The newly released Spring GDS Impact Report 2025 marks a significant milestone for the company, offering a consolidated view of its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) progress. As cross-border e-commerce continues to scale globally, the report highlights how logistics players are transitioning from isolated sustainability initiatives to structured, data-driven decarbonization strategies.

A Growing Logistics Network with Rising Sustainability Expectations

Spring GDS continues to expand its global footprint, now operating across 14 countries with 20 hubs and serving more than 2,500 customers worldwide. In parallel, customer expectations around sustainability are clearly increasing. This is reflected in the company’s Net Promoter Score, which rose to +51 in 2025, and in the fact that 70% of customers now perceive Spring GDS as a sustainable logistics partner.

The company’s first Impact Report serves as a baseline for future ESG reporting, aligns partially with GRI standards, and contributes to PostNL’s broader Net Zero 2040 ambition.

Decarbonization Moves from Initiatives to Strategy

One of the most important shifts highlighted in the report is the transition from fragmented sustainability efforts to a structured decarbonization roadmap. This includes the introduction of new tools, scalable solutions, and measurable targets across the logistics value chain.

Measurable Environmental Impact in 2025

The report outlines several key achievements:

• 4.1 million liters of HVO100 biofuel applied, reducing emissions by 11.9 kilotonnes of CO2e
• Over 90,000 single-use carton boxes eliminated through reusable pallet systems
• 8,000 reusable pallet boxes deployed across the network
• 400 quarterly emissions reports generated for customers
• Launch of 349 customer-specific CO2 reporting solutions

These figures reflect a growing focus on both operational improvements and customer-facing sustainability transparency.

Scope 3 Emissions Dominate the Footprint

A key insight from the report is the overwhelming impact of Scope 3 emissions, which account for 99.7% of total emissions. Within this:

• Transport activities alone represent approximately 75% of emissions
• Purchased goods and services account for 16.7%
• Employee commuting and waste contribute smaller shares

This highlights a structural challenge for asset-light logistics providers: the majority of emissions sit outside direct operational control, requiring strong collaboration across partners and suppliers.

The Three Pillars of Logistics Decarbonization

Spring GDS aligns its strategy with broader industry trends, focusing on three main pathways:

Renewable Fuels as a Short-Term Lever

Biofuels such as HVO100 are currently the most scalable solution for reducing emissions in road transport. The company’s “Out the Tank” solution allows emissions reductions even when direct fuel substitution is not operationally feasible.

Electrification as the Long-Term Transition

Electrification of road transport is identified as the long-term solution, although current limitations around infrastructure and costs remain barriers. Adoption is expected to accelerate as technology matures and regulatory pressure increases.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel for Air Transport

Air freight remains one of the most carbon-intensive parts of logistics. Spring GDS is addressing this through its Book & Claim solution, enabling customers to invest in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which can reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil fuels.

From Offsetting to Insetting

Another notable shift is the move away from carbon offsetting towards insetting. Instead of compensating emissions externally, Spring GDS is focusing on reducing emissions directly within its value chain.

While offsetting was still used in 2025 to address residual emissions, it will be phased out from 2026 in favor of operational reductions.

Data Transparency Becomes a Competitive Advantage

The launch of the Spring GDS Emission Tool represents a major step forward in data maturity. By linking shipment-level data with recognized methodologies, the company can now provide detailed emissions insights per shipment, destination, and transport mode.

This level of granularity enables:

• Better decision-making for customers
• Improved reporting accuracy
• Stronger alignment with international standards such as ISO 14083 and the GLEC Framework

As sustainability becomes a key differentiator in logistics partner selection, transparency is evolving into a core competitive advantage.

Circular Logistics Gains Momentum

Beyond transport, packaging innovation is another area of impact. The introduction of reusable orange pallet boxes demonstrates how circular principles can reduce both waste and emissions.

• Up to 2,000 tonnes of CO2e are avoided annually through reduced single-use packaging
• Full recyclability of materials at the end of life
• Improved load efficiency and reduced transport volume

However, full adoption across the network remains a challenge, requiring alignment with partners and operational processes.

