evomag takes marketplace to nearly 25% of sales and accelerates international expansion
Published: April 15, 2026 at 09:53 AM
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Romanian retailer Evomag is accelerating its international footprint by listing on the Kaufland marketplace in Austria, with a subsequent launch in Germany planned for next month. This strategic expansion comes as the local eCommerce market offers less room for growth compared to previous years, prompting the company to strengthen its regional presence through established platforms.
The shift towards external marketplaces is already yielding measurable results. In 2025, marketplace sales generated nearly 25% of Evomag's total sales volume. For 2026, the company estimates at least 30% growth in sales generated through this segment, driven by geographic expansion and the consolidation of its presence in external markets. Currently, Evomag maintains nine active marketplace presences across Romania and abroad, including eMAG in Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary, Skroutz in Greece, Trendyol in Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria, TEMU in Romania, and Kaufland in Austria.
Expansion into external marketplaces involves substantial investment and operational complexity. Each new listing incurs costs between EUR 30,000 and EUR 50,000, depending on platform size, integration requirements, logistics specifics, and tax infrastructure. Mihai Pătrașcu, CEO of Evomag, emphasized that such moves require much more than a simple presence on a platform. He noted that technical integration, logistics, taxation, and adaptation of internal flows are critical, adding that results do not appear immediately and require time to understand consumer reactions and category performance.
This strategy aligns with broader European trends supported by Eurostat data, which indicates that 78% of internet users in the European Union made online purchases in 2025. Approximately half of European companies that sell online now use marketplaces in their commercial strategy. By leveraging these established networks, Evomag aims to increase the share of external sales, reduce dependence on the pace of the local market, and build a stronger regional position capable of sustaining growth despite domestic saturation.
Key Insights
Evomag is pivoting toward marketplace channels to counter domestic saturation and secure diversified revenue streams.
This strategy significantly reduces reliance on the local market pace but introduces substantial operational overhead and upfront capital requirements.
Management acknowledges a necessary learning curve where initial investments may not yield immediate financial returns.
Success depends heavily on adapting logistics and tax frameworks across multiple jurisdictions without losing speed or competitiveness.
Without careful execution, the high cost of entry could strain margins before scale is achieved in new territories.