches Ranking der TOP 500 europäischen Cross-Border Online-Shops.
https://www.postbranche.de/2025/04/17/7-ausgabe-des-top-500-b2c-cross-border-retail-europe-ein-jaehrliches-ranking-der-top-500-europaeischen-cross-border-online-shops/

Onlinehändler News
Top 10: Das sind die größten Online-Shops in Europa
https://www.onlinehaendler-news.de/themen/unternehmen-maerkte/top-10-groessten-online-shops-europa

Retail News
Top 500-Ranking: Cross-Border-E-Commerce in Europa wächst rasant
https://retail-news.de/top500-eu-cross-border-2024/

International

Enterprise Times
European Cross Border Commerce thriving says report
https://www.enterprisetimes.co.uk/2025/04/17/european-cross-border-commerce-thriving-says-report/

CEP Research
Cross-border B2C brands see 40% growth in 2024
https://www.cep-research.com/2025/04/22/cross-border-b2c-brands-see-40-growth-in-2024/

Europe Says
4.8% year-on-year increase in turnover
https://www.europesays.com/2006197/

Ecommerce News Poland
Transgraniczny e-commerce w Europie bije rekordy: 275,6 mld euro obrotu i dynamiczne wzrosty w 2024 roku
https://ecommercenews.pl/transgraniczny-e-commerce-w-europie-bije-rekordy-2756-mld-euro-obrotu-i-dynamiczne-wzrosty-w-2024-roku/

Ecommerce News
European cross-border ecommerce worth 275.6 billion euros
https://ecommercenews.eu/european-cross-border-ecommerce-worth-275-6-billion-euros/

Cadena de Suministro
Ikea lidera los envíos transfonterizos B2C en el retail europeo
https://www.cadenadesuministro.es/logistica/ikea-lidera-envios-transfonterizos-b2c-en-retail-europeo_1508677_102.html