Why sell online in the Benelux?
Do you want to acquire an extra 26 million potential customers?
Do you need to expand further if you are already selling in Germany, France, Spain and Italy?
I can offer advice on market entry in two of the three Benelux countries – Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Dutch e-commerce industry was worth €25.8 billion (in 2019) and the Belgian e-commerce industry worth € 10.67 billion (in 2018).
The two main Benelux markets
Belgian e-commerce market
Belgium has three official languages Dutch; (59.6% of the population), French (40% of the population) and German (0.4% of the population). Most of the websites selling in Belgium are Dutch and French. It is important to note, especially for those from the UK and the US, that the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands is different to that spoken in Belgium.
74% of the Belgian population buys online and is used to buying on foreign websites.
The biggest e-commerce websites in Belgium are:
- Bol.com (Dutch)
- Coolblue.be (Dutch)
- Amazon.fr
Dutch speaking people are also used to buying on www.amazon.nl and www.amazon.de. French speaking people buy from www.amazon.fr.
Other important points:
- If you want to earn the trust of Belgian customers, ensure your website has a “.be” address.
- Dutch and French speakers are sensitive to spelling and grammar faults.
- Bancontact represents more than 90% of online payments.
- 24 hour delivery is standard and often free.
Dutch e-commerce market
As Dutch is the official language in the Netherlands, you don’t need a multilingual website. The Netherlands is a very dynamic country from a digital point of view. The Dutch consumer is more price sensitive than his Belgian counterpart and price comparison websites are heavily used.
93% of the Dutch population buys online.
The biggest e-commerce websites in the Netherlands are:
- Bol.com
- Coolblue.nl
- ah.nl
Other important points:
- If you want to earn the trust of your Dutch customers, ensure your website has a “.be” address.
- iDeal represents more than 90% of online payments.
- 24 hours delivery standard and often free.
My approach to Benelux Online market entry
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Assess fit with the Benelux market
Roadmap
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