Decathlon is transforming its webshop into a full marketplace. This means external partners can now sell their products through one of the largest sports retailers in the world. Belgium launched the model first, followed by the Netherlands. Decathlon aims to grow its assortment to two hundred thousand articles. The current range sits between forty and fifty thousand. Partners will drive this expansion.
The marketplace model is also being rolled out in Spain, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and Italy. In this guide you will learn why this matters, how Decathlon works and how your brand can take advantage of the momentum.
De kracht van marketplaces
The power of marketplaces
Working with partners is a strong revenue model for Decathlon. The idea is not new. Platforms such as Bol, Amazon and Zalando already rely heavily on third party sellers to expand their assortment.
For partners the marketplace model offers powerful benefits.
- additional revenue opportunities
- reduced marketing costs
- access to international customers
- transparency in stock, availability and pricing
- twenty four seven visibility
- increased trust through association with a major retail brand
- higher conversion rates on platforms with a broad assortment
- no costs if you do not sell
- more traffic to your own webshop when product data is optimised
More than forty percent of all products worldwide are already sold through marketplaces. At Follo we support brands with product onboarding, advertising and content optimisation specifically for Decathlon.
What is Decathlon
Decathlon is a French sports retailer founded in 1976. The company is known for its large stores, broad assortment and strong focus on innovation. Each store covers thousands of square meters and offers products for more than sixty eight sports. From skiing to snorkelling and from fitness to outdoor.
Why sell on Decathlon
Decathlon attracts a wide audience. Shoppers looking for reliable, affordable and technical sports products for every level. Both beginners and experienced athletes rely on the retailer.
The mission behind the brand also appeals to many sellers. Decathlon aims to contribute to a healthy, active and sustainable society. For brands with a similar vision this creates a strong match and an engaged customer base.
A simple interface
Decathlon wants selling to be as simple and efficient as possible. The goal is to automate the process and reduce manual steps. Orders placed on the Decathlon marketplace appear automatically in your webshop backend. From there the workflow follows your usual process.
Once your webshop is connected through the Decathlon plugin most processes run by themselves. Smart filters within your Decathlon shop help customers find your products quickly. Filters for price, brand, stock and margin are essential.
Our specialists ensure your brand and assortment receive the visibility needed to perform on the platform.
Decathlon’s strengths
Decathlon’s online performance is growing quickly. These figures show the impact of the platform.
- number one sports retailer worldwide
- active in seventy countries
- promotional opportunities through the Decathlon platform
- eighty five million unique visitors in Germany
- thirteen point six million unique visitors in Belgium
- ninety six million unique visitors in France
- partner payments every ten days
How selling on Decathlon works
To sell on Decathlon you connect your webshop to the marketplace interface. After that the workflow becomes automated. Registration takes place via the application form on their website.
Important to know: at the moment fulfilment is handled by the seller. Decathlon plans to expand logistics services for partners in the future. The platform will also continue to evolve based on partner feedback.
