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BeCommerce and SafeShops.be announce their merger

 

The Belgian sector associations representing the interests of Belgian e-commerce announced today that they will join forces. The new organization will build on the efforts of both associations and aims to promote Belgian e-commerce in a safe, reliable & sustainable way.

 

The Belgian e-commerce sector has taken a strategic position in our society recently, due in part to the corona crisis. Online commerce is no longer a "trend," it has become a full-fledged, relevant part of the Belgian economy.

For years, sector associations BeCommerce and SafeShops.be have been building an environment in which online purchases of products and services can be made safely and reliably, both for the consumer, online customer and for the Belgian webshop. By uniting their forces, the needs of all online merchants, both large and small, can be met even better.

Jan Vereecke, President BeCommerce: "With the new association, we want to take the next step for the Belgian e-commerce sector. Together, we would like to build a broader vision in which the digital economy is provided every opportunity. Moreover, by bringing together the expertise of both BeCommerce and SafeShops.be, we are a strong partner to push - together with the government - for sustainable e-commerce."

The new association will focus on boosting the Belgian digital economy. On the one hand, by informing the online customer that digital commerce can be done in a safe, reliable & sustainable way. On the other hand, by providing web shops with a framework to go to the consumer or business customer in the "right" way.  

Greet Dekocker, Managing Partner SafeShops.be, will assume the day-to-day management of the new association. Jan Vereecke: "Greet knows the Belgian e-commerce sector like no other. We have full confidence that she will steer everything in the right direction and make it one great story."   

Greet Dekocker, Managing Partner SafeShops.be: "Together with the members of both SafeShops.be and BeCommerce - the coming weeks we will work on the design of the new association. This will consider the needs and requirements of the various member profiles. For example, starting online shops benefit more from a number of basic trainings and larger players or B2B online traders require more advice regarding e.g. sustainability or international trade. Differentiated service packages will be developed that respond to these needs and will allow both large and small online players to feel 'at home' in this new project."

The Belgian e-commerce sector, some 50,000 web shops, has become an integral part of our economy. They realize a turnover of 11.7 billion euros and account for more than 150 million transactions.

"These figures combined with the tremendous resilience and creativity that online merchants show every day indicate that a bright future awaits the industry. With the new merged association, we are going to support and guide them 100% in this." concludes Jan Vereecke.