becommerce figures and trends 2013
TRANSCRIPT
About BeCommerce
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
Belgian Distance Selling Organisation
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
Patricia CeysensPresident of the Board of Directors
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
IntroductionAbout the study
67%
0%
33%
50%
50%
44%
56%
0%
56%
0%
44%
33%
56%
11%
Independent Belgian company
Subsidiary of Belgian company
Subsidiary of foreign company
Only distance sales
Both distance selling and traditional
Online-only sales
Online marketing and offline marketing
Exclusively offline sales
B2C or C2C
B2B
Both consumers and businesses
1 - 5
6 - 50
50 +
Legal profile
Target customers
Type of distance
sales
Type of sales
Distance sales staff
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
IntroductionAbout the study
26% 26%32%
38%
51%
67%6% 4%
2%
5%
2%
0%68% 70% 66%57%
47%
33%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
An independent Belgian company A branch / subsidiary of a Belgian mother company
A branch / subsidiary of a foreign mother company
Distance Selling ProfilesBelgian Company vs. Foreign company
Distance Selling ProfilesDistance Sales vs. Traditional Sales
68% 70%60%
54%49% 50%
32% 30%40%
46%51% 50%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Only distance sales Both traditional and distance selling
Distance Selling ProfilesPure Player vs. Multichannel Player
36%30% 34%
47% 45% 44%
64%70% 66%
53% 55% 56%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Pure Player (only online sales) Multichannel player (online & offline sales)
Distance Selling ProfilesShare of distance selling in total turnover
41,0
52,9
24,2
66,1
58,160,4
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The share of the distance selling in total business
turnover is higher in the last three years.
Distance Selling ProfilesB2C vs. B2B
50%44%
62%57%
47%56%
6%13%
6%
2%
44% 43%
32%
43%51%
44%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Only consumers (B2C & C2C) Only businesses (B2B) Both consumers and business
Distance Selling ProfilesShare of B2C in total turnover
56,653,0
71,5
86,9
72,6
78,9
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Distance Selling ProfilesBusiness export
40%
30%
47%
13% 35%
38%19%
20%
9%28%
15%7%
2007 2008 2009
Belgium only The Western European Countries Europe Worldwide
73%
45%
50%
60%
32%
22%24%
19%
6%
11%9%
22%
2010 2011 2012
Single response Multiple response
Distance Selling ProfilesBusiness export
41,731,7
41,7 45,3
66,7
50,0
31,7
20,0
41,744,2
22,7
22,0
16,1
35,0
8,3
9,2 9,6
5,6
10,6 13,38,3
1,4 1,0
22,2
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Belgium only The Western European Countries Europe Worldwide
Worldwide business export increases
Payment methodsPure players
2%
0%
2%
40%
40%
40%
43%
38%
79%
57%
0%
0%
9%
4%
34%
96%
0%
0%
43%
43%
14%
0%
0%
71%
57%
0%
14%
57%
86%
Cash Ticket
Paysafecard
PingPing
PayPal
IDEAL
ING Home' Pay
Belfius Direct Net
KBC/CBC Online
Bancontact/Mister Cash
Maestro
UATP
Airplus
Diners
JCB
American Express
Visa, Master card
2012 2011
Payment methodsAll distance sellers
0%
0%
0%
52%
62%
24%
33%
29%
81%
57%
0%
0%
10%
5%
33%
95%
0%
0%
0%
61%
39%
39%
22%
33%
83%
61%
0%
0%
0%
6%
50%
94%
Cash Ticket
Paysafecard
PingPing
PayPal
IDEAL
ING Home' Pay
Belfius Direct Net
KBC/CBC Online
Bancontact/Mister Cash
Maestro
UATP
Airplus
Diners
JCB
American Express
Visa, Master card
2012 2011
Payment methodsAverage amount per order
6% 5% 2%8% 4%
11%3%6%
5%5%
11%
7%
6%
19%
10% 18%
19%
4%
17%
28%
35%16%
8%
36%
22%
16%20%
23%
27% 19%
22%
25% 25%
27%
19%
19%
22%
9% 5% 11%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
n.a. < 15€ 15€ - 30€ 31€ - 50€ 51€ - 100€ 101€ - 200€ 201€ - 500€ > 500€
Payment methodsShare of distance selling in business turnover
