Today, Amazon announced its plans to launch Amazon.com.be, a dedicated, local online shop to better serve local customers in Belgium. While Amazon.com.be will open its virtual doors in the coming months, selling partners can register their business on sell.amazon.com.be from today and prepare the best of their product selection for the upcoming launch. While Belgian customers have been shopping on Amazon sites across borders, such as Amazon.fr, Amazon.nl and Amazon.de, for years, Amazon.com.be will be a home for Belgian businesses—small and large—and empower them to grow their online business both in Belgium and abroad. Ecommerce offers huge opportunities for Belgian entrepreneurs, especially on Amazon, where third-party sales globally account for more than 50% of all physical products sold. More than 1,000 Belgian small and medium sized business are already selling on Amazon and have set-up their businesses to sell on one or more of the 21 stores across the world, diversifying their sales channels and reaching hundreds of millions of customers.
“I have seen how Amazon delights customers around the globe through the incredible convenience and the breadth of choice that we offer with the help of selling partners, and I am excited that all of these opportunities will be available for my home country and its great entrepreneurs,” said Eva Faict, Country Manager for Amazon.com.be. “We are looking forward to our ‘Day 1’ for Amazon in Belgium, and delivering a local store we will provide great value for Belgian customers. Today, we are taking the first step by inviting local small and medium-sized businesses to start working with us. After many months of preparation, we are ready to support them in preparing for the launch of Amazon.com.be and hope to become an important partner for their success.”
Millions of Belgian customers have been shopping on Amazon stores from all over the world for many years. Amazon delivered the first order from Belgium—the DVD Training Day starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke—to a customer in Wallonia 20 years ago in June of 2002 from Amazon.com. Since 2003, Amazon has become integral to Walloon households with customers shopping in French on Amazon.fr. Flemish customers started to discover Amazon in 2016 when Amazon.de integrated a Flemish/Dutch shopping experience on its site, and shopped even more frequently when Amazon.nl launched in 2020.
“It has been very encouraging to see how Belgians have been shopping on Amazon’s different stores for many years. From Brugge to Arlon and from Antwerpen to Mons, customers have already found their way to us and we are looking forward to seeing them even more frequently with the launch of Amazon.com.be,” adds Eva Faict. “Whether it is to find great Sinterklaas or Christmas gifts, the Red Devil jersey, or simply to order the monthly stock-up of detergent, my team and I are eagerly working to provide a great customer experience for our current and future Belgian customers, making sure they find the products they want, at great prices, with reliable delivery.”
Since Amazon started serving customers in Belgium, it has established strong relationships with carriers operating throughout the country. To meet increasing demand and further improve the delivery experience for Belgian customers, in 2021, Amazon Logistics expanded its partnerships with local delivery companies, while continuing to work with our historical partners. Amazon also plans to open its own delivery station in Antwerp in fall 2022, which will generate 50 permanent jobs for the workforce in the area, alongside creating opportunities for local delivery companies, who will employ approximately 200 additional drivers in the area.
“For many years we have been delivering to our customers in Belgium, thanks to established partnerships with Belgian transport and delivery companies. In the context of growing customer demand, we expect to expand our network of delivery partners in the country, while continuing to work with our historical partners – first and foremost our long-term partner, Bpost. We look forward to creating opportunities for Belgian delivery companies and their employees,” concludes Eva Faict.