Turnover of the largest online stores falls for the first time

This article was last updated on October 12, 2023

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Overview of the Online Retail Industry in the Netherlands

The turnover of the 300 largest online stores in the Netherlands has fallen for the first time. In 2022, the combined turnover amounted to more than 26 billion euros, a decrease of 2 percent compared to the previous year. This is evident from the annual Twinkle100, an overview of the largest online retailers in the Netherlands.

Leading Online Stores

The top five online stores remain largely unchanged. Just like last year, Bol.com is at the top with a turnover of more than 4 billion euros, followed by Albert Heijn and Coolblue. They achieved a turnover of 1.7 and 1.5 billion euros respectively. Zalando has passed Amazon and is fourth.

Back to the Shopping Street

After strong turnover growth of 27.5 percent in 2021, growth stagnated in 2022. Daniël Verheij, editor-in-chief of Twinkle, explains: “The corona crisis has given online retail a boost that can be compared to five years of normal growth. However, such rapid growth can’t go on all the time.”

Verheij thinks that there are still sectors with growth potential. He points to the significant increase in turnover at online supermarkets.

Sustainable Shopping

This year, for the first time, Twinkle also examined the returns policies of online retailers.

Of the top 100 online stores, 9 percent always offer free shipping. For 60 percent of stores, this applies to a minimum purchase amount, and 27 percent charge standard shipping costs. As for returns: about a third of online stores always charge fees, while just over half cover these costs as standard.

Verheij points out that companies known for their free returns policy, such as Zalando, have introduced return costs. “Consumers are used to the convenience of online shopping, so they accept this change,” he says. In addition, he notes that consumers are making more conscious choices and are increasingly opting for more sustainable shipping options such as bicycle delivery and delivery with electric vehicles.

Marketplaces on the Rise

The ‘marketplaces’ are on the rise. These are platforms such as Bol.com and Amazon that, in addition to their own range, also offer products from external sellers.

Verheij emphasizes the growing popularity of these online marketplaces: “Four years ago we only counted six such web shops in our list. This year there are 22.”

Top 10 Online Stores in the Netherlands