According to Kantar research commissioned by Amazon and BeCommerce, more than half (55%) of Belgian SMEs will start their business online, even though 53% are actively looking for new growth drivers. I'm still hesitant.
and Amazon.com.be On our one-year anniversary, we announced the launch of E-Academy, a free training program designed to give entrepreneurs access to the knowledge they need to launch their businesses online. The program, which will be available from October 23, includes approximately 20 modules that address all aspects of e-commerce in the form of short videos led by experts. Available training courses include preparing for your digital transition, launching your own website commerce site, and launching into a marketplace.
“The E-Academy program gives every entrepreneur access to the tools they need to start a business online, whether through their own website or through existing marketplaces like Amazon.” Amazon.com said Guillaume Codsi, Marketplace Manager at .be.
By the end of 2022, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises in Belgium will exceed 1.2 million.[1], an increase of approximately 30,000 people compared to 2020 and a 21% increase compared to 10 years ago. This is proof that although Belgium is full of talented entrepreneurs who are eager to express themselves and spread their creativity around the world, many are still hesitant to jump into digital. According to a study conducted by Kantar on behalf of Amazon and BeCommerce to mark the first anniversary of Amazon.com.be, 45% of Belgian small and medium-sized businesses currently sell products online; was only 11%. The encouraging figures show that 55% of Belgian SMEs remain hesitant, even though more than half (53%) are actively looking for new growth drivers.
Almost a third (31%) of Belgian entrepreneurs surveyed by Kantar believe they do not have the necessary skills to start an online business, and a quarter (26%) lack this knowledge. I would like to receive training to bridge the gap.
“Too many Belgian companies give up on launching their business online because they think it’s too complicated. Exactly one year ago, Amazon.com.be launched a new initiative to bring creativity and know-how to the whole country, Europe, and the world. We have opened our doors to Belgian sellers who want to help us expand. We believe we have a role to play in helping Belgian SMEs digitalize and grow. Our company has been in business for over 20 years. , we devote all our energy, know-how and innovation capabilities to the economic growth of the countries in which we operate, and Belgium is no exception,” said Eva Feigt, Country Manager at Amazon. Combee.
Christophe de Smet, founder of Garzini, said: “Until 2020, we focused 70% of our efforts on developing traditional retail distribution, with 30% allocated to network and e-commerce. Since then, we have pivoted our strategy and leveraged Amazon. and focused on e-commerce.”
There are many positive outcomes for companies that go digital. More than 79% of businesses say they are able to reach more customers by using digital sales channels, 66% say their sales have increased as a result, and more than half of them say their sales have increased. They responded that they significantly increased their highs by about 20%. Slightly more than half of the SMEs surveyed (52%) have expanded their sales territory beyond Belgium, and 14% have created new jobs through their online activities and are actively contributing to the country's economic development. I'm joining.
“The digitalization of small and medium-sized enterprises in Belgium is clearly progressing, but there is still a long way to go. At the same time, companies that have gone online report significant benefits, especially in terms of expanding their customer base, increasing sales and increasing their creativity.” At the same time, they have expressed the need for support and training to optimize their digital migration,” says Martine Philippe, Research Director at Kantar Insights Belgium.
“E-commerce offers unique growth opportunities for Belgian businesses, and Amazon E-Academy will help entrepreneurs overcome the barriers they face and support their expansion in Belgium and beyond.” BeCommerce Money says Greet DeKocker, Managing Director.
This trend is confirmed by the 1,200 Belgian SMEs selling on Amazon, which expects to sell more than 5 million products per minute in 2022, according to the first Amazon SME Impact report conducted in the country. Over 10 products were sold. 200 of them had a turnover of more than 100,000 euros, and 30 reached 1 million euros. Companies that choose to expand abroad have achieved export sales of over 200 million euros, including 140 million euros within the European Union and 50 million euros outside the EU.
“We were already doing some exporting with our network of specialty stores, but Amazon has definitely given our business a new dimension. It is no longer limited to consumers visiting concept stores; Our customer base is much broader and more diverse.'' said Dimitri Oosterlink, founder of “. gin barHe credits part of his business's success to Amazon's logistics services. “I'm fascinated by Amazon's logistics. Not only are they very competitively priced, but they're also incredibly efficient, eliminating friction between consumers and their needs,” he said. I'll give it to you.''
Amazon offers a wide range of services designed to support entrepreneurs at every stage of their online adventure. Most solutions available through the Seller Central website are self-service and available 24/7, allowing entrepreneurs to experiment and fine-tune their approach to e-commerce at any time at their own pace. These easy-to-use solutions include increasing your visibility with promotional offers, taking advantage of Amazon's fast shipping services, attracting new customers with international sales, and more.
[1] Source: “SME Report 2022 – Overview of the economic health of Belgian SMEs” – Graydoncredit Vault, Unizo, UCM
