How to Sell on Amazon Sweden: Your Guide to Getting Started

Move over IKEA — there’s a new retailer in town! In October 2020, Amazon launched Amazon Sweden (Amazon.se), its first nationalized marketplace in a Nordic country.

And while there were some hitches getting out of the gate, for the most part, Amazon sellers are still excited about this brand new opportunity in a thriving eCommerce market.

If you’re interested in expanding your online retail business to Sweden, below we outline everything you need to know to get started, including whether or not it’s right for your brand. But first, let’s talk a little about what makes the Swedish eCommerce market so enticing.

eCommerce in Sweden: A Great Opportunity

As the 18th largest eCommerce market in the world, Sweden was a smart choice for Amazon’s first Nordic market — not because of its population or economy per se, but because the country embraces online culture so well. Sweden has the fourth highest online population in the world with 94.8% of the country online — and the second-fastest internet after South Korea!

This is no coincidence; the Swedish government encourages internet usage and has a broadband strategy for a “completely connected Sweden by 2025.” This online culture almost certainly influenced Amazon’s decision to open up shop there, but there are other cultural traditions that make it a smart choice.

For one thing, Sweden’s economy is nothing to laugh at — they’re ranked 23rd in the world by nominal GDP, one of the highest in Europe. So not only are a lot of people online, but they also have money to spend. On top of that, the country has a long tradition of mail-order products pre-dating online shopping, so the eCommerce model fits like a glove.

Swedish Online Shopping Behavior

So, what are Swedish consumers like? Regular online sales strategies should still apply, but there are a few distinctions you should be aware of before getting started selling on Amazon Sweden.

Demographics are pretty standard: according to Statista, online consumers are equally divided by gender and income. However, Sweden has a slightly lower percentage of younger online shoppers — 67.3% of all shoppers are aged between 25 and 54 years, with 18-25 year-olds making up only 14.4%.

As for actual shopping behavior, the statistics are promising. WakeupData cites that 30% of all Swedes make at least one online purchase a month and 75% make one at least once a year. It’s also worth mentioning that 35% of Swedish online shoppers have made a purchase on a smartphone or mobile device, the highest of all Nordic countries.

The same study also listed the eCommerce features that are most important to Swedish shoppers, based on the percentage of shoppers who prioritize them highly:

Information about when delivery will occur (92%)
Information about how delivery will occur (89%)
Free returns (83%)
Delivery choices (78%)
Expedited delivery (75%)
Free shipping (74%)

Lastly, payment methods are pretty standard, with 43% of purchases made using a credit card in 2020 — another cultural norm that fits the Amazon model. (Bank transfers came in second with 20%.)

Best-Selling Products Online in Sweden

As always, when attempting to break into a foreign market, you want to make sure there’s enough demand for your products beforehand. According to Statista, the top five product categories are pretty cut-and-dry in 2020 (revenue in USD).

Fashion — $3.67 billion
Electronics & Media — $2.63 billion
Toys, Hobby & DIY — $2.32 billion
Furniture & Appliances — $1.9 billion
Food & Personal Care — $1.19 billion

These product categories are all fairly broad, so vendors of many different industries can carve a niche in Swedish markets. The bigger issue is with whom you have to compete for these categories — can you match the prices of local vendors from the top eCommerce sites in Sweden?

eCommerce Competition: The Top Online Retail Sites in Sweden

Before investing in your Swedish expansion, you want to check out your rivals to see if you can compete with them.

Foreign sellers like you have to pay extra in VAT and shipping fees, even when using a fulfillment service like FBA, so first you should do some math to see if you can offer reasonable prices. You’ll also want to observe the sales strategies and marketing promotions of Swedish natives to see what’s customary in your new market.

Top 10 eCommerce Sites in Sweden

Here’s a quick breakdown of the top 10 eCommerce sites in Sweden, based on traffic.

IKEA.se — Sweden’s own international conglomerate tops the eCommerce market.
NetOnNet.se — This popular site specializes in electronics, gadgets, and digital media like video games.
Elgiganten.se — Like NetOnNet, Elgiganten also specializes in electronics, but with a broader reach for items like household appliances.
Webbhallen.com — Another site for electronics, Webbhallen also features a sizeable “toys and hobby section,” as well as some general goods.
Zalando.se — Zalando is the local retailer for common apparel and everyday clothes for men and women, plus fashion accessories and some beauty supplies.
H&M — Another Swedish company that’s a name brand in the US, H&M caters to “fast fashion.”
Mediamarkt.se — A general electronics store, with computer equipment, household appliances, and digital media.
Coop.se — Unlike the other eCommerce sites, Coop is strictly for groceries and pre-cooked meals.
Apotea.se — The Swedish leader in online general goods sells a broad range of products like beauty items and toiletries.
Sas.se — Not exactly retail, SAS is a travel site for buying plane tickets. At least you won’t have to worry about them stealing your shoppers!

Even if the sites are outside your areas of expertise, they’re still worth checking out. You can learn a little about Swedish site design, sales tactics, and how to present yourself to Swedish shoppers.

Get Feedback and Reviews on Amazon Sweden

If you think your products make sense for the Swedish eCommerce market, you'll want to have a feedback and review strategy in place. FeedbackFive offers professionally translated default feedback and review request templates in Swedish. You can also use the software to schedule automation for the Request a Review message, which is automatically translated into the buyer's language of choice.