A People-Centric Approach to Growth

The report also highlights strong performance on social metrics:

• 739 employees globally
• 86.16% retention rate
• 83% engagement score
• 46% female workforce
• 97.88% safety training coverage

In addition, more than 100 new employees joined in 2025, reflecting continued business growth. Training and development remain a priority, with employees averaging nearly 15 hours of training annually.

Workplace safety also remains a focus, with 26 recorded work-related injuries, all of which are analyzed for continuous improvement.

The Road Ahead: Scaling Impact Across the Value Chain

The Spring GDS Impact Report 2025 makes it clear that the logistics industry is entering a new phase of sustainability. The challenge is no longer defining ambitions, but operationalizing them across complex, global value chains.

Key priorities moving forward include:

• Increasing the share of renewable fuels and electrification
• Scaling SAF adoption in air transport
• Improving last-mile emissions data and performance
• Expanding the use of primary data for more accurate reporting

As cross-border e-commerce continues to grow, the ability to combine scalability with sustainability will define the next generation of logistics leaders.

If you want to find out more, read the full report here: https://www.spring-gds.com/sustainability/impact-report/

And also, you can watch our podcast episode with Thijs Boel, GLS Managing Director for Europe here: https://youtu.be/Y8vx-GPuw8s?si=ky3_Ua_eAhZTRaPT 

The post Spring GDS Impact Report 2025: From Measurement to Meaningful Decarbonization in Cross-Border Logistics appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

The post-purchase phase has become one of the most decisive battlegrounds in modern e-commerce. While competitive pricing, product availability, and fast checkout remain essential, customer loyalty and long-term revenue increasingly depend on what happens after the order is placed.

To understand how well large retailers manage this phase during peak demand, Returnless, Salesupply, and Sendcloud conducted a benchmark study among 100 major webshops in the Netherlands and Belgium. Orders were placed during Black Friday 2025, followed by an evaluation of delivery, returns, and customer service.

The results show strong delivery performance, but also reveal clear friction points that directly impact customer experience, operational efficiency, and revenue.

Shipping and Delivery Performance

Fast Delivery Is the New Standard

Delivery speed and reliability are clearly a strength in the Benelux. Even during peak season, most retailers met or exceeded their delivery promises.

Key delivery findings

These figures show that next-day or near next-day delivery has effectively become the baseline expectation for customers in the region.

Limited Choice at Checkout

Despite strong delivery execution, flexibility for customers remains limited at checkout. Most webshops still control the carrier selection, rather than offering customers a choice.

Checkout and shipping options

While free shipping thresholds are commonly used to protect margins, limited delivery choice can negatively affect customer satisfaction, especially for customers with strong preferences around convenience or sustainability.

Returns Experience and Maturity

Paid Returns Are Becoming the Norm

Returns policies show a clear shift toward cost control. The majority of retailers now charge customers for returns.

Return cost policies

This trend reflects growing pressure on margins, but it also increases the importance of a smooth and transparent returns experience.

Returns Infrastructure and Transparency

Most retailers clearly communicate their returns policies, but operational maturity varies widely.

Returns setup and communication

The lack of a returns portal often leads to manual processes, higher customer service workload and a less predictable customer experience.

Return Windows Differ Significantly

Return periods vary substantially across retailers, which can create confusion for consumers and inconsistency in expectations.

Return window distribution

Longer return windows can boost trust and conversion, but they also require careful operational and inventory management.

Refund Communication Is a Major Pain Point

Communication during the refund process remains one of the most costly blind spots.

Refund experience

Poor refund communication typically leads to additional customer inquiries, increasing service costs and negatively affecting customer satisfaction.

Few Alternatives to Standard Refunds

Most webshops still default to direct refunds, with limited use of alternatives that could retain revenue.

Refund and alternative options

This represents a missed opportunity to reduce revenue leakage and encourage repeat purchases.

