Comeos is a trade association in Belgium representing over 600 members across 18 sectors, both offline and online. E-commerce faces several challenges in Belgium including higher wage costs compared to neighboring countries, unequal tax rules and standards that put Belgian online retailers at a competitive disadvantage. Comeos advocates for policies to help develop Belgium into a leading "E-com Valley" by addressing issues such as outdated labor laws, complex take-back obligations, and the need for a reliable online payment platform.

1. E-commerce in Belgium
Pieter VAN BASTELAERE
Head of e-commerce at Comeos in Belgium

2. Wat is Comeos? Algemeen.
16.01.17 - 2
Comeos is de stem van de georganiseerde handel en
diensten
Brede beroepsvereniging
600 leden verspreid over maar liefst 18 sectoren
Van Food over DIY tot Fashion, zowel offline als online
Verenigen (sectorwerking) – vertegenwoordigen (lobby) – versterken
(informatie en advies)
Belang van de handel
90.000 winkels
Dagelijks 2 miljoen klanten
40 % huishoudbudget naar handel
Grootste privéwerkgever in de privé-sector
Detail- en groothandel vertegenwoordigen 17 percent van de totale
werkgelegenheid
Hotels en restaurantsector 5 procent van de totale werkgelegenheid

3. 28.09.10 - 3
Enkele Comeos-leden

4. 416 januari 2017
Pieter Van Bastelaere
Head of e-commerce
& Sector Manager Comeos
Loopbaan
KPMG
Accenture
Comeos sinds 2010
Profiel
Digital Strategy Vlerick
Master Handelswetenschappen
Master Handelsdidactiek
Gezin
Getrouwd
3 kinderen

5. 1. E-commerce: uitdagingen

6. 616 januari 2017
How does a webshop work?
Setting up a
webshop
•Development
•Hosting
•Maintenance
Product
•Determine the
selection
•Prices
•Taxes
Customer
•Marketing
Payment
•Payment
platforms
Delivery
•Stock
management
•Picking
•Logistics
•Last Mile
•Collection
point
After-sales
•Take-back
•Refund
•Dealing with
complaints

7. 716 januari 2017
Competitive disadvantages
Setting up a
webshop
Product
•Product safety
Customer
•Taxes and
duties
•VAT rate
Payment
•Online
payment
platforms
Delivery
•Parcel delivery
•Online
security
•Social
flexibility
After-sales
•Take-back
obligation
•Alternative
dispute
resolution
w
a
g
e
c
o
s
t

8. 816 januari 2017
Wage cost: 20% higher than in neighbouring
countries
Entire process: from setting up the webshop to distribution and to after-sales
service
Tax burden on salaries and high social security contributions: costs are 20% higher
in Belgian retail than in neighbouring countries
In retail, €100 received by the worker
costs the employer:
€196
€157
€182
€181

9. 916 januari 2017
Problems related to recruitment
60 % higher education (currently
20%)
Wage cost burden
Competition from other
sectors
Recruit candidates with master's
degree
Quickly operational
High turnover
Difficult to find
Manager referencing
Traffic manager
Community manager
41
13
26
16
3
Problems related to
recruitment
Too few
candidates
Inadequate
training
Lack of
experience
High salary
requirement
s

10. 1016 januari 2017
Efforts required in education
Primary -
Secondary
•Primary and secondary school: use all the tools that currently exist.
•In-depth re-training of teachers required
HE
•Integrate new communication methods in all options, in all subjects.
•More interdisciplinarity
Company
•Continuing education required via short, modular e-learning
•Provide better organisation, communication and promotion for the training on offer
•Extension to retail

11. 1116 januari 2017
Competitive disadvantages
Setting up a
webshop
Product
•Product safety
Customer
•Taxes and
duties
•VAT rate
Payment
•Online
payment
platforms
Delivery
•Parcel delivery
•Online
security
•Social
flexibility
After-sales
•Take-back
obligation
•Alternative
dispute
resolution
W
a
g
e
c
o
s
t

12. 1216 januari 2017
Product safety: Double standards
More obligations for Belgian websites than for foreign competitors:
More information (for example mobile phone SAR value)
Licences (e.g. plant protection products)
Prior registration of products (e.g. construction materials)
Any additional obligation for the retailer
=
Price

