Dutch retailer Hema for sale

Dutch department store Hema has strengthened its international ambitions by purchasing the international domain Hema.com. The international desire seems part of a plan to make Hema more interesting for potential buyers.

Hema.com redirects to Hemashop.com and features a landing page, which gives visitors the opportunity to choose which online store they would like to visit. Currently, Hema delivers only within the European Union, to about twenty countries, but the retailer wants to increase foreign sales. Hema’s CEO, Tjeerd Jegen, said that in the next few years, they want to, at least, double the international share.

‘Too dependent on the Dutch market’

Currently, about 11 percent of Hema’s total revenues are from outside the Benelux region, but in 2020, this share should be somewhere between 25 and 30 percent. “We are too dependent on the Dutch market”, he said. “Don’t get me wrong, we are doing well on the Dutch market, but we really want to make the company bigger.”

The department store chain sees digital growth as one of its key priorities. During the second quarter of this year, Hema saw its online sales increase by 40 percent, while it registered a growth of 44 percent during the first quarter of this year. Jegen is satisfied with the ecommerce activities. “Customers know where to find us online, while the revenues keep on growing.”

Hema is now busy with building a new ecommerce platform, which should go live in the first quarter of next year. Also, the first phase of the automation and mechanization of its ecommerce distribution center is nearing full implementation.

Hema for sale

The management team also announced it is exploring the strategic options for Hema’s future, which would mean the sale of Hema is nearby. That’s also why Hema has been abandoning its Dutch image little by little, while expanding its focus to countries such as Spain and France. Initiatives like the purchase of Hema.com, the improvement of its ecommerce platform, it’s all part of the plan to make Hema as interesting as possible for potential buyers.