Success Across Key European Markets: Italy

As a leading global marketplace marketing agency, we are passionate about expanding brands into regions worldwide. This series, "Success Across Key European Markets," will explore in depth five different countries and the various aspects that will help drive success in those specific markets.

We have broken our analysis out into three different categories for every market: Brand Positioning, Media Considerations, and Shipping & Logistics. Each market will be benchmarked against the UK for a consistent point of reference. 

Stay tuned for the coming markets, as we are eager to help you unlock growth worldwide. 

Next up, Italy! 

Brand Positioning 

We are defining "brand positioning" as anything under the umbrella of market fit, trust, and customer expectations. 

• Market Maturity: Amazon UK is a saturated, advanced marketplace, while Amazon Italy
• Product Messaging: In the UK, Amazon shoppers prioritize value and convenience, while Italian consumers emphasize quality, design, and lifestyle appeal. "Made in Italy" carries weight.
• Trust & Reviews: UK shoppers rely on reviews to guide purchases, whereas peer recommendations and visuals have more influence on Italian buyers.
• Compliance & Packaging: In the UK, English packaging is generally acceptable with localization as a plus, while in Italy, Italian language packaging and manuals are strongly especially for electronic and toys. 

Summary

Italy is a place where brand and heritage matters, and while Amazon is hardly awash with the likes of Ferrari, Gucci, Versace and Panerai, growing a brand on the platform is essential for success. Which isn’t to say you need to be Italian, or have decades of history to lean on - good products that convey quality, at the right price, have every chance of success in a market showing really promising growth. Podean can help you understand the landscape and build a story and strategy to position your brand for success. Forza!

Marketplace Media Considerations

We are defining "marketplace media considerations" as anything under the umbrella of advertising and marketing tools, including language and ad performance. 

• Ad Performance: In the UK, ads face high CPCs but benefit from quick feedback loops in a mature ecosystem, while in Italy, CPCs are lower with slower campaign traction. There's less ad competition in many categories.
• Cultural Preferences: UK shoppers are price-conscious and comparison-driven, valuing strong trust signals; in Italy 
  emotional appeal, heritage, and family values resonate most. 
• Language & Copy: UK copy favors English spelling and a direct tone, In Italy, use fluent, native copywriters. Cultural nuances matter more.

Summary

There are no easy wins on Amazon these days, but some markets are less daunting than others. Italy may be one of those, at least when it comes to media - competition and CPCs are typically lower than European behemoths the UK and Germany, and while the opportunity is smaller, too, it’s a place where media can have real impact and stimulate exciting growth. Podean’s expert European media team can help identify the opportunities where brands and campaigns can really take off.

Retail Logistics 

We are defining "retail logistics" as anything under the umbrella of fulfillment, customs, delivery expectations, and returns. 

• Fulfillment Options:  UK FBA is dependable but restricted post-Brexit; FBA Italy is integrated into Amazon’s EU network (Pan-EU FBA supported).

• Customs & Duties: In the UK, imports require customs clearance and VAT registration. Italy follows EU VAT rules; OSS registration can simplify tax reporting.

• Delivery Expectations:  UK shoppers expect fast Prime delivery within 1–2 days; Italian buyers tolerate 2–4 day delivery but still value reliability.
  

• Returns: Free and effortless returns are standard in the UK, but in Italy return rates are lower; Italians prefer contacting sellers before returning items.
  

Summary

For most non-Italian brands looking to sell throughout Europe, Italy is unlikely to be the first port of call. Other European markets are bigger, more mature, or operate in English language, but Italy’s status as one of Amazon EU’s more dynamic recent markets makes it an interesting proposition. It’s also a relatively uncomplicated bolt-on for brands selling throughout the region, with a variety of FBA options to choose from. Podean can help you navigate the best way to sell and ship throughout Europe, and the shipping programmes that work - plus those that don’t.

Did You Know?

The Podean Intelligence team breaks down the market, top categories and brands, preferred product attributes additional areas of growth opportunity. 

The ecommerce market in ITALY

• 2020 (€45.9 billion), 2021 (€64.0 billion), 2022 (€75.9 billion), 2023 (€80.6 billion), 2024 (€85.4 billion), 2025 projection (€90.3 billion)

• The Italian eCommerce market grew 86% from 2020 to 2024; 9.9% CAGR during that period
• The strongest surge occurred between 2020 and 2021, when GMV jumped by approximately 39.4%, driven by the pandemic-fueled shift to online shopping and the rapid digitalization of small retailers.

ECOMMERCE PENETRATION RATE

• Online retail share in Italy was estimated to be at 12–13% in 2024
• This places Italy below the UK (25-30%), Germany (15–20%), and somewhat France (11–14%), but slightly ahead of markets like Spain (10–12%)

• Amazon is the leader, with eBay and Zalando (fashion and footwear) holding strong positions in their respective niches
• Shein and Temu are aggressively expanding in Italy, disrupting price-sensitive segments through direct-from-factory models
• MediaWorld (part of MediaMarkt) and UniEuro serve as important domestic players in consumer electronics
• eCommerce penetration is higher in Northern Italy, where digital infrastructure and logistics networks are stronger. Regardless, Southern Italy shows accelerating growth, supported by improved delivery networks and increased digital payment adoption.
• Sustainability is becoming a key driver for Italian consumers. Marketplaces offering eco-friendly packaging, carbon-neutral delivery, or locally sourced products are gaining traction.

AMAZON IN ITALY (amazon.it)

• Amazon Italy officially launched in November 2010
• It was Amazon’s fourth European marketplace, following the UK, Germany, and France
• Amazon leads Italian marketplaces with an estimated GMV of €25.6 billion in 2024, which is roughly 30% of the country’s total eCommerce spend
• The top-selling categories on Amazon.it are Electronics, Fashion, Beauty & Personal Care, Home & Kitchen, Sports & Outdoors, and Health & Wellness
• Grocery & FMCG remain smaller categories but has seen expansion through Amazon Fresh and Pantry

How Podean Can Help