Customer Service Accessibility and Channels

Service Hours Do Not Match Shopping Behavior

Customer service availability often fails to align with modern shopping patterns, particularly during evenings and weekends.

Customer service availability

Limited availability during peak shopping moments increases friction and can directly impact conversion and loyalty.

Communication Channels Remain Traditional

Email and phone remain the dominant customer service channels, while newer messaging platforms are still underutilized.

Customer service channels

Given the popularity of messaging apps and their automation potential, the limited adoption of WhatsApp represents a missed opportunity.

AI Adoption in Customer Service Is Still Limited

Despite growing interest in automation, AI-driven customer service remains relatively rare.

AI in customer service

AI offers clear potential to reduce response times, handle repetitive questions and lower service costs, particularly during peak periods.

Why the Post-Purchase Experience Matters

Competitive Differentiation Is Shifting

As competition intensifies and international platforms gain ground in Europe, customer experience has become a key differentiator. The post-purchase phase plays a critical role in shaping brand perception and trust.

Operational Efficiency and Loyalty Are Closely Linked

Inefficient returns handling, poor communication and limited service availability increase operational costs while eroding customer loyalty. Conversely, strong post-purchase processes can drive repeat purchases and positive word of mouth.

Value Is Still Being Left on the Table

The benchmark shows that while delivery performance is strong, many retailers are still missing opportunities to improve flexibility, communication, and service accessibility. These gaps represent both a cost risk and a growth opportunity in an increasingly competitive e-commerce landscape.

Read the whole research in Dutch here! https://www.salesupply.nl/blog/benelux-post-purchase-benchmark-zo-scoren-100-grote-webshops-in-piekseizoen/ 

The post Customer Journey During Peak Season in the Benelux: Salesupply, Returnless, and Sendcloud report! appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

The German B2C e-commerce market is entering a new phase of accelerated growth and competitive transformation, and it is expected to reach USD 97.2 billion by 2029. This is According to the Germany B2C Ecommerce Report 2025, published by ResearchAndMarkets, a global market research distribution company headquartered in Dublin. 

The country remains one of Europe’s most important digital retail markets, driven by strong consumer adoption, expanding online categories, and increasing pressure from cross-border discount marketplaces.

The report provides a detailed outlook on how Germany’s online retail ecosystem is expected to evolve through 2029, highlighting both structural opportunities and emerging challenges for domestic and international brands.

Market Overview and Growth Outlook

The German B2C e-commerce market is forecast to reach approximately USD 97.2 billion by 2029, up from an estimated USD 70.5 billion in 2025. This growth represents a projected compound annual growth rate of around 8.4 percent over the forecast period.

Online retail continues to gain market share as German consumers increasingly rely on digital channels for both everyday purchases and higher-value goods. The maturity of payment infrastructure, high internet penetration, and strong logistics networks support this continued expansion.

Consumer Behaviour and Digital Adoption

German consumers are showing sustained confidence in online shopping, with mobile commerce playing an increasingly central role. Multi-device shopping journeys are now the norm, and expectations around convenience, delivery reliability, and transparent pricing continue to rise.

Trust, data protection, and clear return policies remain especially important in the German market, reinforcing the need for professionalised e-commerce operations and compliant customer experiences.

Product Categories Driving Online Sales

The German B2C e-commerce landscape spans a broad mix of product categories, including:

• Clothing, footwear, and accessories
• Health, beauty, and personal care
• Consumer electronics and home appliances
• Food and beverages
• Media, entertainment, and digital products

This category diversification reflects the market’s maturity and underlines the role of e-commerce as a mainstream retail channel rather than a niche alternative.

Cross-Border Discount Marketplaces and Competitive Intensity

One of the most significant developments highlighted in the report is the growing influence of cross-border discount marketplaces. International platforms offering low-priced goods directly to German consumers are reshaping competitive dynamics and price expectations.

These players intensify competition among domestic retailers, particularly in price-sensitive segments, while forcing established brands to differentiate through quality, delivery speed, customer service, and brand trust.

