In the first half of the year, consumers in the Netherlands spent more than 17 billion euros online. Compared to the same period last year, this represents a decline of 1 percent. Spending on services fell sharply, while spending on products increased slightly.
These data come from the latest Thuiswinkel Market Monitor, which provides an overview of online consumer purchases in the Netherlands. Earlier research by Thuiswinkel.org showed that online spending on services rose by 10 percent during 2024.
Consumers are spending less on services
This changed in the first quarter of 2025, when spending on products rose by 8 percent and spending on services fell by 2 percent. Looking at the first half of the year, spending on services fell by 7 percent compared to the same period in 2024. The number of purchases of services even fell by 12 percent.
This was mainly caused by a sharp decline in the Tickets for Attractions and Events category. Spending in that category fell by 16 percent, while the number of purchases decreased by 15 percent.
Product spending rises 3%
At the same time, consumers did spend more on products online. This is shown in the fact that online spending on products rose by 3 percent. The number of online purchases increased by 1 percent. The Home & Living category in particular saw strong online growth. Spending rose by 19 percent, while the number of online purchases increased by 7 percent.
‘Dutch consumers are spending less on experiences and more on products for the home’
“Consumers are spending less on experiences and more on products for the home again. During the coronavirus pandemic, Home & Living experienced a sharp peak, but growth failed to materialize afterwards. Because many products in this category are not replaced quickly, it may be that replacement purchases are now taking place, five years later. We are also seeing that furniture is increasingly being purchased online rather than in physical stores”, says Paul Nijhof, interim director of Thuiswinkel.org.
Increase in purchases from cross-border online stores
Cross-border spending by Dutch consumers totaled 2.3 billion euros in the first half of the year. Compared to the same period in 2024, this was a decrease of 1 percent. However, the number of cross-border purchases did grow, by 8 percent. In total, Dutch consumers made 21.6 million purchases from foreign online stores.
Dutch cross-border spending on services decreased 12%
In this segment of the ecommerce market, spending on services also fell, by no less than 12 percent. Spending on cross-border products rose by 13 percent. The number of purchases of services from foreign stores fell by 8 percent, while the number of purchases of products rose by 11 percent.
More frequent orders from Chinese online stores
Of all online purchases made abroad, 30 percent are completed at Chinese online stores. This amounts to 6.5 million purchases. In the first half of 2024, this figure was 5.9 million purchases. At the same time, spending at Chinese online stores is declining: from 248 million euros to 196 million euros.
United States and United Kingdom lose market share
It is also striking that Dutch consumers are ordering less frequently from online stores in the United Kingdom and the United States. They are also spending less there. Consumers bought fewer individual airline tickets and accommodations (a decline of 33 percent) and IT products (a decline of 47 percent) from American online stores. In the United Kingdom, Dutch consumers bought fewer telecommunications products (a decline of 69 percent) and tickets for attractions and events (a decline of 39 percent).
Use of iDEAL declines
In the first half of 2025, 40 percent of all online purchases were made via a smartphone. This means that the share of desktops and laptops is falling to 46 percent. Consumers spend less per order on average via their smartphones, namely 79 euros. On laptops, the average is 122 euros.
It is also striking that the use of iDEAL, a local online payment method, for online purchases is declining. In the first six months of 2024, it was still used for 73 percent of purchases. This year, the share is 70 percent. The share of Klarna, on the other hand, rose from 3 to 4 percent. Other payment methods are therefore being used more often this year.