480 million euros spent in foreign EU webshops in Q1

Turnover generated by EU webshops represents online purchases of goods by Dutch consumers from companies located within the European Union but outside the Netherlands. Figures are exclusive of VAT and have been calculated on the basis of an experimental method. As this method is still under development, the figures are provisional.

Dutch webshop turnover over 20 percent up in Q1

In Q1 2020, webshops registered in the Netherlands saw their sales go up by 20.2 percent relative to the same quarter one year previously. In terms of Dutch internet sales, a distinction can be made between webshops with only online sales and companies with online sales aside from their brick-and-mortar shop(s) (so-called multi-channelers). In Q1 2020, online shops saw their turnover go up by 18.8 percent relative to one year previously. Online turnover realised by Dutch multichannelers was up by 22.3 percent in this period.

Turnover share of European webshops limited

Purchases from European webshops by Dutch consumers account for a relatively small part of domestic consumer spending. In 2018, these purchases amounted to less than 2 percent of total domestic retail turnover. In Q1 2020, total Dutch retail turnover was 3.9 percent higher than in Q1 2019.
The distinction between domestic and foreign webshops tends to be blurry for Dutch consumers. Content on e-commerce websites is often available in multiple languages and foreign online stores may offer a Dutch language version.