2. About BeCommerce
Belgian Distance Selling Organisation
BeCommerce is the Belgian association for companies active in distance selling, both
online (via all forms of e-commerce) and offline (via catalog, direct mail, phone, SMS, TV,
etc.). Through awareness raising, information, promotion, certification of e-commerce sites
through a quality label and its own code of conduct, BeCommerce encourages the further
growth of the eCommerce sector and the strengthening of consumer confidence in distance
selling. BeCommerce counts today 258 e-tailers and 31 business partners.
More info: www.becommerce.be

3. Patricia Ceysens
President of the Board of Directors
In March 2013 BeCommerce ran a major member survey into the current situation
of e-commerce in Belgium and distance seller expectations for 2013. Focusing on
the expected growth of the industry, most sold products online, logistical services,
payment methods and new this year, mobile commerce.
I’m glad to announce that the Belgian e-commerce market is catching up with their
neighbours. But there is still much room for improvement and expansion. And this
is exactly where BeCommerce and its partners will provide the necessary support
and knowledge.
Patricia Ceysens,
President of the Board of Directors

4. Introduction
About the study
Aim of the study
Study of the current situation in the online distance selling market in Belgium as well as expectations and
trends
Method
o Respondents from BeCommerce database (approximately 550 contacts)
o Target group: Belgian organizations with distance selling activities
o Fieldwork: 25 February – 4 March 2013

5. 67%
Independent Belgian company
Legal profile
Subsidiary of Belgian company
0%
33%
Subsidiary of foreign company
Only distance sales
Type of sales
50%
Both distance selling and traditional
50%
44%
Online-only sales
Type of distance
sales
56%
Online marketing and offline marketing
Exclusively offline sales
0%
56%
B2C or C2C
Target customers
B2B
0%
44%
Both consumers and businesses
33%
1-5
Distance sales staff
56%
6 - 50
50 +
11%

6. Introduction
About the study
General remarks concerning the research
o The figures in this report are based on an online questionnaire about figures 2012 &
expectations 2013, conducted in February - March 2013 during 1 week with all the
BeCommerce members
o Sectors NOT included in this research:
o Tourism: travelling, airplane tickets, train tickets, …
o Financial sector: stocks, bonds, insurances, …
o The figures relate to sales B2C, not including sales B2B
o The figures relate to the sales results of Belgian companies, they are not consumer
figures (consumers buy on Belgian and foreign e-shops)
o Yearly survey

7. Distance Selling Profiles
Belgian Company vs. Foreign company
33%
68%
70%
66%
57%
47%
0%
2%
5%
6%
4%
26%
26%
2007
2008
67%
2%
51%
32%
2009
An independent Belgian company
A branch / subsidiary of a foreign mother company
38%
2010
2011
A branch / subsidiary of a Belgian mother company
2012

8. Distance Selling Profiles
Distance Sales vs. Traditional Sales
32%
68%
2007
30%
70%
2008
Only distance sales
40%
60%
2009
46%
54%
2010
51%
50%
49%
50%
2011
2012
Both traditional and distance selling

9. Distance Selling Profiles
Pure Player vs. Multichannel Player
53%
36%
2007
70%
30%
2008
55%
56%
47%
64%
45%
44%
2010
2011
2012
66%
34%
2009
Pure Player (only online sales)
Multichannel player (online & offline sales)

10. Distance Selling Profiles
Share of distance selling in total turnover
The share of the distance selling in total business
turnover is higher in the last three years.
66,1
58,1
60,4
52,9
41,0
24,2
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012

11. Distance Selling Profiles
B2C vs. B2B
32%
44%
43%
43%
51%
44%
6%
6%
13%
2%
62%
50%
2007
57%
44%
2008
2009
2010
Only consumers (B2C & C2C)
Only businesses (B2B)
47%
2011
Both consumers and business
56%
2012

12. Distance Selling Profiles
Share of B2C in total turnover
86,9
78,9
72,6
71,5
56,6
2007
53,0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012

