Brussesl, September 29 2022 –  Belgians spent 7.22 billion euros online during the first half of 2022, an increase of 30% compared to the same period last year. This is according to the BeCommerce Market Monitor, a study conducted by GfK on behalf of BeCommerce and with the support of the National Lottery and FedEx. On average, Belgians spend 86.2 euros per online purchase. Half of these purchases are still made via Bancontact Online. Credit cards also remain popular. Although online shoppers still use the laptop most often to pay online, the smartphone as a device for online purchases has doubled in use for e-commerce in five years. "Our figures show that Belgians spent 30% more in the past six months compared to the same period last year," said Managing Director of BeCommerce Sofie Geeroms. "We notice that e-commerce is growing even in times of crisis. People may be looking for bargains, and they can be found online." 

Half of travel trips paid by credit card

Bancontact Online is the most widely used payment method. As many as half of purchases are made with Bancontact. The credit card also remains popular. Especially for expensive purchases such as travel (48%) and non-package airline & accommodation (53%), the credit card is most often used by Belgians. The other largest category in the service sector - attractions and events - is purchased via Bancontact Online, as is transportation. Besides the big three for online purchases: Bancontact Online (51%), credit card (17%) and PayPal (12%), the other means of payment are less present. Bank transfers for purchases online, appear to be quietly becoming a thing of the past. Only 3% of total purchases are still settled via bank statement. Klarna (2%) and the payment methods of Apple, Google and Samsung also remain less known. 

Smartphone increasingly popular for online purchases

Although online shoppers still use the laptop most often to pay online, the smartphone as a device for online purchases has become convenient and popular lately. The device was used for one-fourth of purchases, more than doubling from 2018. More than a third of online shoppers used their smartphone at least once for an online purchase. In comparison, the laptop accounted for 38% of all online purchases, the desktop for 21% of all online purchases.

Yet the Market Monitor shows that consumers choose their device according to their purchase. The laptop is used for more expensive purchases, with an average cost of 105 euros per online purchase. Also for travel (50%), national transportation (43%) and tickets for attractions and events (43%), the laptop is still most often used. For the smartphone, the average cost is 58 euros. The TV is not yet used for online shopping, except when it is a product logically linked to the TV such as "media & entertainment" or "gaming & gambling.

"It is clear that the improved usability of the smartphone and the emergence of various apps from online stores are also having their effect on consumer usage," according to Sofie Geeroms. "Going forward, we see that e-commerce is growing stronger and stronger and has become an established business."

About BeCommerce

BeCommerce is the Belgian non-profit organization that brings together companies active in digital commerce on the Belgian market. BeCommerce contributes to consumer confidence in e-commerce by providing a formal trustmark to webshops. Thanks to the certification, security scans, consumer ratings and reviews of e-commerce websites, BeCommerce helps build the growth of the sector.

BeCommerce also puts these objectives into practice through awareness, information, knowledge and research projects and the development of its own Trustmark code of conduct. Moreover, BeCommerce contributes to the creation of a favorable economic and political environment for the sector. In particular, it is working for the removal of any regulatory restriction that inhibits the competitiveness of digital commerce including distance selling and its further development in Belgium.

It counts among its members and partners mainly online stores and companies active in the e-commerce and distance selling sector, as well as companies providing services in logistics, payment and IT.

About the BeCommerce Market Monitor

The BeCommerce Market Monitor maps the overall Belgian e-commerce consumer market. The report is based on a unique combination of different data sources: continuous consumer data tracking, complemented by continuous Retail panels and additional consumer research among 4,000 consumers per quarter. Within the definition of the total online market, all personal and household consumer purchases are included. Ordered items that were returned and thus not purchased are also excluded from this report. Using the 20 identified market segments, a distinction is made between products and services.

B2C purchases of products and services are covered in the BeCommerce Market Monitor, regardless of where the product or service is purchased: at home, at work, on the road, on the high street or in store (online instore via a tablet or column). Figures include VAT.

BeCommerce is the commissioner of this large-scale study. The BeCommerce Market Monitor is conducted by GfK and made possible thanks to the National Lottery and FedEx.