German online retailers generated revenues of EUR 36.70 billion in the first six months of this year, a 9.2 percent increase compared with EUR 33.60 billion in the same period last year, according to a study by e-commerce association BEVH. Revenues stagnated in the first quarter of this year, hit by the pandemic, but grew again the second quarter by 16.5 percent to EUR 20.22 billion. Digital services such as electronic tickets, downloads and hotel bookings recorded sales of only EUR 1.36 billion including VAT in the second quarter of 2020, compared with EUR 4.81 billion in Q2 2019, a decrease of 71.6 percent as the lockdown affected travel and cultural events. 

Drivers of e-commerce growth in Q2 were the internet pure players, which generated EUR 3.07 billion in revenues including VAT, a 20.8 percent increase compared with the same quarter of the previous year. Online marketplaces generated almost half of the total sales at EUR 9.55 billion and a 19.1 percent increase compared with the prior year. Sales of computers, accessories and gaming products rose by 15.5 percent to EUR 1.76 billion including VAT in the second quarter of 2020 from EUR 1.52 billion including VAT in Q2 last year.

Online revenues in the electronics and telecommunications segments grew by 6.3 percent to EUR 3.57 billion from EUR 3.35 billion in the second quarter last year. For entertainment, revenues increased to EUR 7.02 billion including VAT in Q2, a 9.1 percent increase compared to EUR 6.43 billion in the second quarter of 2019.