More and more Dutch buying online

Dutch shoppers are turning more and more to the internet, with online sales growing by 10 percent over the past year.

Online turnover in the first six months of this year totalled 4.25 million euros, a 10 percent increase on the same period last year, according to figures released by trade organisation Thuiswinkel.org.

The total number of online orders topped 36.5 million, a year-on-year jump of 13 percent, according to the organisation. On average, some 200,000 purchases are placed online every day. Increasingly customers are also buying smaller items online.

Online shopping has apparently also been boosted by the spread of smartphones and tablets, which have greatly increased the ease of internet access. In addition, consumers are feeling more and more confident about online shops, the organisation says.

Over the past year, however, the average amount spent on each purchase has slightly dropped, from 120 to 116 euros per order.

Dutch shoppers spent most of their money on travel, with holidays and business travel representing 1.83 billion euros in expenses. Telecom products and clothing were the second and third most popular items.

Thuiswinkel.org expects Dutch consumers will break the nine billion-euro barrier before the end of this year.

(cl/imm)