Rather than slowing overall market growth, cross-border competition is accelerating innovation across logistics, marketing, and omnichannel integration within Germany’s e-commerce ecosystem.

Operational and Regulatory Challenges

Despite strong growth prospects, the German B2C e-commerce market faces several structural challenges:

• Rising logistics and fulfilment costs
• Increasing expectations for fast and flexible delivery
• Strict regulatory requirements related to consumer protection, data privacy, and taxation
• Growing scrutiny of cross-border imports at both the national and EU levels

These factors raise operational complexity and reinforce the importance of scalable, compliant, and well-integrated e-commerce platforms.

Strategic Implications for Brands and Retailers

The report highlights several strategic priorities for companies operating in or entering the German market:

Optimising mobile-first and multi-device shopping experiences
Investing in efficient fulfilment and last-mile delivery capabilities
Differentiating beyond price through service quality and brand positioning
Developing robust cross-border strategies that balance cost efficiency with regulatory compliance

Brands that successfully address these areas are better positioned to capture long-term value in an increasingly competitive environment.

Outlook to 2029

Germany is expected to remain a cornerstone of European B2C e-commerce growth through 2029. While competition from international marketplaces will continue to intensify, the overall market trajectory remains positive, supported by digital adoption, evolving consumer habits, and ongoing investment in e-commerce infrastructure.

The Germany B2C Ecommerce Report 2025 confirms that sustainable success in this market will depend less on price alone and more on operational excellence, customer experience, and strategic differentiation.

The post German B2C Forecast: Approximately USD 97.2 billion by 2029 appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

On November 18, 2025, Cloudflare suffered a global outage that briefly broke large parts of the internet. Major platforms such as ChatGPT, X (formerly Twitter), Canva, Ikea, and multiple public-sector and transport systems became partially or totally unreachable.

Cloudflare sits in the critical path of about a fifth of global web traffic and protects or accelerates roughly 20 percent of all websites. When that layer fails, millions of users and thousands of businesses—including many e-commerce sites—feel it immediately.

This article focuses on what happened, the measurable impact, and the structural weaknesses the outage exposed for global websites and online retailers.

What Happened On November 18, 2025?

Timeline Of The Incident

Cloudflare’s own post-mortem and external monitoring align on this timeline:

• Around 11:20 UTC: Cloudflare’s network starts experiencing significant failures delivering core traffic.
  
• Late morning to early afternoon: HTTP 5xx error rates spike as routing software repeatedly crashes and restarts.
  
• Around 14:30 UTC: Core traffic is mostly restored, though some services still show elevated errors.
  
• Around 17:06 UTC: Cloudflare restores normal error levels and mitigates the incident fully.
  

Outage trackers recorded large spikes during peak usage hours in Europe and the United States.

Root Cause: A Latent Bug In Bot Management Configuration

Cloudflare confirmed this was not a cyberattack. Instead, internal issues cascaded into a global failure:

• A database permission change created duplicate entries in a “feature file” used by Cloudflare’s Bot Management system.
  
• The file doubled in size and was propagated to the entire global network.
  
• Routing software had a hard size limit. When the file exceeded it, the software crashed.
  
• Because Cloudflare pushes security configurations globally and rapidly, the bad file spread everywhere and triggered widespread failures.
  

This illustrates a classic scenario in which configuration logic (control plane) disrupts the handling of real traffic (data plane).

How Big Was The Impact?

Global Reach And Scale

Key indicators show the extent of the disruption:

• Outage trackers reported nearly 5,000 problems at peak in some regions, with global reports exceeding 11,000 in some trackers.
  
• Cloudflare handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s web traffic.
  
• Major platforms affected included X, ChatGPT, League of Legends, Bet365, Sage, YouTube, Google services, public-sector systems, and financial authorities.
  
• Public transport information systems and operational websites, such as New Jersey Transit, experienced disruptions.
  

When infrastructure at this scale fails, it becomes a systemic event.

