From bookstore to online marketplace
Bol.com started out in 1999 as one of the first online bookstores in Europe, after which it expanded its product range with CDs, DVDs, and consumer electronics. In the years that followed, the online retailer continued to increase its portfolio, but has always sold primarily non-food consumer goods. As of 2022, Bol.com sells over 47 million different products. This figure is more than twice as high as in 2019. Bol.com was able to double its product range through its online marketplace business. Bol.com does not only sell its own products - it also acts as a storefront for third-party sellers against a share of their sales value. In 2023, Bol.com reported having over 50,000 of these sales partners – up from 20,000 in 2019.
Where are the global e-commerce giants?
Amazon opened the Dutch platform Amazon.nl in 2020. One year later, it opened its first distribution center in the country, followed by a fulfillment center in 2023. Given Amazon’s dominance in Germany and France, one might expect that the Netherlands would follow suit. However, so far, Amazon has not been able to make a dent in the domestic domination of the Dutch e-commerce landscape. The company currently ranks seventh in the Netherlands in terms of net sales. Looking at lists of the top e-commerce players reveals that Dutch companies are much more popular than foreign online stores. Apple.com is the only non-domestic company in the top 10.