13% 15% 16%24%
19%
33%3%
5%9%
7%
11%
7% 2%
5%
6%
16%19%
5%
13%
5%
9%
5%2%
17%
22%35%
20% 11%
15%
17%
22% 13%14%
4%
9%
20%
13% 14%11%
13%20%
13% 16%21%
6%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
I prefer not to answer < 50.000€ 50.000€ - 125.000€ 125.000€ - 500.000€ 500.000€ - 1.000.000€
1.000.000€ - 5.000.000€ 5.000.000€ - 10.000.000€ 10.000.000€ - 25.000.000€ > 25.000.000€
6%
Payment methodsNumber of transactions in relation to orders
22%
10%
23%30%
19% 22%
3%7%
6%
17%6%
10%
5% 5%
2%
6%
5%
5% 5% 17%
11%
3%
14% 8%
11%6%
16%
25%
9%8%
13% 11%
44%50%
39%43%
32% 33%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
I prefer not to answer < 500 500 – 1.000 1.000 – 5.000 5.000 – 10.000 10.000 – 25.000 > 25.000
Payment methodsNumber of transactions in relation to parcels
25%
15%23%
38%
19% 22%
3%
5%
9%
5%
12%11%3%
10%
2%
3%
2%9% 7%
5%
19% 17%
5%
11%
3%
11%11%
13%15%
5%8%
9% 11%
47% 50%43%
38%28% 28%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
I prefer not to answer < 500 500 – 1.000 1.000 – 5.000 5.000 – 10.000 10.000 – 25.000 > 25.000
Payment methodsOnline transactions
7%
2%
18%
11%
13%
29%
20%
16%
5%
10%
16%
32%
21%
< 500
500 – 1.000
1.000 – 5.000
5.000 – 10.000
10.000 – 25.000
> 25.000
I prefer not to answer
in 2012 in 2011
Less online transactions between 500 and
5000 transactions in 2012
Payment methodsNumber of transactions
25%
15% 14%
24%
13%
28%
25%
41%
30%47%
63%
19%
15%
14% 11%
24%11%
3%
10%
11%11%
2%
5%3%
10%
5%
2%11%
6%5%
9%11% 2%
5%16%15%
9% 3% 6%
5%5% 2% 4%3%3%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
I prefer not to answer < 2% 3% – 5% 6% – 10% 11% – 15% 16% – 20% 21% – 30% 31% – 40% 41% – 50% > 50%
Payment methodsNumber of transactions
16%
5%
18%14%
2% 5%
3%
5%
5%5%
4%
9% 25%9%
11%
11%5%
72%65% 68% 70%
83%90%
expectations 2008 expectations 2009 expectations 2010 expectations 2011 expectations 2012 expectations 2013
Not applicable Will fall Will remain identical Will increase
Online sales
Payment methodsNumber of transactions
Sales via catalogue
59%50%
63% 65% 63%
48%
9%35%
16% 11% 13%
26%
22%
10%16%
5%9%
26%
9%5% 5%
19%15%
expectations 2008 expectations 2009 expectations 2010 expectations 2011 expectations 2012 expectations 2013
Not applicable Will fall Will remain identical Will increase
Payment methodsNumber of transactions
Sales via telephone/fax/SMS/email
41% 40% 41%
60%
49%
37%
6%15% 11%
5%
15%
26%
44%
40%
34%16% 17% 21%
9%5%
14%19% 19% 16%
expectations 2008 expectations 2009 expectations 2010 expectations 2011 expectations 2012 expectations 2013
Not applicable Will fall Will remain identical Will increase
Delivery methodsDelivery to the end user
65%
55%
35%
20%
10%
73%
46%
30%
23%
9%
65%
38% 38%
19%16%
60%
45%
32%34%
11%9%
63%
37%
42%
16% 16%
10%
Via postal services Courier (e.g. UPS, TNT,
DHL, …)
Through pick-up points
(e.g. Kiala, …)
Through a private
transport service
Other None of those
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
3%
Delivery methodsLogistics service providers
2%
6%
6%
13%
15%
21%
9%
19%
21%
26%
64%
0%
0%
0%
10%
10%
16%
21%
21%
21%
37%
58%
Katoen Natie
Fiege
Fedex
Mondial Relay
DHL
Other
UPS
DPD
TNT PostPakketService
Kiala
Bpost
2012 2011
Bpost is still most used service provider
Delivery methodsTime slot delivery
2%
13%
75%
0%
16%
21%
63%
Via locker network
Via Pick-up points
Via Delivery at Home
None of the above
2012 2011
Communication mixAll distance sellers
37%
11%5% 5%
31%36%
15%
31% 32%
21%
11%
26%
26%
21%
32%
5%
16%11%
11%
21%
10%16%
5%
32%
5%11%
16%11%
11%
11%
21%
32%
42%
16%
26%
11%
11%
52%
16%
5%
26%
52%
11%
74%
58%
5%11%
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)
Not applicable Not very important Not important Neutral Important Very important
Communication mixAll distance sellers