Direct Impact On E-Commerce

For e-commerce, the outage created concrete and costly issues:

• Product pages returned Cloudflare error pages instead of loading normally.
  
• Checkout and payment APIs relying on Cloudflare Workers or WAF logic failed.
  
• Merchants using SaaS commerce platforms were impacted even when their own hosting was healthy.
  
• Identity and payment providers that rely on Cloudflare experienced cascading failures.
  

Because the outage occurred close to major shopping events like Black Friday, the timing magnified potential revenue losses.

Even a two-hour disruption during peak shopping windows can cause significant financial damage.

Broader Cross-Industry Disruption

The outage extended far beyond e-commerce:

• Customer support portals and login systems failed.
  
• Gaming, betting, and streaming services were interrupted.
  
• Corporate events such as earnings calls were disrupted.
  
• AI tools and SaaS management consoles became inaccessible.
  

This outage demonstrated how deeply Cloudflare is embedded in daily business operations.

Structural Vulnerabilities Exposed By The Outage

Hidden Single Points Of Failure In Global Infrastructure

Several analyses highlight the dangerous centralization of internet infrastructure in a small number of providers.

Key risks include:

• Excessive concentration of critical traffic through a few companies.
  
• Hidden upstream dependencies that are invisible to most businesses.
  
• Cascading failures affecting cloud providers, SaaS platforms, and downstream websites.
  

A business might believe it is diversified, yet still depends entirely on Cloudflare without realizing it.

Rapid Global Propagation Without Strong Blast-Radius Controls

Cloudflare’s quick security update mechanisms are beneficial for mitigating attacks, but dangerous during misconfigurations.

The outage shows:

• A single malformed configuration can instantly reach hundreds of data centers.
  
• Rollbacks take time, meaning outages become global almost instantly.
  
• Security infrastructure can unintentionally undermine availability.
  

Over-Reliance On A Single Edge And Payment Stack

For commerce sites relying on Cloudflare for both edge delivery and API traffic, the outage caused double failures.

This creates:

• No ability to process orders.
  
• No functional payment gateway.
  
• No administrative access to backend systems.
  

Second-Order Outages From Vendor Dependencies

Many impacted businesses did not use Cloudflare directly. Their vendors did.

This affected: identity providers, analytics tools, personalization engines, headless CMSs, and marketing platforms.

When vendors fail, your site partially fails—even if your infrastructure is perfect.

What This Means For Websites And E-Commerce

Revenue And Conversion Impact

E-commerce businesses faced:

• Failed product pages and carts.
  
• Checkout errors are causing immediate revenue loss.
  
• Customer frustration and trust erosion.
  
• Increased likelihood of users switching to competitors.
  

Brand And Operational Stress

Internal effects included:

• Support ticket spikes.
  
• Engineering teams are chasing issues outside their control.
  
• Executives are demanding explanations for an outage caused by an upstream provider.
  

Externally, brands were forced to explain failures they did not cause.

Lessons For E-Commerce And Digital Leaders

Diversify Critical Infrastructure

To prevent a repeat scenario:

• Use multiple CDNs.
  
• Implement DNS redundancy with two independent providers.
  
• Avoid tying storefront, payment, and identity flows to the same vendor stack.
  

Design For Graceful Degradation

During an upstream outage:

• Serve cached pages from backup sources.
  
• Let customers build carts locally.
  
• Queue orders for later processing.
  

The goal is to degrade softly, not abruptly fail.

Audit Vendor Dependencies

Businesses must map their full dependency graph, including sub-vendors, to understand true risk.

Strengthen Configuration Governance

Best practices include:

• Strict size limits on configuration files.
  
• Staged rollouts rather than global pushes.
  
• Automated rollback triggers.
  
• Separation of security configs from routing logic.
  

Enhance Incident Preparedness

Organizations should maintain:

• Runbooks for upstream outages.
  
• Status pages that communicate clearly.
  
• Pre-approved customer messaging for downtime periods.
  

