METRO Marketplace: The Comprehensive B2B Guide for Online Sellers 2026

The METRO Marketplace brings your products directly to business buyers from the restaurant, hotel, and retail trades. Yet many sellers struggle to reach these audiences profitably. This guide shows you how to get started successfully, calculate profitably, and scale your sales across six European markets.

Fact-checked on October 7, 2026 · Editorial team: magnalister

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Laptop showing the METRO online marketplace

METRO Online Marketplace: The Key Facts in Brief

  • Focus: Business sellers can make their offers available exclusively to business customers or to business and private customers alike.
  • Costs: METRO charges €49 net per month plus a commission of 10%, 13%, or 15% on the gross selling price including shipping and VAT.
  • Assortment: The focus is on professionally used products for restaurants, hotels, offices, trades, and other business settings.
  • Reach: On the German marketplace, buyers find more than 900,000 products from over 2,500 brands. Alongside expansion into six European countries, automated multichannel selling through integrations like magnalister offers great potential.
  • Fit: Sellers with professional assortments, complete product data, larger quantities, and reliable shipping processes are well positioned.

Table of Contents

The METRO Marketplace at a glance

What is the METRO Marketplace?

The METRO Marketplace is an online trading platform operated by METRO Markets GmbH with a focus on the professional needs of restaurants, hotels, and businesses. The assortment ranges from kitchen technology and catering supplies to furniture and office equipment, cleaning machines, tools, and other products used in business settings. 1

Only business sellers sell on the marketplace. The offering is aimed primarily at business customers but is also open to private customers. A METRO card, which identifies business customers as eligible to shop at METRO’s cash-and-carry stores, is not required to place orders. 1, 2

The marketplace complements the group’s cash-and-carry stores, delivery service, and other digital offerings. CEO Dr. Steffen Greubel underlined in December 2025 that it is an integral part of METRO’s multichannel strategy:

“The combination of stores, delivery, online marketplace, and digital service offerings creates an ecosystem that holistically meets customer needs in a growing, fragmented market.” 3

How relevant is the METRO Marketplace for online sellers?

METRO gives online sellers access to a business-oriented audience that pays attention to available quantities, volume prices, and reliable delivery terms when purchasing. According to METRO, buyers on the German marketplace find more than 900,000 products from over 2,500 brands. 4

Besides Germany, METRO is active in Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and France. This opens up additional international markets for sellers with suitable assortments. 5

Selling model and offer structure on METRO

Is the METRO Marketplace B2B or B2C?

The METRO Marketplace is B2B-oriented but also allows sales to private customers. For each offer, sellers decide whether it is shown exclusively to business customers or to both business and private customers. Pure B2C offers are not possible. 6

This lets you tailor the customer group to each product. With a B2B/B2C offer, however, sellers must additionally meet the consumer protection requirements we explain in the chapter on legally compliant selling.

How do product data and offer data differ on the METRO Marketplace?

METRO separates general product information from the terms of the individual seller. This distinction determines which data is maintained once for the product catalog and which for each offer. The following comparison shows how the two data levels differ.

Data level Typical details Function
Product data GTIN, manufacturer, brand, title, description, attributes, and images Describe the product in the shared METRO catalog
Offer data Seller SKU, price, stock, handling time, shipping group, customer group, and volume prices Define the terms of the respective seller

If a product already exists in the catalog, another seller can link their offer to it. The product page then shows several seller offers with different prices, delivery terms, and availability. Sellers therefore compete not just on item price but on the offer as a whole. 6, 7

Assortment and product requirements on METRO

Which products can sellers sell on the METRO Marketplace?

On the METRO Marketplace, sellers primarily sell products for professional use. The relevant assortment areas include in particular: 8

  • Restaurants and catering: kitchen technology, cookware, catering accessories, and grill equipment
  • Hotels: hotel and dining room furnishings, furniture, and equipment
  • Business and office: office supplies, cleaning machines, security technology, and workwear
  • Trades and outdoor areas: tools, garden products, climate control, and outdoor equipment

What matters is that a product fits an approved category and doesn’t violate the current assortment or safety requirements. Sellers should therefore check whether additional certificates, labeling, or sales restrictions apply to their category.

Our article on the assortment and product categories on the METRO Marketplace offers a detailed overview.

Which product data do listings on the METRO Marketplace need?