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Directmail(viapost) 0% 13% 12% 5% 10%
Directmail(viae-mail) 86% 60% 82% 86% 84%
Internetbanners 29% 27% 53% 33% 53%
Searchengineoptimization(SEO) 100% 80% 88% 91% 89%
Searchengineadvertisement(SEA) 71% 67% 88% 81% 84%
Radio - - 24% 0% 11%
TV - - 18% 5% 16%
AffiliateMarketing - - 59% 52% 63%
Pricecomparisonsites - - 53% 33% 16%
Other(e.g.offlineadvertising) 29% 47% 41% 10% 5%
Communication mixAll distance sellers
11%
21%
37%
11%
11%
16%
11%
11%
16%
16%
21%
26%
26%
42%
32%
37%
37%
16%
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Other
Not applicable Not very important Not important Neutral Important Very important
The importance of social media keeps growing
5%
Communication mixAll distance sellers
26% of all distance sellers are engaged in
Facebook commerce
26%
74%
Yes No
Opinions of the Belgian distant sellersThe Belgian distance selling market will continue to grow in the next 2 years
3%3%3% 3%
9%15%
5%3%
2%
22% 25%
22%24% 34%
16%
63% 60%
73%67% 64%
84%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
No opinion Completely disagree Rather disagree Neutral Rather agree Completely agree
Opinions of the Belgian distant sellersThe competition with foreign distance selling companies will increase in the next 2 years
2% 5%3%3% 5%
2%
9% 20% 9%5% 9%
5%
16%
35%
25%27%
40%
32%
69%
45%
59% 63%
49%
63%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
No opinion Completely disagree Rather disagree Neutral Rather agree Completely agree
Opinions of the Belgian distant sellersThe internet will maybe become the main ordering method in the next 2 years
5%6% 5% 5%
19%
20% 11%
22% 32%26%
16%20%
14%
5%
22%
48%31%
20%
25%
38%
23%
21%28%
40%45%
30%23%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
No opinion Completely disagree Rather disagree Neutral Rather agree Completely agree
Opinions of the Belgian distant sellersIt is important for an e-commerce website to be certified by an independent institution
5% 2% 3%3%
5%2% 3% 4%2% 2%
19%10%
9%19%
24%32%
16%
35%
30%
35%
38% 21%
63%
45%55%
40%32%
42%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
No opinion Completely disagree Rather disagree Neutral Rather agree Completely agree
5%
Opinions of the Belgian distant sellersThe Belgian legislation prevents the growth of my distance selling activities
10%5% 5% 4%
11%3%
5%
5% 4%
11%
6%
10% 20%
14%
28%
21%
34%
25% 13%43%
32%
31%31%
30%
32%
27%21%
21%25%
20%25%
11% 11%5%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
No opinion Completely disagree Rather disagree Neutral Rather agree Completely agree
Top products2012
0%0%0%
5%5%5%5%5%
10%16%16%
21%21%21%21%21%21%21%21%21%21%21%21%
26%26%26%27%
32%36%37%
Theatre tickets
Tickets for sporting events
Tickets for concerts
Isolation
DIY
Tourism including airline tickets
Food and drink
Magazines
Vacuums
Office supplies
Health products
TVs
Stereo's
Phones
Navigation
MP-3
DVDs/BluRays
Kitchen appliances
Games
Garden supplies
CDs
Beauty products
Fashion accessories
Digital cameras
Hardware & Software
Books
Other
Toys
Home décor
Clothing
Top productsYear over year
6%
3%
13%
16%
25%
25%
41%
13%
19%
9%
0%
22%
5%
0%
5%
20%
35%
40%
45%
30%
15%
15%
5%
25%
4%
0%
4%
20%
36%
31%
36%
20%
36%
11%
13%
9%
8%
8%
11%
35%
46%
49%
46%
38%
54%
14%
11%
16%
6%
2%
9%
28%
38%
34%
34%
21%
36%
11%
6%
28%
Tourism including airline tickets
Tickets for evetns
Food and drink
Hardware & software
Electronics
Entertainment (books, CDs, DVDs,
games, magazines, Toys)
Clothing, Fashion accessories
Health and beauty products
Home en garden supplies
Office supllies and furniture
Financal services and products
Other
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008
TOP 5 is:
(1) Electronics
(2) Home & garden
(3) Clothing
(4) Entertainment
(5) Hard & software
Mobile commerce2012Engaged in mobile commerce?
