Ede, 18 June 2025 – Dutch consumers spent over €9 billion online in Q1 2025, a 4% increase compared to Q1 2024. This growth is mainly driven by product purchases (+8%), while spending on services declined by 2%, according to Thuiswinkel Toekomst Monitor – Q1 2025.
Comparing Q1 2024 with Q1 2025, the total number of online purchases dropped to 84 million (-3%), with a particularly sharp decline in service purchases (-12%). Product purchase volumes also decreased slightly (-1%). However, the average amount spent per online order rose by 6% to €110. These findings come from the latest Thuiswinkel Markt Monitor, the leading study into Dutch consumer online behaviour, conducted by NielsenIQ (NIQ) on behalf of Thuiswinkel.org and Retail Insiders, in collaboration with PostNL and the Dutch Payments Association.
Growth in product spending driven by Home & Living
For the first time since the pandemic, online product spending has increased. This is notable given the consistent declines in recent years, although levels remained above pre-pandemic figures (see figure 1). The rise is largely fuelled by a strong 46% increase in the Home & Living category, with consumers spending more on kitchenware, home textiles, and appliances.
“There is a clear shift from offline to online in Home & Living purchases,” says Marlene ten Ham, CEO of Thuiswinkel.org. “Online share in this category rose from 24% in Q1 2024 to 36% in Q1 2025. The growing average spend per purchase is also contributing to the overall increase.”
While Home & Living purchases rose modestly (+2%), online toy sales surged by 28%, especially in action figures, games, puzzles and construction sets like LEGO. “This shift is understandable,” adds Ten Ham. “Chains like Blokker have disappeared from Dutch high streets, pushing more of these purchases online.”
This growth is offset by declines in Media & Entertainment (-18%) and DIY & Garden (-12%), causing a slight overall dip in total online purchase volume (-3%).
Decline in services, led by Insurance and Event Tickets
Online spending on services dropped by 2%, mainly due to a sharp decline in Insurance (-12%), particularly health insurance. Other segments like property and life insurance saw slight increases. The number of service purchases dropped by 12%, with Event Tickets & Attractions down by 16%.
Figure 1. Online spending and purchase volumes Q1 2020–2025
Online share of product spending rises
Online now accounts for 33% of all retail spending in the Netherlands, up from 31% last year. This increase is entirely due to product sales, where online share rose from 21% to 23%. The online share of services remained stable at 88%.
Ten Ham: “The rise in online product spending and consistently high online share for services underlines that e-commerce is no longer just a supplement to traditional retail. It’s a structural, indispensable part of how consumers explore, compare and buy – whether online, offline, or both.”
Cross-border growth, US webshops lose ground
Cross-border e-commerce spending rose by 6% year-on-year to €1.2 billion in Q1 2025. This increase is entirely product-driven (+17%), with service-related spending falling by 3%.
The volume of cross-border purchases also rose by 6%, again with a clear contrast: product purchases from foreign shops went up 9%, while services dropped 11%.
US-based shops saw their share of cross-border spending fall sharply – from 12% in Q1 2024 to just 8% in Q1 2025.
“The drop in spending on US webshops reflects broader geopolitical and economic shifts,” explains Ten Ham. “Trade barriers, import duties, and rising tensions over global trade make consumers more cautious. European webshops now offer more than just convenience – they also promise reliable delivery, transparent pricing, and stronger consumer protections.”
Smartphone shopping rises, payment behaviour stable
Smartphones are increasingly the preferred device for online shopping, now accounting for 39% of all purchases (+4 percentage points). Their share in total spending also rose from 27% to 30%. “The smartphone is no longer secondary – it’s rapidly overtaking the laptop as the main shopping device.”
iDEAL remains dominant but declined slightly from 73% to 71% usage. Klarna grew from 3% to 4% market share.
Disclaimer: Press releases are published without editorial intervention. The content is provided by the issuer.
