The Importance of
E-Commerce for the German Economy
Commissioned by the Association for E-Commerce in Germany (in German: Bundesverband E-Commerce und Versandhandel Deutschland e. V. or bevh)
This report quantifies the economic impact of the e-commerce sector and its contribution to the German economy in 2024.
E-commerce has become a major sector in Germany thanks to its many benefits for both buyers and sellers. In recent years, over 70 percent of Germans reported that e-commerce has become an indispensable part of their everyday lives—underscoring the critical role e-commerce plays for consumers. At the same time, e-commerce plays an even bigger role in business-to-business transactions, surpassing even business-to-consumer transactions in terms of revenue. To quantify these impacts, Oxford Economics conducted a study to capture the economic contribution of German e-commerce in 2024.
Our findings show that the e-commerce sector’s total economic contribution to German GDP stood at €308 billion in 2024—more than the GDP of Finland in the same year. Of this, the e-commerce sector itself directly generated gross value added of €119 billion, while it indirectly supported a further €81 billion via its suppliers. Finally, an induced impact of €108 billion was stimulated through consumption expenditures by employees in e-commerce and along its supply chain.
In 2024, the e-commerce sector also supported a total of 2.9 million jobs in Germany, with the sector directly contributing 1 million jobs. Another 800 thousand jobs were supported indirectly. Induced effects contributed a further 1.2 million jobs. Hence, for every person employed directly in e-commerce, 2 more jobs were supported in other sectors.
Additionally, the report examines the wider impact of e-commerce on the economy and society through increasing consumer utility, driving innovation and productivity as well as enabling small and medium-sized enterprises. Finally, the report provides an outlook for the German e-commerce sector.
The experts behind the research
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Jan SunSenior Economist, Economic Impact
Jan Sun is a Senior Economist in the Economic Impact Consulting Team in Continental Europe, based in Berlin, Germany. His work focuses on economic impact and policy impact assessments. He has worked on and led projects in various fields such as creative industries, e-commerce, industrial policy, housing and digital platforms. He has worked with public and private clients, including federal ministries, industry associations and high-profile companies.
Prior to joining Oxford Economics, Jan completed a PhD in economics at the University of Mannheim in 2022. He also holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Mannheim and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Munich. He has previously worked at the University of Mannheim, the University of Munich and as an intern at the German central bank in the financial stability department.
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Hannah Marie ZickSenior Economist, Continental Europe
Hannah is a Senior Economist in the Economic Footprint and Sustainability team, based in Frankfurt, Germany, where she focuses on bespoke consulting projects for clients across continental Europe. Joining Oxford Economics in 2022, she has worked with several private and public clients such as federal ministries and the EU-Commission. Her expertise spans various fields including policy analysis, finance, construction, manufacturing and creative industries.
She holds a B.Sc. in Economics from Philipps University Marburg and a M.Sc. in Economics from the University of Mannheim. Additionally, Hannah enriched her academic experience with semesters abroad in the UK and Switzerland.
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