Mobile commerce in
2012 is almost 3 times
more used than in 2011
15%
42%
85%
58%
2011 2012Yes No
When are you planning to start with
mobile selling?
48%
28%
5%
8%
3%
36%
18%
27%
9%
0%
9%
No plans to start
with mobile
selling
> 1 year
< 1 year
< 9 months
< 6 months
< 3 months
2012 2011
Mobile commerceReasons not to start with m-commerce
Non-users mainly still
have other priorities
13%
3%
13%
55%
0%
9%
9%
18%
45%
Other
Too expensive
Too early
No particular reason
Other priorities
2012 2011
Mobile commerceMobile application vs. mobile website
29%
86%
38%
88%
Mobile application Mobile website
2011 2012
Mobile commerceSupported Operating Systems for mobile applications
When distance sellers
are engaged in mobile
commerce via a mobile
application, iOS from
Apple is mostly
supported.
0%
0%
0%
0%
50%
50%
100%
0%
0%
0%
0%
13%
38%
75%
Bada
Blackberry OS
Windows
Sybian
Other
Android
iOS (Apple)
2012 2011
Mobile commerceTop products
13%13%13%13%13%13%13%
25%25%25%25%25%25%25%25%25%
38%38%38%38%38%
50%
Vacuums
Office supplies
Kitchen appliances
DVD / Bluray
CDs
Books
Tourism including airline tickets
Tv's
Stereo’s
Phones
Navigation
MP3 players
Garden supplies
Games
Digital cameras
Health products
Hardware & software
Home decoration
Beauty products
Toys
Fashion accessories
Clothing
Mobile commerceReason to start with mobile commerce
0%
14%
43%
71%
43%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
To provide a gaming
application to our
customers
We wanted to be the first
on the market (innovation)
We wanted to prove real
added value to our
customers
To generate additional e-
business
To provide an additional
service to our customers
2012 2011
Mobile commerceIT development & ResultsInternal vs. external IT development
Results of M-commerce are satisfying
43%
75%
57%
25%
2011 2012
Internal IT
development
External IT
development
57%
75%
43%
25%
2011 2012
Yes No
Mobile commerce gets
more and more
satisfaction among the
webshops
13%
27%
11%
22%
9%
4%7%
2%4%
0%
43%
11%
5%
16%
3%
14%
3%5%
12%
37%
7%
21%
7%9%
5%
2%0%
11%
21%
26%
21%
11%
0%
5%
0%
5%
1 2 TO 5 6 TO 10 11 TO 20 21 TO 50 51 TO 100 101 TO 250 251 TO 500 > 500
2009 2010 2011 2012
EmploymentNumber of people per company active in distance selling
EmploymentNeeded profiles
32%
49%
19%
5%
27%
41%
70%
26%
4%
19%
IT specialists Online marketers Logistics operators Photographers Others
2010 2011 2012
63% of the distance
sellers has plans to hire
new employees this year,
mainly online marketers.
32%
60%
11%
0%
11%