More than seven out of ten Belgian consumers never (or almost never) return items that they have ordered online. This is because they only order items that they want to keep. Belgians are ordering online more often, with 40 percent of all purchases happening online.
Ecommerce in Belgium has grown steadily over the years. In 2023, consumers in the country spent 16.3 billion euros online. This was an increase of 10.7 percent compared to a year earlier.
According to a consumer report from logistics software provider Descartes, 40 percent of all purchases in Belgium happen online. This is higher than a year earlier, when the share was still 33 percent.
Online shopping because of pricing
But why do Belgians increasingly choose to shop at online stores? The Belgian Online Shopper Survey, released by ecommerce federation Becom, says that Belgians shop online because of they can compare product prices (37 percent). And 1 in 3 said that they shop online because it is cheaper. Another 30 percent said that they can find better discounts online.
85% of Belgian online shoppers find it very important that online stores incorporate sustainable practices
When choosing an online seller, Belgians find pricing important. That includes transparency and discounts. They also want online shops to provide data protection, as well as a secure payment environment with multiple payment methods. But according to the report, 85 percent of Belgian online shoppers find it (the most) important that an online shop incorporates sustainability in its business.
Sustainable online stores
According to the respondents, a sustainable online store focuses on efficient shipping (44 percent), has a pickup point (40 percent), uses sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging (35 percent), offers sustainable products or services (33 percent), and recycles old products (33 percent).
Low return rates
One of the main issues in sustainability and online shopping, is the amount of returned items. Most of these items end up in landfills or are incinerated, contributing heavily to greenhouse gas emissions.
64% of Belgian online shoppers that often buy fashion, never return their items
It seems that Belgian consumers are willing to contribute to a more sustainable ecommerce market, as 73 percent of them never or almost never return items. The fashion sector is well-known for its high return rates, but according to the report, 64 percent of Belgian online shoppers who often buy fashion items, (almost) never return them.
