E-commerce in Belgium – statistics & facts

For retailers and consumers worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic provided an impetus to venture into the e-commerce arena. Even among those previously skeptical about buying and selling online, the pandemic crisis left little choice but to shift consumption into the digital sphere. The years since the pandemic show that the online shopping target group has grown. In 2022, nearly two-thirds of the Belgian population reported buying products and services online, up from just over half before the coronavirus outbreak. E-commerce sales revenues in Belgium have also recorded unprecedented results, surpassing the 9-billion-dollar mark in 2023.

Go-to places for online shopping

More and more people are turning to online merchants to purchase an ever-increasing array of products. From clothing and footwear to home furnishings and electronics, the digital realm is gradually gaining greater prominence in Belgium's retail landscape. In 2022, the Dutch online marketplace bol.com was the leading online store in Belgium, with some 768 million U.S. dollars in e-commerce sales. Berlin-based online retailer Zalando topped the list in the fashion category, with over 300 million U.S. dollars in sales that year. As for the electronics and media segment, Apple recorded the highest sales, overtaking Dutch electronics store Coolblue by a margin of roughly 80 million dollars.

Social & live commerce: game changers for e-tailing?

The use of social media platforms to buy and sell is one of the latest trends transforming the retail sector. Forecasts suggest that social shopping will grow into a lucrative purchasing channel worldwide over the coming years. In Belgium, the social commerce gross merchandise value exceeded 800 million U.S. dollars in 2022, a figure forecast to triple by 2028. In this regard, Facebook appeared as the leading social shopping platform for most generational cohorts, particularly among older consumers. In contrast, TikTok was most popular among the youngest buyers, namely, Gen Zers. Another innovative trend shaping the online shopping experience is live commerce, whereby products are advertised to shoppers via livestream, with interactive visual content promoting more customer engagement with the product. For roughly a third of Belgian e-shoppers surveyed in late 2022, inspiration and ideas were the main benefits of participating in a live shopping experience.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Koen van Gelder, Sep 26, 2023

Key insights

Number of online shoppers
7.8m
E-commerce revenue
8.54bn USD
E-commerce share of retail sales
5.8%
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Share of the population buying online in Belgium from 2010 to 2022, by region

Key Figures of E-Commerce

E-commerce user penetration in Belgium 2010-2022, by region

Most popular social media platforms for shopping in Belgium in 4th quarter 2022, by generation

Digital Shopping Behaviour

Leading social networks for shopping in Belgium 2022, by generation

Share of consumers who participated in or heard of a live streaming shopping event in Belgium in 3rd quarter 2022, by generation

Digital Shopping Behaviour

Live commerce participation and awareness in Belgium 2022, by generation

Related topics

E-commerce Benelux

3

Retail in Belgium

3

Recommended statistics

Overview

6

Overview

E-commerce adoption

8

E-commerce adoption

Sites and apps

10

Sites and apps

Online shopping behavior

5

Online shopping behavior

Emerging trends

5

Emerging trends

Further reportsGet the best reports to understand your industry

Internet usage in the Benelux
Internet usage in the Benelux
eCommerce in Belgium
eCommerce in Belgium
Online marketplaces in France
Online marketplaces in France
Shopping behavior in the Netherlands
Shopping behavior in the Netherlands
Sustainable e-commerce in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Sustainable e-commerce in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Online shops: MediaMarkt shoppers in the Netherlands
Online shops: MediaMarkt shoppers in the Netherlands
Online shops: Zalando shoppers in the Netherlands
Online shops: Zalando shoppers in the Netherlands

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