Accept payments in the Netherlands

The Netherlands Payment Market Overview

Looking ahead, online shopping market growth should prove resilient, with a compound annual growth rate of 11 percent between 2018 and 2021, maintaining the country’s position as one of the most dynamic markets. This buoyancy is driven by high rates of internet (95.9 percent) and bank account penetration (99.6 percent), both of which are well above the European averages. Indeed, the Netherlands was ranked as the leading e-commerce market in the world by a recent UN survey, due to its high proportion of online shoppers and large number of pure-play online stores.

Fast delivery is a key component of the Dutch e-commerce culture, and quick fulfilment of orders is essential to win over e-commerce shoppers there. Bol.com, for instance, reported an increase in sales of 25 percent for sellers on its site when they provided next-day delivery. Over a third of shoppers expect all deliveries to arrive within 48 hours.

Payment Methods in the Netherlands

Key Market Indicators in the Netherlands

Banks in the Netherlands

Mobile Carriers in the Netherlands

Integrate Dutch Payment Methods

The payments landscape in the Netherlands is notable for the relative absence of cards. The frugal Dutch have a culture that does not embrace debt, and many shops in the Netherlands still do not accept credit card payments. The online payments space is dominated by bank transfers, which are used to complete 60 percent of all e-commerce transactions. This has in part been driven by the online ubiquity of the domestic brand iDEAL. Developed and launched by Dutch banks in 2005, this online bank transfer payment system dominates, with an estimated 56 percent market share.

The dominance of bank transfers in the Netherlands is expected to be threatened slightly by the rise of both cards and digital wallets. By 2021, bank transfers are expected to account for 58 percent of the online payment market, digital wallets are predicted to grow to take eight percent, and cards a 20 percent share of the market.