When the UN agency UNCTAD ranked the ability of 151 countries to promote domestic e-commerce through good digital infrastructure, the Netherlands came in as number one. The welcoming climate for digitization often makes the country an ideal testbed where major market players try out new ways of meeting customer demands. For example, IKEA chose to launch its augmented reality app first in the Netherlands and France.
 
Consumers in the Netherlands have very high expectations for fast deliveries. One third expect delivery after two days, which is higher than in any other European country. The reason for this is that the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, and consumers often shop on websites within the country that have short lead times. Foreign market participants who wish to become established here should therefore consider local warehouses.
 
When it comes to what they purchase, consumers in the Netherlands are very interested in fashion – only Germans buy as much clothing and footwear online. Zalando is the favorite marketplace, and one third of consumers have shopped here during the past year. Low prices at Alibaba and Wish also attract many people who buy products online, even though delivery times from China are longer than what many consumers probably would like. Other fast growing categories in the country include cosmetics and toys.
 
The Netherlands have a very high share of young people aged 15 to 29 – an attractive target group for e-tailers. Young people typically make many purchases using their mobile phones. Overall, as many as 85 percent of e-commerce consumers in the Netherlands used a phone to make purchases during the past year.

Olof Källgren, Market Information Manager, Direct Link

Image and information above taken from the latest ”E-commerce in Europe” report.