According to reports, Decathlon is planning to become a marketplace in November, initially allowing local and international brands to sell on their Belgian platform before rolling out into other countries.
Currently, the majority of the apparel sold on Decathlon websites are their own label but this is set to change once they become a marketplace and introduce new brands who will be able to list and sell their own products whilst taking care of the delivery of orders and paying commission themselves. Digital Director Nicolas Deltendre has said that this move will increase the breadth and volume of offerings to customers but is not a race for partners instead, a steady increase of products that they would eventually like to see reaching more than 200,000.
For brands selling on the site Decathlon’s marketplace will be more open than Zalando but more closed than Amazon, offering a home for partners who will complement their existing offerings and philosophy whilst still allowing room for brands to bring their own personal touch to the platform.
The reports also suggest that from the early next year, the company wants to expand to other markets which include Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
