Backgrounds
The retail sector is
15.5% of gross domestic product ,
about 300,000 companies and
over 3 million employees
a central economic and social sector in Germany.
At the same time, it is under increasing pressure in the face of profound changes: the increasing platformization, particularly through online trading platforms such as Amazon or Alibaba, has significantly changed market structures.
In Germany alone, around 63% of online trade was accounted for by platform providers in 2023 – 60% of which was Amazon.
(HDE 2024)²
PLATZHALTER
In recent years, online commerce has continuously gained in importance – it experienced a significant boost, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
PLATZHALTER
Despite subdued development over the past two years, the sales level of online retail in 2023 remains significantly higher than in 2019 across all sectors.
In addition, social networks are increasingly transforming into sales channels and thus also influencing brick-and-mortar retail, for example through new communication and sales strategies. These developments require an adaptation of traditional business models, locations, and investment decisions.
At the same time, digital platforms offer new opportunities – for example through easier market access, greater reach or low-threshold entry options for small retailers.
However, these potentials are confronted with considerable challenges: platforms are increasing international competition, sometimes charging high fees, controlling central infrastructures and are increasingly being criticized for their data usage and market position.
Despite growing research on digital platforms in retail, existing studies mostly focus on individual providers such as Amazon, while spatial impacts, particularly on city centers, locations, and local retail structures, have so far been largely neglected. This project addresses these research questions precisely here .
