Cross-border ecommerce refers to the practice of online retailers not only selling to customers in their own country but also expanding their business across international borders.

Roughly a quarter of the world’s population shops outside their country’s borders. In 2019, Dutch consumers spent nearly two billion euros on European webshops. Lower prices were the main reason, followed by a broader range of products or the search for a specific item not available in the Netherlands.

Fortunately, there are also Dutch webshops that earn a significant profit thanks to foreign customers. Although the benefits, such as a larger market, are evident, cross-border ecommerce often proves to be more challenging than expected. Logistics issues, cultural differences, increased competition, and the risk of losing focus can each present significant hurdles.