???? Kalimera! Interesting marketplaces from Greece

When you think of e-commerce in Greece, Skroutz stands out as the top player. Initially launched in 2005 as a price comparison website, Skroutz was founded by George Chatzigeorgiou, Vasilis Diamantopoulos, and Yannis Xenos. These three entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to simplify online shopping in Greece by helping consumers find the best prices across retailers.

In 2019, Skroutz made the bold move to transition into a full-fledged marketplace, and since then, it’s become the go-to platform for Greek consumers and a significant player in the country's e-commerce landscape.

Let’s break down the current state of Greece’s e-commerce market, Skroutz's journey, its marketplace model, and the exciting plans they have for the future.

Greece’s E-Commerce Market

Greece’s e-commerce scene has experienced impressive growth in recent years. As more people shop online, especially post-pandemic, the demand for reliable online platforms has surged.

According to The Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), total e-commerce turnover in Greece skyrocketed between 2017-2022 from $5.5 billion to $22.55 billion

• €1 billion in GMV was generated by Skroutz alone in 2023, accounting for roughly 30% of the entire Greek e-commerce market.
• Greece has around 11 million people, with 6.5 million unique visitors to Skroutz each month, meaning over half the country regularly visits this site.
• The largest marketplace in Greece, dominating the sector with 45% year-on-year growth in its marketplace segment.
• Greece ranks high in online engagement, with Skroutz standing as the 4th most visited website after Google, YouTube, and Facebook.
• 1,400 employees and growing.
• Significant infrastructure investments, including 2,000 lockers already installed across Greece, aiming for 4,000 lockers by 2024.
• Over 15,000 sellers on Skroutz

Compare Skroutz sales on the platform with other players:

????Skroutz: 1,1bn EUR

????Alza: 1,75bn EUR

????Allegro: 14bn EUR

????Amazon Europe: 80bn EUR

Social Media Influence and Personalized Shopping Experience

One unique aspect of Skroutz is its social-style feed on the homepage. Like a social media platform, it offers a personalized experience where users see products tailored to their browsing history and preferences. This means that each time a user logs in, they are greeted with items that fit their personal tastes and needs. It's like having a social media feed, but instead of posts, it's filled with products you actually want to buy.

Skroutz has also embraced the social selling trend, collaborating with influencers who create special product lines with affiliate codes.This connection to social selling adds a layer of trust and personalization, encouraging users to shop products endorsed by personalities they already follow. These influencers help Skroutz build stronger connections with the Greek audience while driving sales.

Delivery and Logistics

6,000 islands scattered across the Greek seas, with only 227 inhabited—logistical nightmare!"

One of Skroutz’s biggest strengths is its delivery system. Fulfillment is handled by sellers (FBM), so they can choose their preferred courier company. Skroutz also takes care of customer support, delivery tracking, and returns, making things a lot smoother for sellers.

To make deliveries even more convenient, Skroutz has installed 2,000 lockers across Greece and plans to hit 4,000 by 2024. That's especially helpful in a country with more than 200 inhabited islands—it’s no small feat to get a package delivered when half your customers live in paradise!

Thankfully, Skroutz works with top couriers like DHL, DPD, and Yanita to ensure packages get where they need to go, whether it’s downtown Athens or a tiny island in the Aegean.

Plus, 80% of orders are prepaid, so sellers can rest easy knowing their money is already in the bank.

Skroutz’s Expansion to Romania and soon Bulgaria

Skroutz isn’t content with just dominating the Greek market. They’re looking to expand across Europe, starting with nearby regions like Romania and Cyprus. Here’s what’s coming up:

• ???? Romania: Skroutz recently launched in Romania and is rapidly scaling up, offering localized delivery services and competitive shipping options. They’ve partnered with DHL for cross-border logistics between Greece and Romania, aiming to make delivery times as short as possible.Lockers in Romania: Skroutz will soon bring its locker system to Romania, offering even more convenient delivery options for consumers.
• ???? Future Expansion: After Romania, Skroutz plans to enter the Bulgarian market next. They aim to replicate their successful Greek model, focusing on local sellers, fast deliveries, and customer trust.

???? How Romanian sellers deliver:

• DHL handles pickup: Skroutz partners with DHL for the first mile, picking up your products in Romania.
• Skroutz Last Mile courier: Once your product is in Greece, Skroutz's own delivery service ensures fast delivery to the customer.
• Next-day delivery to Greece: They aim for next-day delivery from Bucharest to Thessaloniki, helping you stay competitive with local Greek sellers.
• Locker network: Romanian sellers can use Skroutz’s locker system in Greece for easy drop-offs and customer pickups.
• Customer support handled by Skroutz: Skroutz takes care of customer inquiries, returns, and delivery tracking.
• Returns are easy: Skroutz manages all returns, so you don’t have to worry about dealing with Greek customers directly.

???? How Polish sellers deliver:

• Similar process to Romanian sellers: Polish sellers also ship to Greece using their preferred courier through Skroutz's Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) model.
• Access to Skroutz locker network: Just like Romanian sellers, Polish sellers can take advantage of the locker system in Greece.
• Customer management taken care of: Skroutz handles customer service, returns, and delivery tracking for Polish sellers too.
• Most orders are prepaid: 80% of Skroutz orders are prepaid, which minimizes the risk for international sellers.

C2C (Customer-to-Customer) space

Unlike other platforms, Skroutz support C2C sales with Skoop platform.

A platform where individuals can sell products backed by Skroutz’s logistics. Interesting...

Seller Onboarding

International sellers can get started with as few as 50 products, and many are taking advantage of Skroutz’s broad reach. Over 300 international sellers had joined by early 2024, and the platform saw 100% sales growth for these sellers between Q3 2023 and Q1 2024.

• Skroutz Academy offers valuable resources to help sellers optimize their listings and boost sales.
• Skroutz provides API integration options to manage logistics, track orders, and automate updates as well as XML
• Integration to two largest integrators in the region Baselinker and Easy Sales

Skroutz Plus aka Greek Amazon Prime

• Free Shipping: If you're a Skroutz Plus member, you get free shipping on most orders over €35.
• Exclusive Deals: Plus members score access to special discounts, promos, and even early access to sales that regular users don’t see.
• Faster Delivery: With Skroutz’s ever-growing network of lockers and top courier partners like DHL and DPD, Plus members get their stuff delivered quicker.
• Priority Service: Plus members get first-in-line treatment, making your shopping experience smoother and easier.

It's kind of like the Greek version of Amazon Prime—just with a Mediterranean vibe!

Other interesting tweeks

• Shop other items from same seller. On platform one order is usually one item, this is interesting attempt to increase sellers average order!

• "Helium10" integrated! Skroutz will tell you price history as well as who was the seller, thats cool!

...and if you want to understand Greek sales methods, watch this: