Welcome to online marketplace land: where the possibilities stretch as far as the horizon. There are a whole bunch of different marketplaces where you can sell your products. Sometimes a bit too many to keep track of. That’s why we would like to help you with a summary of the main marketplaces in Belgium. That way you can better estimate which ones are a match made in heaven for your business.
The various online marketplaces in Belgium.
Bol.com – the numéro uno
If you haven’t heard of bol.com, you were most likely in a deep coma for the past 5 years. Bol.com is indisputably the most popular online marketplace in our little country of Belgium. Its ubiquity also translates into the offerings you find on the Dutch platform. From electronics, to clothing, to food: you will find practically everything.
It is also an open marketplace. That is, anyone (with company data) can sell on bol.com. Competition is therefore to be cut on the platform, but: if the figures are to be believed, there is still a lot of growth potential in the platform.
Wondering how to get started on your sales adventure on bol.com? You’ll find out in our bol.com starter’s guide.
Amazon – globally popular in Wallonia
Although Amazon is the largest online marketplace worldwide, it still has to underperform Bol.com in Belgium. That said , Amazon is popular in the southern hemisphere of Belgium. In Wallonia, Amazon.fr is the most visited marketplace. In Flanders, there is still work to be done.
In terms of offerings, Amazon is similar to Bol.com. You can find practically all product categories there. The difference is that Amazon is even less competitive today than bol.com. How long, however, is the question.
Want to take advantage of an early-mover advantage? Then an adventure on Amazon could turn out nicely. We also wrote out a starter’s guide to selling on Amazon, you can find it here.
Decathlon – the sporty little brother
Everyone knows Decathlon as the giant sports store where you could cruise through the aisles on rollerblades until an employee called you to a halt. It may not be widely known, but Decathlon now also has an online marketplace. And they certainly don’t do badly there!
Different sports brands can offer their items on the Decathlon platform. However, versus Bol.com & Amazon, it is a closed marketplace. Because Decathlon wants to offer a certain level of articles, you first go through a quality check. Once Decathlon is convinced that you reach a certain standard, you can use their platform to reach thousands of sports fans.
Zalando – the fashionista of the class
Zalando, the place to quickly stock up on a dress, swimsuit or new pair of sneakers. Or to send them back when they are not to your satisfaction. Although Zalando has often been accused of not being profitable because of their return policy, they are not doing badly in online marketplace land.
This marketplace is ideal for selling anything fashion-related. But, she is a little harder to be admitted on. There are 3 types of sellers on Zalando.
- Zalando buying in bulk itself, and selling on its own platform.
- Major fashion brands invited by Zalando itself to sell on the platform
- ConnectedRetail: where smaller companies get the right to sell only when the two types of sellers above no longer offer the product. On top of that, Zalando takes into account who the closest seller is: only they are allowed to sell.
Although Zalando is currently prioritizing itself and the major brands, a turnaround is on the horizon. The connect&retail are getting more and more sales opportunities. This is because Zalando wants to focus more and more on the local market.
FonQ – the house sparrow of the friends group
FonQ is the largest marketplace in Belgium when it comes to interior design. You’ll find both small decorations and larger pieces such as furniture and entire lounge sets. At FonQ you will find mostly quality items. That’s because it – like Decathlon – is a closed marketplace where you have to get through a certain quality check first.
Upcoming marketplaces in Belgium
In addition to the five larger marketplaces from above, there are also a number of new players in the field. Currently smaller marketplaces that are recently established, or still have great growth potential. We go over them briefly:
- Vandenborre:
Ideal for selling electrical and multimedia products. - Inno:
Specializing in lifestyle, fashion and aesthetic products. - Blokker:
A jack-of-all-trades. Ranging from electronics, kitchen supplies, books to toys and more. - Maisons du monde:
Interior items in various trendy world styles for a slightly higher end. - Leenbakker:
A wide range of home accessories and furniture. Plays harder on low price than Maison du Monde.
See, with that, you are up to date with the main marketplaces in Belgium. Whichever one you choose, we wish you well.
Need help getting started & optimizing your online marketplace activities? If so, please feel free to contact the Merkado team.