METRO requires structured and complete product data before an item can be published in the catalog. For unambiguous identification, depending on the product, you need a GTIN, an existing MID (METRO Identifier), or the combination of manufacturer and manufacturer part number. 6, 7

On top of that, you need in particular:

  • Master data: product title, brand, description, and the matching category
  • Product attributes: dimensions, material, color, technical features, and other category-specific attributes
  • Media: meaningful product images in the required quality
  • Mandatory information: manufacturer details, safety and warning notices, and other legally required product information

Product files can be uploaded as CSV or XLSX files with up to 1,000 products. Because of the manual review, new product data needs up to ten days of lead time. Sellers should plan for this period when launching and when expanding their assortment. 7

Costs and profitability of selling on METRO

Which fees do you pay on the METRO Marketplace?

To sell, you pay €49.00 net per month plus a category-based commission. The membership fee covers an unlimited number of product listings. When you register for the first time, it is refunded for the first three months. The subscription can be canceled at any time. 8, 9

The following overview shows the current METRO fees and how they are calculated.

Cost item Amount Calculation
Membership fee €49.00 net per month regardless of the number of offers
Sales commission 10% for example for selected kitchen, multimedia, and cleaning appliances
Sales commission 13% for example for furniture, office supplies, tools, garden products, and hotel equipment
Sales commission 15% for example for catering accessories, seasonal items, and care and health products

The commission is calculated on the gross final selling price including shipping costs and VAT. Which rate applies depends on the product category assigned by METRO. So check this assignment before calculating your prices. 8, 9

How do you calculate the margin of a METRO sale?

For a sound margin calculation, consider not only the METRO commission but also cost of goods, shipping, returns, and your share of the membership fee. The following example uses a commission rate of 13% and spreads the monthly membership fee across 50 orders. Operating costs are treated as net amounts for simplicity.

Calculation step Amount
Selling price including shipping €119.00 gross
Net revenue at 19% VAT €100.00
METRO commission: 13% of €119.00 −€15.47
Cost of goods −€45.00
Shipping and packaging −€9.00
Imputed returns reserve: 3% of net revenue −€3.00
Share of membership fee: €49.00 / 50 orders −€0.98
Contribution margin €26.55

The example contribution margin is €26.55, or 26.6% of net revenue. Although the nominal commission rate is 13%, a commission of €15.47 already equals 15.47% of net revenue. The reason is that the commission is calculated on the gross price.

Not included are individual costs for warehousing, staff, payment financing, or advertising. Add these items and adjust the returns reserve to your actual experience.

Advantages, challenges, and fit of the METRO Marketplace

What advantages does the METRO Marketplace offer sellers?

The METRO Marketplace offers sellers with professionally used assortments in particular a specialized additional sales channel. The key advantages include:

  • Business audience: METRO reaches buyers from restaurants, hotels, offices, and other business sectors.
  • Flexible customer targeting: Offers can be aimed exclusively at business customers or at business and private customers alike.
  • Volume prices: Sellers can set tiered prices and thereby specifically encourage larger order quantities.
  • International markets: Suitable assortments can be sold through six European METRO marketplaces.
  • Customer service: METRO handles first-level customer service and involves the seller for product- or order-specific questions. 8

What challenges come with selling on the METRO Marketplace?

Selling on METRO requires reliable calculation, complete product data, and dependable operational processes. The following challenges are particularly relevant:

  • Fixed membership fee: The €49.00 per month is charged regardless of the revenue you generate.
  • Commission on the gross price: Shipping costs and VAT increase the absolute sales commission.
  • Shared product catalog: Several sellers can list offers for the same product and compete on price, availability, and delivery terms.
  • Product review: Because of the manual review, new product data needs up to ten days of lead time. 7
  • B2C obligations: Anyone who also makes offers available to private customers must meet the additional consumer protection requirements.

Which sellers is the METRO Marketplace right for?

METRO is particularly suitable for sellers with standardized products for professional use and stable shipping processes. The following comparison offers a first orientation on whether the marketplace could fit your business model.