13. Distance Selling Profiles
Business export
Single response
15%
28%
Multiple response
7%
73%
9%
60%
20%
50%
38%
19%
45%
32%
35%
13%
24%
19%
11%
47%
40%
9%
22% 22%
6%
30%
2010
2007
2008
Belgium only
2011
2009
The Western European Countries
Europe
Worldwide
2012

14. Distance Selling Profiles
Worldwide business export increases
10,6
13,3
8,3
Business export
1,0
9,6
1,4
9,2
22,2
8,3
16,1
22,7
35,0
41,7
31,7
5,6
44,2
22,0
20,0
66,7
41,7
2007
31,7
2008
Belgium only
41,7
2009
50,0
45,3
2010
The Western European Countries
2011
Europe
Worldwide
2012

15. Payment methods
Pure players
86%
Visa, Master card
American Express
57%
34%
JCB
14%
4%
Diners
0%
Airplus
0%
UATP
96%
0%
9%
57%
57%
Maestro
71%
Bancontact/Mister Cash
KBC/CBC Online
0%
Belfius Direct Net
0%
38%
43%
14%
ING Home' Pay
79%
40%
IDEAL
43%
40%
PayPal
43%
40%
PingPing
Paysafecard
Cash Ticket
0%
2%
0%
0%
2%
2012
2011

16. Payment methods
All distance sellers
94%
95%
Visa, Master card
American Express
50%
33%
6%
5%
JCB
Diners
0%
Airplus
0%
0%
UATP
0%
0%
10%
61%
57%
Maestro
83%
81%
Bancontact/Mister Cash
KBC/CBC Online
29%
22%
Belfius Direct Net
ING Home' Pay
24%
33%
33%
39%
39%
IDEAL
PayPal
62%
52%
PingPing
0%
0%
Paysafecard
0%
0%
Cash Ticket
0%
0%
61%
2012
2011

17. Payment methods
Average amount per order
5%
9%
25%
25%
19%
22%
19%
27%
16%
11%
20%
22%
27%
19%
23%
28%
8%
35%
16%
22%
36%
19%
17%
19%
10%
11%
18%
6%
6%
5%
5%
2008
2009
n.a.
< 15€
15€ - 30€
31€ - 50€
51€ - 100€
4%
7%
4%
2010
5%
2%
2007
3%
8%
2011
101€ - 200€
201€ - 500€
6%
11%
2012
> 500€

18. Payment methods
Share of distance selling in business turnover
13%
20%
9%
22%
13%
13%
20%
13%
6%
16%
14%
14%
21%
17%
11%
4%
15%
22%
20%
5%
35%
9%
13%
11%
7%
5%
5%
13%
16%
2007
2008
2009
6%
3%
I prefer not to answer
1.000.000€ - 5.000.000€
< 50.000€
5.000.000€ - 10.000.000€
17%
2%
5%
5%
19%
11%
2%
7%
9%
15%
16%
6%
24%
33%
19%
2010
2011
50.000€ - 125.000€
10.000.000€ - 25.000.000€
125.000€ - 500.000€
> 25.000.000€
2012
500.000€ - 1.000.000€

19. Payment methods
Number of transactions in relation to orders
9%
3%
6%
6%
3%
22%
8%
14%
25%
5%
10%
5%
5%
7%
5%
5%
I prefer not to answer
2008
< 500
11%
8%
17%
19%
2009
500 – 1.000
17%
30%
23%
6%
11%
2%
6%
10%
2007
11%
43%
50%
16%
33%
13%
44%
32%
39%
2010
1.000 – 5.000
5.000 – 10.000
22%
2011
2012
10.000 – 25.000
> 25.000

20. Payment methods
Number of transactions in relation to parcels
50%
38%
43%
8%
3%
5%
3%
5%
5%
13%
9%
3%
3%
15%
11%
7%
2%
9%
5%
10%
2007
I prefer not to answer
15%
2008
< 500
11%
11%
19%
2%
12%
11%
17%
11%
38%
5%
25%
28%
9%
47%
28%
23%
19%
2009
500 – 1.000
2010
1.000 – 5.000
5.000 – 10.000
22%
2011
2012
10.000 – 25.000
> 25.000

