For non-European brands, bol.com and Amazon are the two most obvious gateways to the European consumer market. But both platforms have changed significantly in recent years.
bol.com: from Dutch webshop to Benelux powerhouse
bol.com, with more than 13 million active customers, is the undisputed market leader in the Benelux. The platform officially opened its doors to international sellers in 2020. However, the entry threshold has risen:
- EAN/GTIN required — listings without correctly registered barcodes are rejected
- Dutch-language content — product titles and descriptions must be in correct Dutch
- Fulfilment via LVB — logistics through bol gives a strong visibility bonus
- 30-day return period as standard
Amazon Europe: broad reach, high complexity
Amazon gives access through one account to Amazon.de, .nl, .fr, .it, .es and .se. But each country has its own compliance requirements:
- VAT registration per country above certain thresholds — unless using the OSS scheme
- FBA is almost mandatory to be competitive on Prime delivery
- Brand Registry — without EU trademark registration you are vulnerable to counterfeit claims
📊 Via bol.com and Amazon.de combined, you reach more than 80 million European consumers.
The biggest mistake non-European brands make
The vast majority of failures can be traced to one problem: thinking about logistics and compliance too late. The solution: prepare structurally before the first listing goes live. That means stock in Europe, VAT structure arranged, content localised, and returns process set up.
What is the right strategy?
We advise non-European brands to start with two platforms simultaneously: bol.com for Benelux and Amazon.de for the DACH region. Together they cover a market of 100+ million consumers. From there, you expand step by step.