Criterion Good fit Less of a fit
Assortment restaurant, hotel, office, or business equipment mostly customized products or products without a recognizable business use
Margin enough room for a 10–15% commission on the gross price tightly calculated products with high shipping costs
Product data unambiguous item numbers and structured product attributes missing identifiers or incomplete manufacturer data
Logistics stable stock levels and reliable delivery times frequent stockouts or long handling times
Growth volume sales and interest in European markets exclusively small single quantities without potential to scale

Getting started and day-to-day operations on the METRO Marketplace

What are the requirements for sellers on the METRO Marketplace?

Only business sellers may sell on the METRO Marketplace. To register, you need a verifiable company, valid tax and payment details, and complete legal information about your business. Which documents METRO requires depends on your legal structure and the countries you choose to sell in. 1

Your products must also meet the assortment requirements and be clearly identifiable. For ongoing sales, you need stable stock levels, binding handling times, and a shipping solution for the selected delivery areas.

How do you start selling on the METRO Marketplace?

Setup takes place in the METRO Seller Office. Launching your sales can be broken down into six steps:

  1. Register your seller account: Create your account and enter your company and contact details.
  2. Verify your company: Submit the tax, bank, and company documents requested during registration.
  3. Configure shipping: Define delivery areas, shipping costs, handling times, and any free-shipping thresholds.
  4. Submit product data: Upload new products or link your items to existing catalog entries.
  5. Create offers: Add price, stock, seller SKU, customer group, and volume prices where applicable.
  6. Wait for approval: After the review, activate the approved offers and check how they are displayed.

How do shipping, returns, and payouts work on the METRO Marketplace?

Shipping and returns are fundamentally the seller’s responsibility. Using shipping groups, you define for each offer which areas you deliver to, what it costs, and from which order value delivery is free. 10

Orders must be confirmed, shipped, and provided with the required status and tracking data. Returns can be processed in the Seller Office or through a connected integration. METRO handles first-level customer service and forwards product- or order-specific requests to the seller. 8, 11

After deducting the sales commission, METRO credits the revenue to your seller account. According to the Seller Office, you can access your revenue after 25 days. 8

Which legal obligations apply when selling on the METRO Marketplace?

As a seller, you remain responsible for the legality of your products, offers, and business processes. The most important obligations include:

  • Product safety: Online offers must contain the manufacturer, safety, and warning information required under the EU General Product Safety Regulation. 12
  • Packaging law: For deliveries to Germany, the registration and system participation obligations of the German Packaging Act apply. 13
  • Taxes and invoices: VAT, invoicing, and cross-border deliveries must be handled correctly. For intra-EU distance sales, the EU’s One-Stop-Shop scheme may be relevant. 14
  • Consumer protection: For B2B/B2C offers, additional information, price indication, and withdrawal obligations toward private customers apply. 15, 16, 17

For international offers, the tax, product law, and environmental requirements of the respective target country come on top.

Visibility and expansion on the METRO Marketplace

How do you improve your offers on the METRO Marketplace?

Complete product data, a competitive total price, and reliable delivery terms are the basic prerequisites for competitive METRO offers. Focus on the following levers:

  • Product information: Maintain titles, images, descriptions, and category-specific attributes completely.
  • Total price: Besides the item price, also consider the shipping costs, which are visible and comparable for buyers.
  • Availability: Keep stock levels up to date and set realistic handling and delivery times.
  • Volume prices: Use price tiers if your assortment is suitable for larger business orders.

Erdal Karacaer, then Seller Business Partner at METRO MARKETS, described in 2021 what turns a listing into a convincing offer:

“Simply listing products is never enough. You have to understand how to appeal to the customer and give them every bit of information and service they need for a fulfilling shopping experience.” 18

How do you sell internationally through the METRO Marketplace?

International selling is possible through the familiar seller infrastructure, but it has to be activated and set up for each target market. Besides Germany, METRO operates marketplaces in Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and France. 19

For each target market, you need suitable product data, activated delivery areas, and market-specific legal texts. On top come requirements for VAT, packaging registration, product safety, and returns. So check before launching whether your margin also covers international shipping and return costs.

Instead of activating all countries at once, it’s advisable to start with one target market with suitable demand and manageable logistics processes. The order and returns data you gain then form the basis for further expansion.

Pro tip for multichannel selling: integrating METRO successfully into your system landscape

How does magnalister automate selling on the METRO Marketplace?

With magnalister, you connect the METRO Marketplace directly to your store system. 20 This lets you manage product, order, and inventory data centrally instead of maintaining several systems separately. The integration supports Shopify, Shopware, WooCommerce, and Magento, among others, as well as all relevant online marketplaces.