21. Payment methods
Online transactions
21%
20%
I prefer not to answer
32%
29%
> 25.000
16%
13%
10.000 – 25.000
10%
11%
5.000 – 10.000
1.000 – 5.000
500 – 1.000
< 500
5%
18%
Less online transactions between 500 and
5000 transactions in 2012
2%
16%
7%
in 2012
in 2011

22. Payment methods
Number of transactions
2%
9%
5%
16%
15%
6%
3%
3%
9%
5%
11%
10%
19%
14%
10%
3%
3%
3%
4%
6%
2%
2%
2%
11%
5%
5%
5%
11%
5%
24%
11%
11%
11%
15%
30%
28%
47%
41%
25%
25%
24%
15%
I prefer not to answer
< 2%
14%
2008
2007
2009
3% – 5%
63%
6% – 10%
11% – 15%
13%
2010
16% – 20%
2011
21% – 30%
31% – 40%
2012
41% – 50%
> 50%

23. Payment methods
Online sales
72%
65%
Number of transactions
68%
70%
83%
9%
25%
3%
9%
5%
16%
5%
5%
18%
expectations 2008
expectations 2009
expectations 2010
Not applicable
Will fall
90%
11%
5%
14%
expectations 2011
Will remain identical
11%
4%
2%
5%
5%
expectations 2012
expectations 2013
Will increase

24. Payment methods
Sales via catalogue
9%
5%
10%
Number of transactions
5%
16%
22%
9%
59%
expectations 2008
19%
5%
35%
16%
11%
15%
26%
9%
13%
26%
63%
65%
63%
50%
expectations 2009
Not applicable
48%
expectations 2010
Will fall
expectations 2011
Will remain identical
expectations 2012
Will increase
expectations 2013

25. Payment methods
Sales via telephone/fax/SMS/email
9%
5%
14%
40%
34%
44%
Number of transactions
19%
19%
16%
16%
17%
21%
5%
15%
6%
15%
26%
11%
60%
41%
40%
expectations 2008
expectations 2009
expectations 2010
49%
41%
Not applicable
Will fall
37%
expectations 2011
Will remain identical
expectations 2012
Will increase
expectations 2013

26. Delivery methods
Delivery to the end user
73%
65% 65% 63%
60%
55%
46% 45%
38% 37%
42%
38%
35%
32%
30%
34%
23%
20% 19%
16%
16%
11%
16%
10%9%
9%10%
3%
Via postal services
2008
Courier (e.g. UPS, TNT, Through pick-up points
DHL, …)
(e.g. Kiala, …)
2009
2010
2011
2012
Through a private
transport service
Other
None of those

27. Delivery methods
58%
Bpost
Kiala
26%
TNT PostPakketService
64%
37%
21%
21%
DPD
Logistics service providers
21%
19%
UPS
16%
Other
10%
DHL
Bpost is still most used service provider
21%
15%
10%
13%
Mondial Relay
Fedex
0%
Fiege
0%
Katoen Natie
21%
9%
0%
2%
6%
6%
2012
2011

28. Delivery methods
Time slot delivery
63%
None of the above
75%
21%
Via Delivery at Home
16%
Via Pick-up points
13%
Via locker network
0%
2%
2012
2011

29. Communication mix
All distance sellers
11%
5%
11%
11%
26%
52%
16%
10%
11%
16%
74%
16%
11%
11%
58%
42%
5%
21%
16%
52%
21%
26%
21%
32%
26%
32%
32%
5%
11%
Direct mail
(via e-mail)
Not applicable
11%
5%
Internet
banners
21%
11%
26%
16%
37%
Direct mail
(via post)
11%
5%
5%
11%
11%
31%
32%
Price
comparison
sites
Other (e.g.
offline
advertising)
15%
5%
Search engine Search engine
optimization advertisement
(SEO)
(SEA)
Not very important
36%
31%
Not important
Radio
TV
Neutral
Affiliate
Marketing
Important
Very important

