Europe B2C Ecommerce Report 2013

THE EMERGING MARKETS EUROPE B2C E-COMMERCE 31
60-40%
60% of population
speak Dutch (Flemish),
40% speak French
(Walloon)
€150
Average spend
per e-Shopper
per month
1
2 3
Top five items purchased
online are hotel bookings,
fashion, event tickets
7.3 million active
internet users
Belgium
Belgian e-commerce has really been breaking through
these past few years. Over 78% of households have
access to the Internet (compared to 60% back in 2008).
The number of individuals with access to Internet can be
estimated at 8.65 million and the number of active users
at 7.3 million.
Belgium e-commerce of goods and services reached
€ 4.8 bn, up 20% compared to 2011 45 . Over 30% of
e-shoppers purchased for over €150 per month last year.
Belgian online retailers are looking towards the future with
confidence.
The vast majority of traders expect the number of online
purchases to increase in 2013 and that the number of
online businesses will continue to increase. Two-thirds of
the online retailers intend recruiting more staff this year.
This success is partly due to the tripling of the number
of purchases via smartphone. Top five items purchased
online are hotel bookings, fashion, event tickets, transport
tickets and books.
60% Of the population speak Dutch (Flemish), while 40%
speak French (Walloon). Both the Flemish and the Wal-
loon population have equally embraced online shopping.
There is a difference though: the Flemish prefer digital
contact and buy less, while Walloons prefer personal con-
tact and tend to buy more and more impulsively 46 .
45 BeCommerce, Belgian e-commerce association
46 BeCommerce Newsletter, 02/04/2013
Ireland
Ireland is digitally “coming of age”, with the majority of
Irish consumers now regularly shopping online 47 . Both
consumers and businesses in Ireland are by now rapidly
closing the gap with their mature European counterparts
in terms of purchasing and selling online, with a growing
number of consumers turning to the Internet to secure
value-for-money purchases. “The economic recession
has been making digital more attractive. Conducting
transactions online is more cost-effective for consumers
and businesses alike.” 48
81% Of households have access to the Internet (up from
63% in 2008) 49 and the number of e-shoppers has
doubled since 2008, reaching almost 70% of the active
online population last year. Total e-sales are estimated
to have reached €4.6 bn, more than double the size of
online sales in 2009.
47 Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA), Dublin
48 Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA), Dublin
49 Eurostat, Statistics in Focus 50/2012
81%
households have access
to the Internet
E-shoppers
growth since almost 2000 70% of
8.9% Growth of
lands: lowest in
8.9% in 2012 to
€4.6 billion
Total e-sales
+500%
e-shoppers has
doubled since
2008, reaching
the active online
population last year.