The key features of magnalister’s METRO integration include:

  • Product upload: Transmit items including categories, attributes, and offer data from your store system to METRO.
  • Price and inventory synchronization: Synchronize prices and available quantities automatically with your online store.
  • Order import: Bring METRO orders into the familiar order management of your store system.
  • Status updates: Report shipping status and tracking information back to the marketplace.
  • Invoice management: Transmit the required invoice documents from your existing process.

Thanks to magnalister, your store system remains the central data base while METRO is connected as an additional sales channel. Even with large assortments or when connecting further sales channels, you keep the maintenance effort to a minimum.

Read more about magnalister’s METRO integration in our article METRO Marketplace Integration: How to Connect Your Online Store to the New Online Marketplace.

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Conclusion: METRO as a specialized B2B sales channel

The METRO Marketplace is worthwhile above all for sellers with professional and reliable fulfillment processes, standardized products, and sufficient margin. The combination of a business audience, volume prices, and six European markets creates excellent conditions for a profitable sales channel.

Calculation at product level remains decisive: the monthly membership fee and the commission on the gross price including shipping must be carried by basket size, margin, and order volume. With an automated integration like magnalister, METRO can also be integrated into multichannel selling easily and successfully.

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FAQ: Common questions about the METRO Marketplace

Who is allowed to sell on the METRO Marketplace?

Only business sellers may sell on the METRO Marketplace. To be activated, you must verify your company and provide the required tax, payment, and company details. 1

Which store systems can be connected to the METRO Marketplace?

Through the magnalister integration, you can connect the METRO Marketplace to Shopify, Shopware, WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce (Magento 2), PrestaShop, Gambio, and xt:Commerce, among others. All product, inventory, and order data is then managed centrally from the back end of your store system.

Can private customers shop on the marketplace without a METRO card?

Yes. Private customers do not need a METRO card to order on the METRO Marketplace. Sellers can make their offers available either exclusively to business customers or to business and private customers alike. Pure B2C offers are not possible. 1, 2, 6

Do products on the METRO Marketplace need a GTIN?

Not necessarily. An offer must be clearly identifiable via a GTIN, an existing METRO ID, or the combination of manufacturer and manufacturer part number. New catalog products additionally require complete product data. 6, 7

How long does approval of new products on the METRO Marketplace take?

METRO reviews newly submitted product data manually and states a processing time of up to ten days. If the product already exists in the shared catalog, sellers can link their own offer to the existing product record. 7

When are sales proceeds available on the METRO Marketplace?

METRO credits the revenue to the seller account after deducting the sales commission. According to the Seller Office, you can access the sales proceeds after 25 days. Factor this period into your cash flow planning. 8

Can sellers sell internationally through METRO?

Yes. METRO operates six European marketplaces in Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and France. For cross-border sales, you need to have the respective target market activated and provide suitable product data, shipping terms, and legal documentation. 5, 19