30. Communication mix
All distance sellers
Direct mail (via post)
Direct mail (via e-mail)
Internet banners
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Search engine advertisement (SEA)
Radio
TV
Affiliate Marketing
Price comparison sites
Other (e.g. offline advertising)
2008
0%
86%
29%
100%
71%
29%
2009
13%
60%
27%
80%
67%
47%
2010
12%
82%
53%
88%
88%
24%
18%
59%
53%
41%
2011
5%
86%
33%
91%
81%
0%
5%
52%
33%
10%
2012
10%
84%
53%
89%
84%
11%
16%
63%
16%
5%

31. Communication mix
The importance of social media keeps growing
All distance sellers
5%
16%
32%
37%
42%
37%
21%
26%
16%
11%
26%
16%
11%
16%
37%
11%
21%
11%
11%
Facebook
Twitter
Not applicable
Not very important
Pinterest
Not important
Neutral
Other
Important
Very important

32. Communication mix
26% of all distance sellers are engaged in
Facebook commerce
All distance sellers
26%
74%
Yes
No

33. Opinions of the Belgian distant sellers
The Belgian distance selling market will continue to grow in the next 2 years
63%
60%
73%
64%
67%
84%
22%
25%
22%
9%
3%
3%
2007
No opinion
15%
24%
34%
16%
5%
2008
Completely disagree
3%
3%
3%
2%
2009
2010
2011
Rather disagree
Neutral
Rather agree
Completely agree
2012

34. Opinions of the Belgian distant sellers
The competition with foreign distance selling companies will increase in the next 2 years
45%
49%
59%
69%
63%
63%
35%
25%
16%
9%
20%
2007
No opinion
27%
32%
5%
2%
3%
3%
9%
40%
2008
Completely disagree
5%
5%
9%
2%
5%
2009
2010
2011
2012
Rather disagree
Neutral
Rather agree
Completely agree

35. Opinions of the Belgian distant sellers
The internet will maybe become the main ordering method in the next 2 years
28%
23%
30%
40%
21%
45%
23%
31%
48%
38%
20%
22%
25%
16%
20%
5%
14%
22%
19%
20%
6%
2007
No opinion
Completely disagree
26%
11%
5%
2008
32%
5%
2009
2010
Rather disagree
Neutral
5%
2011
Rather agree
Completely agree
2012

36. Opinions of the Belgian distant sellers
It is important for an e-commerce website to be certified by an independent institution
45%
63%
32%
40%
42%
55%
38%
35%
35%
30%
16%
19%
10%
3%
5%
5%
9%
2%
2%
2%
2007
2008
2009
No opinion
21%
Completely disagree
Rather disagree
24%
19%
32%
3%
3%
2%
4%
5%
2010
2011
2012
Neutral
Rather agree
Completely agree

37. Opinions of the Belgian distant sellers
The Belgian legislation prevents the growth of my distance selling activities
25%
20%
11%
11%
25%
5%
21%
21%
27%
30%
31%
32%
31%
32%
25%
13%
43%
21%
34%
10%
28%
20%
5%
11%
14%
6%
3%
10%
5%
5%
5%
4%
4%
11%
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
No opinion
Completely disagree
Rather disagree
Neutral
Rather agree
Completely agree

38. Top products
Clothing
Home décor
Toys
Other
Books
Hardware & Software
Digital cameras
Fashion accessories
Beauty products
CDs
Garden supplies
Games
Kitchen appliances
DVDs/BluRays
MP-3
Navigation
Phones
Stereo's
TVs
Health products
Office supplies
Vacuums
Magazines
Food and drink
Tourism including airline tickets
DIY
Isolation
Tickets for concerts
Tickets for sporting events
Theatre tickets
0%
0%
0%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
10%
16%
16%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
21%
27%
26%
26%
26%
37%
36%
32%
2012

