E-commerce Belgium 2025: complete guide for online sales and webshop success
E-commerce, also known as online commerce, is the buying and selling of products and services via the internet. In Belgium, this digital trading market is growing explosively, with an estimated turnover of 17.4 billion euros in 2024 and prospects pointing to further expansion to 24 billion euros in 2025. This remarkable growth of 10.7% places Belgium far above the European average and makes our country one of the most dynamic e-commerce markets in the world.
- Market size: €17.4 billion in 2024, growth to €24 billion expected in 2025 (+38% increase)
- European leader: 25.2% of small businesses active online vs 11.2% in France - Belgium outperforms neighboring countries
- Mobile dominance: 58% of purchases via smartphones, mobile-first approach essential for success
- Platform choice: Shopify leads with 29% market share, followed by Wix (20%)
- Cross-border potential: €5.5 billion spent at foreign webshops shows expansion opportunities
- Future trends: AI personalization, social commerce and sustainability determine competitive advantage
For entrepreneurs who want to profit from this growing market, Belgium offers unique advantages: a well-educated, multilingual population, excellent digital infrastructure and strong consumer habits. The combination of these factors creates ideal conditions for webshop development and online sales, both for local entrepreneurs and international players who want to enter the Belgian market.
What is e-commerce and why is it growing so strongly in Belgium?
E-commerce includes all commercial transactions that take place electronically via websites, mobile apps, social media platforms or online marketplaces. For entrepreneurs, e-commerce means more than just a digital store - it is a complete business model that enables 24/7 sales to customers worldwide.
How do you start a webshop in Belgium? The fundamentals begin with understanding the local market. Belgium benefits from excellent digital infrastructure with average 5G download speeds of 280 Mbps in urban areas. The multilingual nature of the Belgian population facilitates cross-border trade, while platforms that support multilingual functionality and local payment methods such as Bancontact perform significantly better. Belgium has high digital literacy and strong purchasing power, which translates into an average online spend of €2,600 per person per year - one of the highest in Europe.
Belgian e-commerce market: figures and performance
The figures from 2024 show the health of the Belgian e-commerce sector. Belgian consumers spent 16.3 billion euros on online purchases, of which 13.3 billion euros were spent at local webshops. The number of webshops rose to 63,202 active platforms, an increase of 10.5% compared to 2023. Of the companies for which at least 1% of turnover comes via online channels, 25.2% represent the market - more than double that of France (11.2%) and higher than the Netherlands (24.2%) and Germany (18.4%).
“Belgians are increasingly finding their way to marketplaces. Belgian merchants are often underrepresented there, which means that some of the growth in our country goes to foreign players. Belgian merchants should therefore become even more active on such platforms.”
Source: Becom - Belgians made 16.3 billion euros (+10.7%) in online purchases last year
Cross-border shopping remains a unique characteristic of the Belgian market. Consumers spent 5.5 billion euros at foreign webshops (34% of total online spending), with the Netherlands (32%) and France (22%) as the most popular destinations. For local entrepreneurs, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity for expansion into neighboring markets.
Mobile e-commerce and platform choice
Mobile commerce is the new reality in Belgium. With 58% of all online purchases made via smartphones, Belgium has become a mobile-first market. For webshop owners, this means that mobile optimization is essential for success. Sites that are not optimized for mobile use are missing out on more than half of their potential customers.
Why do Belgian entrepreneurs choose Shopify? Shopify dominates with a 29% market share thanks to its combination of ease of use, Bancontact integration, and multilingual functionality. Setting up a Shopify webshop is a strategic investment that facilitates growth. The latest Shopify app trends show that apps that combine AI and automation are particularly popular for personalization and efficiency.
SEO and marketing strategies for Belgian webshops
Visibility in search engines determines the success of any webshop. E-commerce SEO requires a specific approach with a focus on product pages, category structure, and technical optimization. For Belgian webshops, local SEO plays an important role, where the multilingual nature requires strategic choices for Dutch, French, or both languages.
Which marketing strategy delivers the best ROI? Performance marketing is becoming crucial, where the choice between Google Ads and Meta Ads depends on target groups and product types. Google Ads optimization is evolving through AI integration, while SEO is evolving towards GEO for AI search engines such as ChatGPT.
Structured data plays a crucial role in modern SEO. ClickForest customers saw an average of 35% higher click-through rates within 4 weeks of implementing optimized structured data.
Conversion optimization and customer experience
Conversion optimization is the art of converting more visitors into customers. For Belgian webshops, specific factors are crucial: trusted payment methods such as Bancontact (78% market share), clear shipping options, and multilingual customer service. The latest developments in CRO with AI and personalization show how technology can improve the customer experience through dynamic product recommendations and AI-driven chatbots.