  1. 1 METRO Markets GmbH: “General Terms and Conditions for Sellers”, version June 2026, operator role, eligible sellers and buyers, registration checks, and seller obligations, accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.metro-selleroffice.com/en/legal-agreements/terms-and-conditions ↩︎1.a, ↩︎1.b, ↩︎1.c, ↩︎1.d, ↩︎1.e
  2. 2 METRO AG: “METRO card / customer card”, access of private individuals to the digital METRO Marketplace without a METRO card, accessed October 7, 2026, https://stories.metroag.de/en/glossary/metro-card-customer-card ↩︎2.a, ↩︎2.b
  3. 3 METRO AG: “sCore strategy pays off: METRO starts the new financial year with momentum”, December 4, 2025, positioning of the online marketplace within the multichannel strategy and quote by Dr. Steffen Greubel, accessed October 7, 2026, https://newsroom.metroag.de/en/news/score-strategy-pays-off-metro-starts-the-new-financial-year-with-momentum?dt=20251204 ↩︎
  4. 4 METRO Deutschland GmbH: “Online kaufen auf metro.de – Ihre Vorteile”, assortment of more than 900,000 products, over 2,500 brands, and comparison of several seller offers (German), accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.metro.de/marktplatz/content/online-kaufen-ihre-vorteile/ ↩︎
  5. 5 METRO Markets GmbH: “Purpose – Our Product”, presence and marketplace offering in six European countries, accessed October 7, 2026, https://metro-markets.de/ ↩︎5.a, ↩︎5.b
  6. 6 METRO Markets GmbH: “Offer Data”, offer fields, B2B and B2B/B2C customer models, identifiers, stock, net prices, volume prices, and target countries, accessed October 7, 2026, https://developer.metro-selleroffice.com/docs/offer-data/ ↩︎6.a, ↩︎6.b, ↩︎6.c, ↩︎6.d, ↩︎6.e
  7. 7 METRO Markets GmbH: “Product Data”, product files, file formats, upload limit, and manual review, accessed October 7, 2026, https://developer.metro-selleroffice.com/docs/product-data/ ↩︎7.a, ↩︎7.b, ↩︎7.c, ↩︎7.d, ↩︎7.e, ↩︎7.f
  8. 8 METRO Markets GmbH: “Sell on the METRO Marketplace”, membership fee, launch offer, commission categories, unlimited listings, customer service, and availability of proceeds, accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.metro-selleroffice.com/en/ ↩︎8.a, ↩︎8.b, ↩︎8.c, ↩︎8.d, ↩︎8.e, ↩︎8.f, ↩︎8.g
  9. 9 METRO Markets GmbH: “Fees for the use of the METRO Marketplace”, version April 2025, membership fee and basis for calculating the sales commission, accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.metro-selleroffice.com/en/legal-agreements/pricing-regulation ↩︎9.a, ↩︎9.b
  10. 10 METRO Markets GmbH: “Shipping Costs”, shipping groups, shipping costs, free-shipping thresholds, and delivery areas, accessed October 7, 2026, https://developer.metro-selleroffice.com/docs/offer-data/shipping/ ↩︎
  11. 11 METRO Markets GmbH: “Order Management”, order confirmation, shipping, invoices, cancellations, and full and partial returns, accessed October 7, 2026, https://developer.metro-selleroffice.com/docs/order/ordermanagement/ ↩︎
  12. 12 European Union: “Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety”, product safety requirements and online offers, accessed October 7, 2026, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/988/oj/eng ↩︎
  13. 13 Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister: “The Verpackungsgesetz and online retailers”, LUCID registration, system participation, and data reporting in mail-order trade, accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.verpackungsregister.org/en/knowledge-bases/mail-order-companies-and-online-retailers ↩︎
  14. 14 Bundeszentralamt für Steuern: “One-Stop-Shop, EU-Regelung”, VAT treatment of intra-EU distance sales (German, no English version of this page), accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.bzst.de/DE/Unternehmen/Umsatzsteuer/One-Stop-Shop_EU/one_stop_shop_eu_node.html ↩︎
  15. 15 Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Office of Justice: “Art. 246a § 1 EGBGB”, information obligations for off-premises and distance contracts (German, no official English translation), accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgbeg/art_246a__1.html ↩︎
  16. 16 Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Office of Justice: “§ 6 PAngV”, price indication in distance contracts (German, no official English translation), accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pangv_2022/__6.html ↩︎
  17. 17 Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Office of Justice: “German Civil Code (BGB), Section 312g”, right of withdrawal in distance contracts, official English translation, accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_bgb/englisch_bgb.html#p1137 ↩︎
  18. 18 METRO AG: “‘I Am Sure That We Are One of the Most Merchant-Friendly Marketplaces’”, February 2021, original statement by Erdal Karacaer on product information and service quality, accessed October 7, 2026, https://stories.metroag.de/en/movinggoods/i-am-sure-that-we-are-one-of-the-most-merchant-friendly-marketplaces ↩︎
  19. 19 METRO Markets GmbH: “Multimarkets / Crossborders”, retrieval of available markets, cross-border activation, market-specific product data, and offer targets, accessed October 7, 2026, https://developer.metro-selleroffice.com/docs/multimarkets/ ↩︎19.a, ↩︎19.b
  20. 20 RedGecko GmbH (magnalister): “magnalister – Easily Get Your Products Into Amazon, eBay and More”, supported shop systems and marketplaces as well as features for product upload, attribute matching, price and inventory synchronization, order import and order status synchronization, accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.magnalister.com/en/ ↩︎