Section three
European markets
Eight notes on how online business transactions run in different parts of Europe. The differences that matter are rarely legal; they sit in channel mix, buyer depth and the expectations placed on documentation.
- 01Netherlands
A dense e-commerce market with high internet penetration, a strong domestic marketplace and a large population of owner-operated webshops.
- 02Belgium
A smaller market than its neighbours, split by language, where many online businesses serve two or three countries from the start.
- 03Germany
The largest e-commerce market in Europe, with the deepest buyer group and correspondingly higher expectations of documentation.
- 04France
A large market where domestic language and domestic platforms matter more than in most neighbouring countries.
- 05Spain
A market that has grown quickly, with a domestic buyer group that has expanded alongside it.
- 06Italy
A fragmented market with many small operators, where ownership is often family based and processes take longer than the paperwork suggests.
- 07Poland
A fast-growing market with a strong domestic marketplace and an operating cost base below western Europe.
- 08Nordic countries
Four small markets with high digital maturity, where successful businesses usually serve more than one country from the outset.