The Cloudflare outage of November 18, 2025, was a global-scale infrastructure event that demonstrated just how fragile modern e-commerce ecosystems can be.

The lesson is clear: no matter how reliable a provider is, depending too heavily on any single infrastructure layer creates unacceptable business risk. The companies that respond to this outage by diversifying infrastructure, improving resilience patterns, and mapping hidden dependencies will be far better prepared when the next major disruption inevitably arrives.

The post Cloudflare’s Outage: Impact, Risks, And What It Reveals About E-Commerce Vulnerabilities appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services have revolutionized the European e-commerce sector, offering consumers flexible payment options and driving increased sales for merchants. As of 2025, BNPL has become a mainstream financial tool, particularly among younger demographics seeking alternatives to traditional credit.

Market Overview: BNPL's Explosive Growth

The European BNPL market has experienced significant growth:

• Market Size: In 2024, BNPL payments in Europe reached $167 billion, marking a 15.2% year-over-year increase. Projections estimate this figure will rise to $191.3 billion in 2025.
  
• Growth Rate: The BNPL sector is expected to maintain a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.1% from 2024 to 2029, indicating sustained expansion.
  
• Consumer Adoption: Approximately 68% of European consumers have utilized BNPL services, with 40% using them frequently.
  

Leading BNPL Providers in Europe

Several key players dominate the European BNPL landscape:

• Klarna: Headquartered in Sweden, Klarna is a leading BNPL provider with a presence in 26 countries and over 93 million users. The company offers a range of payment solutions, including interest-free installments and direct payments.
  
• Afterpay (Riverty): In Europe, Afterpay operates under Riverty. It provides BNPL services across multiple European markets, focusing on seamless integration with online retailers.
  
• PayPal Pay Later: Leveraging its extensive user base, PayPal offers BNPL options that are widely accepted by merchants, enhancing consumer flexibility at checkout.
  
• Scalapay: An Italian fintech company, Scalapay specializes in BNPL services for fashion and lifestyle products and partners with numerous European retailers.
  
• Alma: Based in France, Alma offers customizable payment plans and BNPL solutions for small and medium-sized businesses.

Main Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) providers operating in Europe:

Notes:

• Klarna processed $105 billion in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) in 2024, with 93 million active users and partnerships with 675,000 merchants .(research.contrary.com)
• Afterpay handled $27.3 billion in global payments in 2023, serving 24 million users worldwide. It operates under the name "Clearpay" in some European markets .(en.wikipedia.org)
• PayPal Pay Later has a significant user base in Europe, with 137.7 million users in Germany and 56.2 million in the UK as of 2024 .(oberlo.com)
• Scalapay achieved approximately €1 billion in annual financing volume across Southern Europe, with over 5 million users .(blog.scalapay.com)
• Alma reported over €1 billion in annual transaction volume and is a leading BNPL provider in France, expanding its presence across Europe .(fintechnews.ch)

Product Categories Popular with BNPL

BNPL services are predominantly used for the following product categories:

• Fashion and Apparel: Clothing and accessories are the most common purchases made using BNPL, appealing to consumers seeking to manage budgets without delaying gratification.
  
• Electronics: High-ticket items like smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles are frequently financed through BNPL options.
  
• Home Goods and Furniture: Consumers utilize BNPL to spread the cost of home improvements and furnishings over manageable installments.
  
• Travel and Experiences: An emerging trend shows consumers using BNPL for booking travel and leisure activities, indicating diversification in BNPL usage.
  

Regulatory Landscape: Ensuring Consumer Protection

The rapid expansion of BNPL services has prompted regulatory scrutiny to safeguard consumers:

• European Union Initiatives: The EU is set to implement regulations classifying BNPL as consumer credit by 2026, mandating creditworthiness assessments and more precise terms to prevent over-indebtedness.
  
• Germany's Approach: Starting in 2024, Germany requires credit checks for BNPL transactions, even for amounts under €200, to mitigate consumers' financial risks.
  
