The BeCommerce Market Monitor covers all B2C market segments, ranging from consumer electronics, through travel, and telecom. All ON and OFFline B2C purchases of products and services are monitored within this research. Providing a comprehensive view on the entire B2C Belgian market.
The BeCommerce Market Monitor was launched in January 2015. This research was initiated by BeCommerce and GfK, and made possible with the support of Google, PostNL België and Wordline.
The BeCommerce Market Monitor was launched in January 2015.
This research was initiated by BeCommerce and GfK, and made possible with the support of Google, post.nl and Wordline.
The BeCommerce Market Monitor covers all B2C market segments, ranging from consumer electronics, through travel, and telecom.
All ON and OFFline B2C purchases of products and services are monitored within this research. Providing a comprehensive view on the entire B2C Belgian market.
The BeCommerce Market Monitor uses a unique combination of different data sources of GfK.
It uses the Point of Sales panel, a retail panel in which all sales of (r)etailers are monitored on a continuous basis.
In addition we use our Consumer Scan panel in which 5000 households scan their day-to-day purchases.
Finally, we conduct a consumer research with more than 4000 respondents on a quartely basis to uncover the profile of the online shopper in Belgium.
In summary: key findings of 2015
In total 80.9 million purchases were done online and about 8.2 billion euros was spend online, reflecting a share of 14% of the total amount of euros spend in 2015 (on- and offline).
If we look at our neighbours, we observe that in Netherlands 142 million purchases were done online, for a total amount of 16.1 billion euros, reflecting a share of 19% of all euros spend in 2015.
The maturity of the online market is thus still higher in the Netherlands compared to Belgium, but Belgium seems to be catching up and 2015 was a record year for e-commerce in Belgium!
So now let’s have a look at the first half of 2016.
Do we establish a stabilization? Or does e-commerce continues to grow in Belgium?
As regards, to the number of purchases the first 6 months looks promising. More than 41 million purchases were done online, reflecting an increase of 5% compared to the first half of 2015.
We observe an higher increase when it comes to spendings too. In total more than 4.4 billion euro’s was spend online, which reflects an increase of more then 9% compared to the first half of 2015.
Moreover, if we look at the share of online spendings within the total amount of euros spend on- and oflline, we notice that in the first 6 months of 2015 14,2 % of all euros spent, were spent online, versus 15.7% in the first half of 2016. The growth in spendings is more pronounced than the growth in number of purchases, suggesting a more mature online market and a higher spent per purchase/buyer.
The increasing maturity of e-commerce, is also reflected when we look at the average number of purchases per buyer, which increased from 5,1 in the first half of 2015 to 5,3 in 2016; and the average spending per purchase from 104€ to 108€. The maturity of the online buyer is especially reflected in the average basket size per online buyer which increased from 530€ to 572€, indicating online buyers become more willing to spent more online.
In 2015 there were 153.837 online purchasing households of Food/Nearfood. On average, an online purchasing household did 6,88 online purchases with for a total amount of € 295
In 2016 there were 346.370 online purchasing households of Food/Nearfood. On average, an online purchasing household did 6,17 online purchases for a total amount of € 364
Online purchases are still mostly done via a laptop. The desktop still covers the second place early 2016, although it seems to lose popularity.
The decrease in the use of the more conventional desktop, seems to be benefitting the use of the smartphone when buying online.
Many (r)etailers have also invested in the user friendly of their webshop for mobile devices and / or in the development of apps, to make it easier to shop online via a smartphone
The use of personal information is permitted by consumers, as long as this includes a direct benefit for them.
When it comes to bank information the Belgian consumers is rather suspicious and protective
The biggest challenge facing retailing today is conversion!
Today’s Connected Consumer shops in a hugely varied and complex way. If you can understand shopping behavior and journeys, you can maximize the path to purchase.
The key to success here is your omnichannel strategy. It’s not enough to be on all channels, you must understand the types of consumer behavior that they evoke and flex the strengths of each to support your particular conversion patterns for all relevant shopper types.
Each brand journey is different, and many things changed in the retail environment, but no matter the channel or the path to purchase (starting online, or starting in-store) all types of shopper seem to expect the same things! Choice, price, convenience, and experience remain the four key factors to success in retail for all types of shoppers, whether offline, online or omnichannel! Add their personal flavor and involve your shoppers.
The personal way to enhance the shopper experience - Let shoppers shape your offer to nurture loyalty
Thank you for your attention!
And good luck to all of you!