Utrecht - Bol.com looks set to change the face of shopping in the Netherlands: starting today, businesses and retailers will be able to easily and independently sell their products at the country's largest web store, reaching some 3.5 million customers. Meanwhile, integration of a wide range of stores will give bol.com's customers greater choice in terms of range, availability, service, and value.
Retailers offered opportunity to sell own range via the Netherlands' biggest web store
By offering any business a chance to sell items via its website, bol.com will spark a revolution in the country's retail landscape. “This move allows us to swiftly offer our customers an even broader and deeper range of products," Michel Schaeffer, bol.com's Director of Marketing, comments. "Our aim is to give customers the widest possible choice at all times, both in terms of range in all our specialist stores, and in terms of value, availability, and swift delivery. From today, customers will find specialist product ranges that weren't previously available at bol.com."
Bol.com will also include items offered by other retailers that it already sells on its website. “That way, we provide access to prices and availability offered by other retailers, but within bol.com's trusted shopping environment,” Schaeffer says. The company expects other retailers to add 25,000 items to its product offering within the space of just a few months.
Extra sales channel
Michel Schaeffer explains how it works: “Anyone with a VAT number and registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce will be able to sell their wares via our store, giving them instant access to millions of customers. The process is easy: sign up, post your offering, and it will be available through bol.com shortly afterwards.” Until now, bol.com had largely restricted competitor offerings to electronics from Megapool and Centralpoint.nl, but from today it will extend its welcome to all retailers offering items that fit its specialist stores. This new approach holds opportunities for smaller publishers, importers and niche stores selling baby products, toys, games, and DVDs.
Mark van Zelst of ffShoppen.nl, a new retailer on bol.com, sees the website as an extra sales channel giving access to a wide catchment area. “This gives me an opportunity to introduce my store to millions of visitors plus which, selling via bol.com inspires trust.”
Used items
As well as new items, bol.com will now also enable other retailers to sell second-hand items through bol.com an option so far restricted to private individuals. From today, retailers can sign up and promote their offerings online via bol.com/zakelijkverkopen.