• United Kingdom Measures: The UK government plans to bring BNPL providers under the Financial Conduct Authority's oversight, enforcing stricter lending standards and transparency.
  

BNPL services have become integral to the European e-commerce ecosystem, offering consumers flexible payment options and driving merchants' sales. As the market grows, regulatory frameworks are evolving to ensure responsible lending practices. Businesses and consumers should stay informed about these changes to navigate the BNPL landscape effectively.

The post Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) in European E-Commerce: A 2025 Market Deep Dive appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

The Dutch e-commerce market has high growth potential. Since 2020 the cross-border e-commerce spending grew from 564 million euros to 736 million euros in 2021. These results were shown by Statista. Also, 94% of Dutch customers shop online – this is one of the highest numbers among European countries. 

Direct Link is an expert at cross-border deliveries as well as the Dutch market. They have recently launched their operations in the Netherlands. If looking for a partner to manage your e-com deliveries or fulfillment services, reach out to Direct Link! 

The study also shows that the top categories in online shopping are clothing and shoes, and the average age of buyers is between 25 - 44 years. The share of total online spending on clothes is expected to increase from 16% in 2021 to 20% in 2026. Of course, with a large number of orders,  there are also returns that the online retailer has to take into account in the supply chain. 35% of consumers who shop in the category of clothing, return their goods. A full 51% of consumers across all product categories say they do not return any of their orders.  

Get more valuable knowledge on the European markets in the latest Direct Link E-Commerce Report.  

Are you an e-tailer looking for a partner in the Netherlands and would like to contact Direct Link locally? Frido Brouwers, Growth Manager – Direct Link NL, is there to answer any questions you might have. Frido Brouwers joined the Direct Link team in 2022. 

With his knowledge and experience in international logistics, you will be sure to have an expert on your team! 

Contact Frido at: frido.brouwers@directlink.com  

The post The future of e-commerce in the Netherlands, a Direct Link Report appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

E-commerce in Europe has grown remarkably in the last year. For that reason, Direct Link report is vital. Especially nowadays, when is more important than ever to know the needs of your customers, how your customers behave in the individual markets, their wants, and what requirements they have when it comes to the actual delivery of the product.  Especially in a market so well defined, and so powerful from an economic perspective, as it is the European market. 

Do you want to know more about international commerce, e-commerce, and also get all the tips and news that might give your company an edge? Subscribe to Cross-Border Magazine and get your digital copy now for free! 

And get this valuable insight, every year Direct Link conducts studies on e-commerce development. These studies are key in being up to date with trends and their effects on markets and shipping possibilities in various parts of the world. Becoming very beneficial, not only for the Direct Link team but to their customers since it forms the international delivery solutions offered.  

E-commerce in Europe

Today, we want to share with you this report from Europe’s e-commerce Direct Link´s E-Commerce Report to give you the latest insights and valuable information on cross-border shipping! 

???? And if you are looking to find a  partner to manage your cross–border deliveries, Direct Link is the answer ????

Regardless of the fact that there were supply problems during the pandemic, especially for trade from Asia - China tops the list as the most popular country for online purchases from abroad, followed by the UK and the US. 

In recent years, the number of e-commerce consumers has increased considerably, not least because of the pandemic and the changing circumstances and opportunities to shop online.  216 million consumers state they have made cross-border online purchases and the average sales per person per month amount to EUR 161. 

All in all, more people are choosing to make larger e-commerce purchases compared to before the pandemic and are buying a wider range of different product categories. 

???? Take a look at your e-com markets in Direct Link´s E-Commerce Report to get the latest insights and valuable information on cross-border shipping! If you are looking to find a  partner to manage your cross–border deliveries, Direct Link is the answer. ????

The post Direct Link report on E-commerce in Europe is here! appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

As in previous years, Germany is one of the strongest e-commerce markets in Europe. 62,1 million consumers shopped online in 2021, representing 94% of the population that shops online. The most common products purchased online were clothing and footwear, followed by pharmacy products and home electronics. 

