Amazon US vs EU vs JP: Detailed Marketplace Comparison

Choosing the right Amazon marketplace can determine whether a new product launch generates six-figure intäkter or stalls at a few hundred units per month. With 19 active Amazon marketplaces worldwide, the decision is anything but straightforward. In this analysis, we compare the five largest and most strategically important marketplaces -- the Förenta Staterna, United Kingdom, Tyskland, France, and Japan -- across seven critical dimensions that directly affect säljare profitability and growth potential.

Market Size and Revenue Potential

The Förenta Staterna remains the undisputed leader in absolute marketplace size. Amazon.com generated approximately $420 billion in gross merchandise volume (GMV) in 2025, representing roughly 52% of all Amazon marketplace sales globally. The sheer volume of transactions creates opportunities across nearly every product category, but it also attracts the most konkurrens.

Tyskland (amazon.de) is the largest European marketplace with approximately $38 billion in GMV, followed by the United Kingdom at $32 billion. France sits at around $12 billion, making it a mid-tier marketplace that many säljares overlook. Japan, often underestimated by Western säljares, generates roughly $28 billion -- making it the third-largest single-country marketplace after the US and Tyskland.

A key insight from this data: the ratio of GMV to active säljares is highest in Japan ($140K per säljare) and lowest in the US ($168K per säljare at face value, but the long tail of inactive säljares distorts this). When controlling for actually active säljares, Japan and Tyskland often yield a better intäkter-per-competitor ratio than the Förenta Staterna.

Fee Structures Compared

Amazon's fee structure varies significantly across marketplaces, and understanding these differences is essential for accurate profitability modeling. Referral fees are broadly similar -- typically 15% for most categories -- but FBA fulfillment fees and storage costs diverge considerably.

FBA Fulfillment Costs

For a standard-size item weighing 300g, the FBA fulfillment fee in the US is approximately $3.22. In Tyskland, the equivalent fee is around EUR 3.65 ($3.95), while the UK charges GBP 2.95 ($3.72). France aligns closely with Tyskland under the Pan-European FBA program. Japan charges approximately JPY 434 ($2.90), making it the most cost-effective marketplace for FBA fulfillment on a per-unit basis.

Storage fees tell a different story. US standard storage costs $0.87 per cubic foot per month (January-September), while Q4 storage surges to $2.40. Tyskland and UK storage fees average EUR 26-36 per cubic meter per month, which translates to roughly $0.75-$1.02 per cubic foot. Japan's storage fees are notably low at JPY 4,370 per cubic meter, or about $0.83 per cubic foot.

Monthly Subscription and Miscellaneous Fees

Japan stands out with lower referral fees in several categories -- electronics and cameras, for instance, carry only 8% referral fees compared to 15% in the US. This fee advantage can add 5-7 percentage points to net margins in certain product categories. For a detailed breakdown of all 19 marketplaces, see our complete fee comparison guide.

Competition Density Analysis

Competition density is arguably more important than market size when evaluating a marketplace. A $420 billion market with 2.5 million säljares presents very different unit economics than a $28 billion market with 200,000 säljares.

We measure konkurrens density using several indicators: average number of säljares per sub-category, average review counts on page-one listings, HHI concentration indices, and the percentage of listings with more than 1,000 reviews.

In the US marketplace, the average page-one listing across all product categories has 2,847 reviews. In Tyskland, that number drops to 643. In the UK, it is 891. France averages just 287 reviews per page-one listing. Japan sits at approximately 412.

These review counts directly correlate with the difficulty of achieving page-one rankings. A new product entering the US market faces an entrenched competitive landscape where organic ranking requires both substantial initial investment in PPC and aggressive launch velocity. In France or Japan, the review barrier is dramatically lower, enabling faster organic traction with smaller budgets.

Advertising Costs: CPC Comparison

Sponsored Products cost-per-click (CPC) varies dramatically across marketplaces, and this metric directly affects your launch strategy budget.

Japan and France offer the most cost-effective advertising environments. A $5,000 PPC launch budget in Japan generates roughly 12,820 clicks, compared to only 4,132 clicks in the Förenta Staterna for the same spend. Over a 90-day launch window, this difference in traffic volume can mean the difference between achieving organic ranking velocity and running out of budget before gaining traction.

