BeCommerce Figures and Trends 2013

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%


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


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%




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%



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


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%


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%


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


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


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


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


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%


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


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%

BeCommerce Figures and Trends 2013

Business

Transcript of BeCommerce Figures and Trends 2013