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The influence of the internet on our daily
lives is becoming increasingly evident. A new statistic from the Netherlands confirms this trend once again: as of January 1st of this year,
the country had more online shops than brick-and-mortar stores. With 84.1 thousand online shops, their number surpassed that of physical
stores, which stood at 82.1 thousand. These preliminary figures from Statistics Netherlands indicate a significant shift in the
consumer behavior of the Dutch. Within one year, the number of online shops increased by an impressive 4.1 percent, while the number
of physical stores decreased by 1,600 - the sharpest decline since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A remarkable increase in online shops
The rise of online commerce in the Netherlands is impressive. In 2021 alone, the country experienced a 17 percent increase in the number of online shops, marking the largest growth in online shops in the first two quarters of a year. This year's increase of 4.1 percent may seem modest in comparison, but it still underscores the ongoing trend of online shopping behavior.
Clothing and fashion dominate the market
When considering the types of stores, clothing stores remain the most prevalent category with 13.3 thousand physical stores. However, there was a decline of 16.2 percent in this category. Other household goods stores (6.5 thousand) and supermarkets (6.4 thousand) rank second and third, respectively. In the realm of online shops, clothing and fashion also dominate with 19.3 thousand shops, followed by home and garden items with 15.3 thousand.
The trend towards online shops with a wide range of products
An interesting trend is the rise of online shops with a general assortment. Physical toy stores saw a 5.2 percent growth, and stores selling other food items experienced a 4.1 percent increase. Consequently, there are currently as many toy stores in the Netherlands as there were before the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, stores selling shoes and leather goods saw a decline of 7.9 percent, making them one of the most affected industries.