39. Other
9%
22%
6%
Financal services and products
Year over year
25%
11%
13%
5%
0%
Top products
28%
16%
11%
14%
11%
15%
9%
Office supllies and furniture
Home en garden supplies
15%
36%
36%
19%
21%
20%
Health and beauty products
54%
38%
30%
13%
34%
36%
Clothing, Fashion accessories
41%
34%
31%
Entertainment (books, CDs, DVDs,
games, magazines, Toys)
25%
Electronics
25%
28%
Hardware & software
16%
9%
Food and drink
Tickets for evetns
Tourism including airline tickets
4%
5%
2%
0%
0%
20%
20%
TOP 5 is:
(1) Electronics
(2) Home & garden
(3) Clothing
(4) Entertainment
(5) Hard & software
46%
45%
49%
40%
38%
36%
35%
46%
35%
11%
13%
8%
3%
6%
8%
4%
5%
6%
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

40. Mobile commerce
Engaged in mobile commerce?
2012
When are you planning to start with
mobile selling?
58%
< 3 months
85%
< 6 months
< 9 months
42%
15%
2011
3%
0%
9%
8%
9%
5%
27%
< 1 year
Yes
No
2012
> 1 year
Mobile commerce in
2012 is almost 3 times
more used than in 2011
No plans to start
with mobile
selling
18%
28%
36%
48%
2012
2011

41. Mobile commerce
Reasons not to start with m-commerce
45%
Other priorities
55%
18%
No particular reason
13%
Non-users mainly still
have other priorities
9%
Too early
9%
Too expensive
Other
3%
0%
2012
13%
2011

42. Mobile commerce
Mobile application vs. mobile website
86%
88%
38%
29%
Mobile application
Mobile website
2011
2012

43. Mobile commerce
Supported Operating Systems for mobile applications
75%
iOS (Apple)
100%
38%
Android
50%
13%
Other
Sybian
50%
0%
0%
Windows
0%
0%
Blackberry OS
0%
0%
Bada
When distance sellers
are engaged in mobile
commerce via a mobile
application, iOS from
Apple is mostly
supported.
0%
0%
2012
2011

44. Mobile commerce
Top products
Clothing
Fashion accessories
Toys
Beauty products
Home decoration
Hardware & software
Health products
Digital cameras
Games
Garden supplies
MP3 players
Navigation
Phones
Stereo’s
Tv's
Tourism including airline tickets
Books
CDs
DVD / Bluray
Kitchen appliances
Office supplies
Vacuums
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
38%
38%
38%
38%
38%
50%

45. Mobile commerce
Reason to start with mobile commerce
75%
To provide an additional
service to our customers
43%
50%
To generate additional ebusiness
71%
We wanted to prove real
added value to our
customers
We wanted to be the first
on the market (innovation)
To provide a gaming
application to our
customers
25%
43%
0%
14%
0%
0%
2012
2011

46. Mobile commerce
Internal vs. external IT development
25%
IT development & Results
Results of M-commerce are satisfying
57%
25%
75%
Mobile commerce gets
more and more
satisfaction among the
webshops
43%
43%
Internal IT
development
75%
57%
2011
External IT
development
2012
Yes
2011
No
2012

47. Employment
2009
2010
2011
Number of people per company active in distance selling
2012
43%
37%
27%
26%
22% 21%
21%
21%
16%
13% 12%
11%
14%
11%
11%
7%
9%
5%
11%
7%
9%
7%
4%
3%
0%
5%
5%
0%
1
2 TO 5
6 TO 10
11 TO 20
21 TO 50
51 TO 100
101 TO 250
3%
2% 2%
0%
251 TO 500
5% 5%
4%
0%
> 500

48. Employment
Needed profiles
2010
2011
2012
70%
63% of the distance
sellers has plans to hire
new employees this year,
mainly online marketers.
60%
49%
41%
32%
32%
27%
26%
19%
19%
11%
11%
5%
4%
0%
IT specialists
Online marketers
Logistics operators
Photographers
Others