“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It is our job to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little better every day.”
Source: Forbes – 5 time-tested success tips from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
Sustainability and future trends
Sustainability is becoming a competitive advantage for modern webshops. Belgian webshops score themselves an average of 6.5 out of 10 for sustainability, with concrete actions: 86% bundle shipments, 66% use reusable packaging, and 79% work with sustainable filling material. Sustainable e-commerce strategies are becoming a must-have instead of a nice-to-have.
“The sustainability level of our Belgian e-commerce sector is promising and the potential to become an extremely sustainable sector is there.”
Source: SafeShops.be - The future is digital and green
Social commerce is growing explosively, expected to reach $8.5 trillion worldwide by 2030. For Belgian entrepreneurs, LinkedIn marketing for B2B sales is becoming increasingly important, while the rise of zero-click searches brings new challenges for organic visibility.
“We do not strive to chase revenue as the primary driver of our company. Shopify has been about supporting merchants since its inception, and we have always prioritized long-term value over short-term revenue opportunities.”
Source: SEC – Management Information Circular
Practical step-by-step plan for e-commerce success
How long does it take to launch an e-commerce business? With professional support, a basic webshop can be online within 4-6 weeks, but full optimization requires 3-6 months. What does it cost to start a webshop in Belgium? Costs vary from €500 for a basic setup to €10,000+ for enterprise solutions.
Essential steps:
Market analysis and strategy - Start with an AI audit and competitive analysis
Platform selection - Shopify setup with Bancontact support
Technical foundations - SEO basics and mobile optimization
Content and marketing - AI for content creation and local SEO
Team training - AI training for effective technology adoption
Belgium offers unique opportunities for e-commerce entrepreneurs who are willing to invest in quality, innovation, and customer experience. With the right strategy, local companies can grow into regional market leaders.
Ready to grow in the Belgian e-commerce market? ClickForest helps entrepreneurs at every step of their digital transformation, from AI implementation to complete Shopify solutions and performance marketing. Book a consultation to discover how your company can benefit from the growing e-commerce opportunities in Belgium.
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Frequently asked questions about e-commerce in Belgium
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Belgium has 63,202 active webshops in 2024, an increase of 10.5% compared to 2023. These webshops together generated a turnover of 13.3 billion euros, which shows that the sector is professionalizing.
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The average Belgian online shopper spends approximately €2,600 per year online, one of the highest figures in Europe. An increase to €2,850 is predicted for 2025.
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Bancontact dominates with 78% market share, followed by digital wallets and buy-now-pay-later services. For webshops, the integration of local payment methods is crucial for conversion optimization.
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Very important - 58% of all online purchases are made via smartphones. Webshops without mobile optimization miss out on more than half of their potential customers.
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Package tours lead with 4 billion euros, followed by airline tickets/accommodation (2.3 billion euros) and clothing (1.7 billion euros). Food and shoes/accessories complete the top 5.
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A webshop is your own digital store with complete control over branding and customer data. A marketplace like bol.com offers built-in traffic but higher commissions and less brand control.
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A combination of local SEO, Google Ads optimization, and social commerce. The choice depends on target audience, budget, and product types.
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Start with market research, choose a suitable platform (Shopify has a 29% market share), focus on mobile optimization, integrate Bancontact, and invest in SEO and performance marketing.
Sources and references
Belgian e-commerce statistics:
Becom: "Belgians made 16.3 billion euros in online purchases last year" - https://becom.digital/nl/belg-deed-afgelopen-jaar-voor-163-miljard-euro-107-aan-online-aankopen/
Landmark Global: "Top 10 essential facts about Belgian e-commerce 2025 edition" - https://landmarkglobal.com/eu/en/news-insights/top-10-essential-facts-about-belgian-e-commerce-2025-edition/
Mobile commerce and technology:
Shopify: "10 mobile commerce trends to watch in 2024" - https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/blog/mobile-commerce-future-trends
Statista: "Mobile commerce sales Europe development until 2027" - https://www.statista.com/statistics/281260/mobile-commerce-sales-europe/
Sustainability and consumer behavior:
Thuiswinkel.org: "Trends for sustainable e-commerce for 2024" - https://www.thuiswinkel.org/kennisbank/kennisartikelen/dit-zijn-de-trends-voor-duurzame-e-commerce/
Segment: "State of Personalization Report 2023 consumer research" - https://segment.com/pdfs/State-of-Personalization-Report-Twilio-Segment-2023.pdf
