{"id":9704,"date":"2024-07-15T10:55:50","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T08:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eurotext.de\/en\/?p=9704"},"modified":"2025-01-30T11:56:22","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T10:56:22","slug":"fashion-e-commerce-in-belgium-facing-up-to-the-gray-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eurotext.de\/en\/blog\/fashion-e-commerce-in-belgium-facing-up-to-the-gray-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Fashion e-commerce in Belgium: facing up to the gray market"},"content":{"rendered":"

The availability and affordability of broadband and cable access for high-speed internet in Belgium have facilitated the growth of digital penetration throughout the country and with it the fashion e-commerce market. Let’s take a closer look at what Belgian online shoppers have come to expect, where there may be pitfalls for new online shops, and how to avoid drift-off into the gray market.<\/p>\n

Belgians are tech-savvy, discerning customers who expect a high standard of service when buying online. 56% of Belgian online shoppers buy their goods abroad – mostly from the Netherlands, China, the UK<\/a>, Germany<\/a>, France<\/a>, and the US<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When looking for specific products, 22% of Belgian consumers start their search on Google or Bing. 15% go directly to a large online marketplace and search there. The Number One online fashion retailer in Belgium is Zalando, closely followed by Vinted and Shein.\u00a0 11% of Belgian online shoppers will visit multiple online shops in search of that elusive best offer. Interestingly, about one in four online shoppers start their journey in physical stores and only go online later in search of a better deal. The rising cost of living, inflation, and mounting uncertainties about the future seem to force consumers to rethink their spending patterns. A recent eBay study confirmed that 21% of respondents would rather wait to buy until the desired product was available at a discount.<\/p>\n

Gray market<\/h2>\n

New online fashion e-commerce stores in Belgium<\/a> \u2013 especially those offering unique or particularly trendy items face plenty of competition and other possible threats. One of these dangers a new online presence might face in Belgium is the gray market, where genuine products (or very convincing fakes when it comes to high-end products) are made available outside regular distribution channels. These activities erode prices and cause serious trust issues amongst authorized distributors – not to mention online shoppers.<\/p>\n

Obviously, no online shopper wants to feel cheated by purchasing something and later finding the same item elsewhere for a lower price. That is why 78 percent of today\u2019s consumers like to comparison shop before making a purchase.\u00a0Listings in comparison websites and review platforms like Trust Pilot can go a long way when trying to establish the trust of Belgian online shoppers \u2013 but we digress\u2026<\/p>\n

Now that e-commerce sites are standard among fashion retailers, pitting the prices of one to the next has never been easier. In Belgium, online purchases are often driven by price over source. In other words: many online shoppers have come to expand their horizons beyond traditional retailers, both nationally and internationally. They have found their way to so-called \u201cgray-market sellers\u201d.<\/p>\n

Offering the same brands and styles as well-known stores, but at significantly lower prices, should set off alarm bells among online shoppers \u2013 but those irritating sounds are often ignored in favor of a seemingly great deal. Gray-market sellers thrive on advertising and dedication to SEO – search any luxury style, and you\u2019re bound to see a gray-market seller among the first results.<\/p>\n

Catch bees with honey<\/h2>\n

What can you do to ensure that your genuine products appeal more to Belgian online shoppers than some cheaper gray market alternative?<\/p>\n