Online spending in Central Europe is expected to grow by 8 percent this year, with a similar growth rate forecast for next year. The increase is mainly driven by existing online shoppers placing orders more frequently.

Western European online sellers expanding into Central and Eastern Europe often underestimate how different customer expectations are in the region. According to fulfillment provider isklad, payment preferences, delivery expectations and checkout requirements differ significantly from standards in Western Europe.

Last year, Belgian consumers spent 18.3 billion euros online. Compared to a year earlier, this is an increase of 5.4 percent. More Belgians have started shopping online, as more than 9 out of 10 made online purchases. However, most of the online spending went to foreign platforms.

Online spending in Germany continues to grow. The German Retail Federation (HDE) forecasts nominal ecommerce revenue to increase by 4.3 percent this year, reaching 96.3 billion euros. According to HDE, sales generated by physical stores will grow by only 1.6 percent.

Last year, ecommerce giant Amazon invested more than 17 billion euros (15 billion British pounds) in the United Kingdom. This is part of the company’s plan to invest 46 billion euros (40 billion British pounds) by the end of 2027. According to Amazon’s financial report, the United Kingdom is the company’s third-largest market globally.