Selling on OTTO is profitable when you understand the fees. This guide explains what you pay, how it affects margin, and how to price smart with M2E.
What counts as an OTTO fee #
OTTO keeps its fee model simple so you can focus on selling.
- Monthly base fee. OTTO charges €99.90 per merchant account per month (plus VAT). The fee starts once your account is technically enabled to sell. Always confirm the current amount in your OTTO Seller Portal and contract.
- Sales commission. OTTO takes a percentage of each sale based on the category. Rates vary by the product group you map during listing. Many softlines sit in the mid teens. Electronics are often lower. Some groups use tiered pricing by price slice. Check your exact rate in the OTTO Seller Portal before you set prices. Also, you can find category fees later in this post.
- Paid promotion (optional). You can boost visibility with Sponsored Product Ads and Sponsored Display. These are CPC campaigns with budgets you control – use them only when unit economics support it.
ℹ️ OTTO’s fee schedule evolves. In August 2024, the monthly base fee was increased from €39.90 to €99.90; always rely on the figure shown in your Seller Portal for modeling.
Tip for your margin model
- Include VAT on fees (Germany’s standard VAT applies to the base fee and commission).
- Pull your exact commission % from the OTTO Assortment overview and your contract before setting marketplace price rules.
OTTO commission ranges by category #
Commission depends on how your product maps to OTTO’s taxonomy during listing.
The information provided below is accurate as of October 27, 2025. OTTO’s fees and commissions may change, so it’s always a good idea to double-check with the official page.
ℹ️ For groups marked with * the commission includes a 2.7% payment fee.
| Department | Product group | Commission (from Apr 1, 2025) |
| Drugstore* | Beauty | 8% on price share ≤ €10 12% on €10 – €15 15% on > €15 |
| Drugstore items | 8% on price share ≤ €10 12% on €10 – €15 15% on > €15 | |
| Supplements | 15% | |
| Electronics & Media* | Electronics | 7% |
| Game Consoles | 8% | |
| Game Software | 12% | |
| Home Appliances | 15% | |
| Headphones | 12% | |
| Major Domestic Appliances | 9% on price share ≤ €600 7% on > €600 | |
| Office Supplies & Stationery | 10% | |
| Personal Care Appliances | 12% | |
| PC Components | 5% (from Oct 1, 2025) | |
| Small Kitchen Appliances | 15% | |
| Smartwatches & Fitness Trackers | 12% | |
| Tech Accessories | 15% | |
| Fashion & Lifestyle* | Accessories | 15% |
| Textiles Women | 17% on price share ≤ €25 16% on €25 – €75 14% on > €75 | |
| Textiles Men, Unisex & others | 19% on price share ≤ €25 18% on €25 – €75 16% on > €75 | |
| Textiles Children | 15% on price share ≤ €25 14% on €25 – €75 12% on > €75 | |
| Luggage & Bags | 15% | |
| Jewellery | 22% on price share ≤ €100 20% on €100 – €200 18% on > €200 | |
| Footwear Women & Unisex | 17% on price share ≤ €50 15% on €50 – €100 14% on > €100 | |
| Footwear Men & others | 18% on price share ≤ €50 16% on €50 – €100 15% on > €100 | |
| Footwear Children | 14% on price share ≤ €50 13% on €50 – €100 12% on > €100 | |
| Watches | 18% on price share ≤ €250 12% on > €250 | |
| Furniture & Living* | Kitchen & Household Goods | 15% |
| Lamps & Lighting | 15% | |
| Mattresses & Bedding Accessories | 20% on price share ≤ €50 18% on > €50 | |
| Furniture | 19% on price share ≤ €150 18% on €150 – €500 17% on > €500 | |
| Rugs, Window Shades & Curtains | 20% on price share ≤ €50 18% on > €50 | |
| Home Décor & Accessories | 15% | |
| Home Textiles | 15% | |
| Garden & DIY* | Bathroom | 13% |
| DIY | 13% | |
| Electrical Appliances | 10% | |
| Garden | 15% | |
| Pet Supplies | 15% | |
| Small Hardware | 8% | |
| Tools & Machines | 13% | |
| Health* | Health | 13% |
| Sports & Leisure* | Baby Accessories | 10% |
| Bicycles | 17% on price share ≤ €400 15% on €400 – €750 13% on > €750 | |
| Bicycle Equipment | 15% | |
| Craft | 10% | |
| Children’s Furniture & Mobility | 15% | |
| E-Bikes | 20% on price share ≤ €1,000 17% on €1,000 – €1,400 8% on > €1,400 | |
| Fitness Equipment | 16% | |
| Musical Instruments | 10% | |
| Toys | 15% | |
| Scooter | 17% on price share ≤ €500 15% on €500 – €750 10% on > €750 | |
| Sports Equipment & Outdoor | 15% | |
| Vehicles & Mobility | 15% |
💡 If a product could fit more than one category, choose the mapping that best matches customer intent and required attributes. Small tax changes can affect the commission rate, so confirm your final category before setting pricing rules in M2E Multichannel Connect.
Quick comparison with other German marketplaces #
Use these notes to model the real margin per marketplace. The information can change, so be sure to verify current numbers in your seller portals. The information provided below is accurate as of October 27, 2025.
Model net margin per marketplace, not just the headline %.
Amazon (DE) #
- Plan: Professional €39/month (excl. VAT).
- Commission: category-based referral fee on the total sales price; some categories have price thresholds.
- Fulfillment: FBA has separate per-unit fees – a model apart from referral.
eBay (DE) #
- Commission: final value fees by category and your Shop plan.
- Ads: Promoted Listings are common – budget as % of attributed revenue.
Kaufland Global Marketplace #
- Plan: €39.95/month (Basic). Unlimited listings.
- Commission: typically ~7–16% by category.
ℹ️ Germany’s standard VAT is 19%; include it in your fee math.
Managing OTTO sales in M2E Multichannel Connect #
M2E Multichannel Connect links your store to OTTO so you can list faster, keep your data clean, and protect your margins. You work in one system. M2E handles the marketplace work in the background.
Connect Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Lightspeed POS (X-series), or Square POS and more in a few steps, map products to OTTO categories, and let M2E sync prices, stock, and orders both ways.
Set OTTO specific price rules and track every change with activity logs. If OTTO needs fields your store doesn’t have, add them as M2E custom attributes or manage them in the M2E Catalog.
Learn about all M2E Multichannel Connect features here.
Why does this help with fees and margin?
- Correct category mapping places items in the intended commission tier.
- Price rules let you model commission and VAT on fees into your final price.
- Reliable stock and status syncs reduce cancellations and support time.
- Centralized data and logs cut the time you spend fixing issues after going live.
If you have questions or need a quick walkthrough, contact our team.
