Black Week 2025 was not what many expected - and the data behind it is unmistakable. Ingrid speaks with Benjamin Weyrich from the e-commerce agency Front Row about hard facts: why brands see almost no growth without deals, why profitability continues to decline, and why the first deal day has now become more important than Black Friday itself. Benjamin explains how brands can use Amazon Marketing Cloud to identify, for the first time, which products turn customers into fans - and which ones lose them for good. It also becomes clear that pushing clearance stock into deal events is the wrong strategy. The episode also shows which categories performed surprisingly well, where declines were noticeable, and how deal events can influence Customer Lifetime Value over the long term. And that brand-building is becoming increasingly crucial in the marketplace business. In the end, one thing becomes clear: anyone aiming to make Black Week 2026 more successful needs a solid data foundation - and a deal strategy that no longer relies on gut feeling.

Note from the Sponsor eBay:

eBay is pushing Live Shopping in Germany: with eBay Live, sellers can present their products in real-time, engage with their community, and sell directly - all in the exciting auction format that has made eBay legendary. During live shows, sellers can offer both immediate purchases and auctions, making the selling experience even more flexible. And all of this is supported by eBay’s buyer protection and transparent policies. eBay is opening up new opportunities for sellers to authentically and emotionally present their brand. Interactive live moments build trust, boost customer loyalty, and help you reach new audiences like Gen Z and Millennials. Curious on how to take part? You can find more information in our blogpost: https://marketplace-universe.com/how-ebay-live-works-a-practical-guide-for-marketplace-sellers/

Note from the sponsor bol:

January may seem like a quiet month in many markets - but not in the Netherlands and Belgium. There, the sale and clearance weeks kick off the new year with a real boost of momentum for brands and sellers. As the market leader in the Netherlands and Belgium, bol plays a central role in this. If you want to know:

- why this period represents such an extraordinary growth window for international sellers,

- how bol's campaign structure massively increases visibility, and

- why stable logistics after the Christmas peak give sellers a real competitive advantage,

then check out our blog post on Marketplace Universe. There you will also find five steps to help you make the most of the January sales: from localization and assortment strategy to scheduling your campaigns and positioning your brand for NL & BE. Click here for in-depth knowledge: https://marketplace-universe.com/january-sale-on-bol/

The EU will abolish the €150 de-minimis threshold in early 2026 - but will this really slow down Temu, Shein or AliExpress? In this episode, Ingrid talks with China-commerce expert Björn Ognibeni about why the impact will be far smaller than many hope. They explore how Chinese platforms easily absorb new duties, why Europe’s true vulnerability lies in AI-driven sourcing and product development, and how Alibaba.com already uses agentic AI to cut sourcing cycles from months to days. Björn also explains how brutal price transparency will expose many Western brands - and why Europe’s biggest weakness is that it has no serious low-price competition of its own. A concise, eye-opening look at the China wave reshaping Europe’s commerce landscape.

Note from the sponsor Channable

Thinking about selling to Switzerland - but still convinced it’s too complicated? Channable just published a deep-dive interview with Tobias Weyermann from Digitec Galaxus, Switzerland’s marketplace champion with 3.2 billion CHF in annual sales. And he also got some interesting things to say for cross-border sellers who want to target the Swiss market. Because with the Galaxus EU-Hub, sellers from the EU can tap into the Swiss market with zero onboarding fees - and even without a Swiss VAT registration. And tools like Channable help merchants meet those Swiss data standards effortlessly. Curious how onboarding really works - and whether Switzerland might be your next growth market? Then don’t miss the full interview on the Channable blog!

Note from the sponsor Octopia:

Many marketplace operators ask themselves:: How do I get strong, high quality sellers for my platform? That’s where our new partner Octopia can help. It’s the first fully integrated suite of marketplace services developed by an actual marketplace operator - the French generalist Cdiscount. With 20+ years of experience, over 2 billion GMV, 450 specialists, and 10,000 vetted sellers, Octopia’s mission is clear: they acquire sellers for you, onboard them fast, and drive their performance - so your marketplace can scale without complexity. Octopia stands out with its operational strength: targeted seller sourcing, onboarding in just 3-5 days, paneuropean fulfillment, sponsored product solutions, and access to 100+ marketplaces. With 150 business developers, churn below 1%, and double-digit GMV uplift often within weeks, Octopia delivers fast, scalable growth that’s proven across markets. If you want to know why platforms like Rakuten, Allegro, CDON or FNAC Darty trust Octopia, take a look at our company portrait!

How do small niche sellers scale internationally - without a store, without a team, and without Amazon pressure? In this episode, Ingrid speaks with Isabell Butterwegge from eBay and Kim Mooney, founder of Uncanny Collectibles in Ireland. Kim explains why internationalisation wasn’t a “nice to have” but a survival strategy. And Isabell shares how eBay data like the Export Matrix and Product Research Tool help sellers identify real demand: France strong in Arts & Antiques, Spain and Italy in Lego and watches, and Germany now one of Kim’s most important markets. They discuss why Kim stepped away from Amazon, how eBay Mag automates her international listings, and why data-driven cross-border expansion is often easier than many expect. A concise episode about pragmatic growth - and how the right setup can take you from a spare bedroom to a global customer base.

Note from the sponsor Pixelmoda:

Pixelmoda is a Milan-based pioneer in AI-assisted image and video production for fashion and luxury brands. Their AI doesn’t generate content - it enhances it. By optimizing lighting, camera angles, and model poses in real time, Pixelmoda helps teams shoot faster and smarter - cutting production costs by up to 70 % for photos and 90 % for videos. They work with over 100 brands in 20+ countries, producing more than 14 million visuals a year - including for three of the world’s top five marketplaces. A great example for their work is Rinascente in Italy, which reduced fixed content costs by a double-digit percentage while keeping its luxury look intact. Want to know more? Join our webinar "How AI-Driven Product Images & Videos Are Boosting Sales and Cutting Costs for Fashion Brands on Marketplaces” on December, 2nd 2025, 11 a.m. Register right here now! https://zoom.us/webinar/register/1717621839500/WN_3visssBjRO-pv6tgQuL-uA