Two-thirds of us buy online
At 84%, the level of internet penetration in Belgium lower than in neighbouring countries. Comeos’ CEO Dominique Michel explains.
"In addition to this there is a big need for a trustworthy payment platform on the one hand and point of contact for issues related to cybersecurity on the other and this is still a very long way off.”
Mr Michel says saving time rather than saving money is the most important reason why Belgians make purchases online. Does on-line shopping pose a threat to traditional shops?
"Yes, to some extent, but you can’t say e-commerce is eating up trade in the shops”. Comeos survey 1,500 people in what was the organisation’s 5th study on e-commerce.
The results of the survey
More Flemings (68%) buy things online than Francophones (59%).
The same percentage of teenagers as people in their forties buys things online. More men (68%) than women (61%) are e-consumers.
Two out of three people buy something online at least once every two months.
The products most often sold online are shoes and clothes, followed by books, tickets (concert, plane or for sporting events) and computers.