The Dutch are Europe’s biggest online fashion shoppers

With 77% of Dutch consumers buying fashion items online, the Netherlands tops the ranking for online shopping in Europe, where the average is 59%. Additionally, the Dutch percentage has risen considerably since last year, when it stood at 71%, according to research by DPD. The study also shows that almost half of Dutch consumers purchase food and drinks online, which is much higher than the European average of 34%.

These findings come from DPD’s European e-shopper barometer: an annual survey conducted among 24,000 Europeans – including 1,000 Dutch consumers – aged 18-70 in 22 countries. The survey explores the latest trends in online shopping and delivery preferences in Europe.

High level of returns

Dutch consumers not only purchase more fashion items, food and drinks online than the rest of Europe, but also return a lot. Almost a quarter (23%) of Dutch online shoppers returned their last purchase, compared to 14% at the European level. More than half of them found the return process to be easy and effortless.

Less environmentally conscious

Interestingly, DPD’s survey reveals that Dutch people pay less attention to the environment and sustainability when shopping online than consumers in the rest of Europe. Almost half of the Dutch respondents say they would be more likely to choose a website that offers sustainable transportation options, whereas the average is 64% at European level. In addition, only 59% of Dutch consumers believe that brands and businesses should be environmentally conscious nowadays, versus 67% across Europe.

High expectations

Based on the research, online shoppers clearly have high expectations of the delivery process: they want fast and reliable deliveries, expect to be able to select a precise delivery time, want to know the exact time slot in advance, and they regard real-time tracking as adding value in the delivery process. Free delivery ranks as by far the most important of the top ten criteria for online shopping, followed by free returns.

Streamlining processes

“We are obviously coming out of a very busy period, followed by a period of uncertainty around the world. As a result, we have had to grow very fast in a short space of time and pull out all the stops to continue to meet expectations,” comments Erik Uljee, CEO of DPD. “Now it is time to streamline all our processes so that we can also continue to meet all those expectations – and I mean internationally, because that’s where our focus lies. If the international processes at DPD are running well, it’s immediately noticeable in the Netherlands. That’s what we’re now working hard on.”