Regulatory and Compliance Landscape

Regulatory complexity is the hidden cost that many säljares underestimate when expanding internationally. Each marketplace operates within distinct legal frameworks that affect product compliance, labeling, taxation, and consumer protection obligations.

Förenta Staterna

US regulations vary by product category. FDA compliance is required for food, supplements, and cosmetics. CPSC regulations govern children's products. UL certification may be needed for electronics. Sales tax nexus obligations exist in all 50 states, though Amazon handles collection and remittance in most cases through their Marketplace Tax Collection program.

European Union (DE, UK, FR)

The EU market requires CE marking for many product categories, WEEE registration for electronics, EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) compliance for packaging, and REACH compliance for chemicals. VAT registration is mandatory in each country where you store inventory. Post-Brexit, the UK requires separate UKCA marking, adding another layer of complexity for säljares using both UK and EU fulfillment.

Japan

Japan requires PSE marks for electronics, SG marks for consumer products, and compliance with the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act for health-related products. The consumption tax (10%) requires registration for säljares exceeding JPY 10 million in annual intäkter. Despite these requirements, many säljares find Japan's regulatory process more predictable and transparent than the EU's fragmented approach.

Logistics and Fulfillment Infrastructure

Amazon's fulfillment network maturity varies significantly by marketplace, affecting delivery speeds, inventory placement costs, and kund satisfaction rates.

The US network includes over 110 fulfillment centers with same-day delivery coverage for approximately 72% of the population. Tyskland operates 20+ fulfillment centers, and the Pan-European FBA program allows a single shipment to cover DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, PL, SE, and BE. The UK maintains 30+ fulfillment centers but operates independently from the EU network post-Brexit. Japan has 25+ fulfillment centers concentrated around Tokyo and Osaka, with delivery efficiency that consistently ranks highest among all Amazon marketplaces.

For säljares considering international expansion, the Pan-European FBA program remains one of the most compelling advantages of selling in the EU. A single inventory shipment to one German fulfillment center can serve kunder across eight countries, dramatically reducing logistics complexity compared to managing individual marketplace fulfillment.

Which Marketplace Should You Choose?

The optimal marketplace depends on your specific situation, but general guidelines emerge from the data:

• Maximum intäkter potential with established konkurrens tolerance: US remains the default choice. The market is large enough that even small market shares generate significant intäkter. Best for säljares with $10,000+ launch budgets and proven products.
• Best intäkter-to-konkurrens ratio: Tyskland offers the strongest balance of market size and manageable konkurrens. The Pan-European program multiplies your effective market reach by 4-5x with minimal additional effort.
• Lowest advertising costs and fastest organic ranking: Japan offers the cheapest CPCs and lowest review barriers. Dock, listing localization requires native Japanese, and product preferences can differ substantially from Western markets.
• Easiest initial entry for testing: France presents the lowest konkurrens density among major marketplaces, though smaller market size caps intäkter potential. See our guide on which marketplace is easiest to enter in 2026 for a deeper analys.
• Diversification strategy: Sellers already established in the US should consider Tyskland + Pan-EU as a second move, followed by Japan. This sequence maximizes incremental intäkter while managing compliance complexity.

Data-Driven Marketplace Selection

Rather than relying on generalized comparisons, profitable marketplace selection requires analyzing your specific product category across target markets. Factors like category-specific referral fees, seasonality patterns, local competitor strength, and regulatory requirements can shift the optimal choice dramatically.

For instance, outdoor recreation products face intense konkurrens in the US (average 3,200+ reviews on page-one listings) but relatively light konkurrens in Japan (average 180 reviews). Conversely, electronics accessories are fiercely competitive in Japan but present opportunities in certain EU sub-categories. Understanding these nuances is what separates successful international expansion from expensive missteps.

The key metrics to evaluate for any marketplace decision are: intäkter potential per active competitor, total landed cost including all fees and compliance, PPC budget required to achieve page-one visibility, and the review threshold needed for organic ranking stability. Our guide to profitable niches in 2026 covers these metrics in detail.