13. 1316 januari 2017
Competitive disadvantages
Setting up a
webshop
Product
•Product safety
Customer
•Taxes and
duties
•VAT rate
Payment
•Online
payment
platforms
Delivery
•Parcel delivery
•Online
security
•Social
flexibility
After-sales
•Take-back
obligation
•Alternative
dispute
resolution
W
a
g
e
c
o
s
t

14. 1416 januari 2017
Unequal struggle in terms of pricing
VAT rate
Higher in Belgium
No checks
Over a certain threshold, a foreign retailer must bill the VAT rate of its Belgian customer. These
thresholds are not the same and checks are not performed.
Taxes and duties
The authorities rarely check whether foreign websites operating in Belgium pay environmental taxes
(packaging, etc.) and duties.
BE NL FR DE LU
21 21 20 19 17

15. 1516 januari 2017
Reprobel
Samsung Express M2070FW laserprinter
20 pages/minute
Amazon 118,99 USD (111,51 EUR) + free shipping
En Europe, le prix le plus bas = 169 EUR
Reprobel : de 20 à 39 copies par minute = 195,60 EUR

16. 1616 januari 2017
Competitive disadvantages
Setting up a
webshop
Product
•Product safety
Customer
•Taxes and
duties
•VAT rate
Payment
•Online
payment
platforms
Delivery
•Parcel
delivery
•Online
security
•Social
flexibility
After-sales
•Take-back
obligation
•Alternative
dispute
resolution
W
a
g
e
c
o
s
t

17. 1716 januari 2017
Getting paid costs too much
Online payment platform
The need for a trustworthy, transparent and inspiring online payment platform similar to iDeal in the
Netherlands.

18. 1816 januari 2017
Competitive disadvantages
Setting up a
webshop
Product
•Product safety
Customer
•Taxes and
duties
•VAT rate
Payment
•Online
payment
platforms
Delivery
•Parcel
delivery
•Online
security
•Social
flexibility
After-sales
•Take-back
obligation
•Alternative
dispute
resolution
W
a
g
e
c
o
s
t

19. 1916 januari 2017
Delivered more quickly from Amsterdam than
from Kortrijk?
Social flexibility
In Belgium, work after 20.00 and before 06.00 is considered as night work  prevents speedy
delivery: retailers cannot adequately meet customer demand.
Parcel Delivery
Parcel delivery must be less expensive, more transparent, more flexible and of better quality
Online security
Phishing, credit card fraud, pirating online stores: little or no monitoring.

20. 2016 januari 2017
Competitive disadvantages
Setting up a
webshop
Product
•Product safety
Customer
•Taxes and
duties
•VAT rate
Payment
•Online
payment
platforms
Delivery
•Parcel
delivery
•Online
security
•Social
flexibility
After-sales
•Take-back
obligation
•Alternative
dispute
resolution
W
a
g
e
c
o
s
t

21. 2116 januari 2017
Take-back obligation: unequal rules
Take-back obligation
Take-back system for used products is too complex
The retailer does not have the item or the money
Belgian legislation is stricter than European legislation, but no cross-border checks
Alternative dispute resolution
System does not cover all cases
A system covering all cases would boost the retailer's confidence AND consumer confidence

22. 2216 januari 2017
Comeos kiest resoluut voor scenario
België heeft de troeven…
Centrale ligging
Dichte en multimodale transportinfrastructuur
Kennis en ervaring logistieke dienstverleners
Vijfde plaats in Europese Digital Economy and Society Index
Meertalig en gemotiveerd personeel
Efficiënte (lucht)havens
Handelscultuur
… om de “E-com Valley” te worden!

23. 2316 januari 2017
Comeos – the most powerful trade association
when it comes to e-commerce

24. 2416 januari 2017

25. 2. E-commerce: events

26. 2616 januari 2017
Winter Congress @ Comeos
Related to e-commerce in Belgium
Programme 2017
Digital Innovation
Google, Ingenico, Robotics, BlaBlaCar…
http://event.COMEOS.BE
Practical information
27 January 2017
Already 4th edition!
top level location at the MAS in Antwerp
C-level audience
Including a Michelin 2-starred chef with 18/20 in Gault Millau

27. 3. E-commerce: studie

28. 2816 januari 2017
Tons of data