Do you want to know more about international commerce, e-commerce, and also get all the tips and news that might give your company an edge? Subscribe to Cross-Border Magazine and get your digital copy now for free! 

38% of consumers have shopped more online due to the pandemic. But what will happen after the pandemic? 21% of consumers say they will shop less online. 

When it comes to delivery to German customers, there are the following questions to answer: What is the preferred delivery method? What is important to customers in terms of speed, delivery costs, and the willingness to pay more for more eco-friendly delivery? 

Key delivery factors for German customers 

For German customers, the cost of delivery is the most important factor, followed by fast delivery and the possibility to choose the place of delivery. 32% of customers surveyed would be willing to pay more for eco-friendly delivery, this puts the Germans far ahead in a European comparison after  Italy. The preferred delivery method in Germany is Home delivery with signature, followed by Home delivery without signature. Only a small percentage would choose the option to collect the product from a parcel machine. 

You can gain further exciting insights in the latest e-commerce report from Direct Link. Download the E-Commerce Report 2021 for free.

Direct Link is there for you as a competent and reliable partner for cross-border deliveries and fulfillment - in Germany and worldwide. Fully owned by PostNord, Direct Link delivers to 160  countries daily and currently has operations and local personnel in Sweden, Germany, the UK,  Poland, the US, Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China. Reach out for a request on your deliveries! 

The post Direct Link Report: A look at e-commerce in Germany appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

If you are an online retailer aiming to ship to the Scandinavian countries, you should know the market and the buying behavior of the customers. 

When it comes to delivery methods, there are some differences between countries. 34% of Danish customers prefer home delivery, with signature. While this is not the favored delivery method in  Sweden, Finland, and Norway. Delivery via mailbox is the preferred method for 31% of Swedes, and in  Norway, it is even 44% of consumers. Again, 34% of Finnish customers would like to pick up their delivery themselves at a parcel machine.  

Do you want to know more about international commerce, eCommerce, and also get all the tips and news that might give your company an edge? Subscribe to Cross-Border Magazine and get your digital copy now for free! 

Logistics for Scandinavia 

One thing that all four markets have in common is that two characteristics are most important to customers: The ability to choose where the shipment is delivered and the cost of delivery. For over  50% of consumers, the cost of delivery is a key consideration when ordering online. In third place is the speed of delivery.  

While in Finland, Denmark and Norway clothing and footwear are the most purchased products online with over 50%, in Sweden pharmacy products are the most purchased products online with  69%, followed by clothing and footwear with 61%.  

Among the top 3 marketplaces, the German online fashion giant Zalando is in first place in all four countries. In Sweden, Amazon has ranked high in 2nd place since its launch in October 2020.  

For more exciting insights into the Scandinavian market, request Direct Link/PostNord's e-commerce report today.  

The post Deliveries into Scandinavia: Tips and strategies with DirectLink appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Direct Link/PostNord released the E-Commerce report 2021! and you can get it for free.

As borders were closed in Belgium due to the pandemic, creating uncertainty in cross-border trade 37% of Dutch and 39% of Belgian consumers have shopped online more often in 2021. 

Thus, more consumers started to shop online domestically, even more, than 20.000 new e-commerce stores opened in 2020. This figure represents 42% of all e-commerce businesses in the country. 

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Direct Link/PostNord report concerning delivery expectations

Now in the run-up to Christmas, delivery times are an even more important issue. As this year's studies have shown, 56% of Dutch customers expect their shipment within 3-5 days. In Belgium, the figure is even higher with 64%. But are customers willing to pay more to get their delivery faster? 16% of the consumers would be willing to pay extra for faster delivery in the Netherlands and 20% of the Belgium consumers. As people order more during the pandemic, faster delivery times are expected. Compared to last year, when 12% of the Belgium consumers expected their deliveries within 1-2 days, a significant increase can be seen with 18% in 2021. 

Get more insights on the E-Commerce market in the Netherlands and Belgium, order your free copy of the E-Commerce report from Direct Link/PostNord! 

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