After four years of stable e-commerce penetration, it’s the first increase in the percentage of the online population making online purchases in Belgium (74% vs. 76% in 2018). Shoppers spend more and buy more frequently with 59% spent more than 100€. In 2018, Comeos and InSites Consulting have monitored the Belgian e-commerce landscape to better understand the state of e-commerce in Belgium. Read the main highlights of the study:

Belgium E-Commerce Experience & Current Online Shopping Behavior

• Males are more likely than females to shop online (77% vs. 74%). Younger generations and Dutch also are likely than older generations and French to shop online.
• Time-saving is the top driver for shopping online in Belgium with a rate of 44%, followed far by home delivery (37%) and low prices (36%).
• Most of the online shoppers in Belgium prefer online payment via credit cards and bank cards.
• 30% of shoppers in Belgium don’t buy online because they want to see/try products/services before buying.

A Figure Shows the Growth of E-commerce Penetration in Belgium (From 2011 to 2018)

Device Preference for Online Shopping in Belgium

• 37% of shoppers in Belgium have purchased online using computer/laptop only, compared to only 12% who do so via smartphone/tablet, while 26% have used mixed devices.
• Females and younger generations are more likely to shop online using mobile devices than males and older generations.
• 45% of shoppers indicated that they don’t trust making purchases on mobile devices, while 35% claimed that they face some difficulties when paying online.

Top Online Purchased Categories in Belgium

• Fashion ranked the top of most purchased categories online with a rate of 61%, followed by traveling & leisure time (58%), computer & electronics (45%) and health & beauty (40%).
• In terms of the buying frequency more than 5 times, food is the top category with a rate of 40%, followed by animals (27%) and entertainment (27%).

A Figure Shows the Top Online Purchased Categories in Belgium in 2018

Methodology:

Data is based on a sample of 2014 consumers in Belgium aged 15-70 years old and have made an online purchase in the last 12 months that previous the survey. The survey was conducted online during 23rd March – 5th April 2018.