Amazon has recently expanded its European operations and opened Amazon.nl in the Netherlands. For Americans and other non-European merchants, this is an exciting opportunity to venture into a new and high-potential market — but one with its own rules and shopping behaviors.

In this guide, we share some top advice for how to sell on Amazon Netherlands, whether you’re a growing international enterprise or a first-timer selling outside your country. Below, we list five expert tips for selling on Amazon.nl to get you started on the right track.

1. Check Out Amazon Netherlands Competitors

First things first, you’ll need to get the lay of the land. The Netherlands is a centuries-old culture with many proud traditions, so you’re better off learning to do things their way than convincing them to do things your way.

And to prepare, we recommended browsing around some of the most popular eCommerce channels in the Netherlands. (Some of these are written in Dutch, so you may need an online page translator.)

Bol.com - the leading eCommerce brand in the Netherlands (and Belgium); an all-purpose online store, similar to Amazon
Wehkamp - a Dutch home goods, furniture, and apparel eCommerce brand
Coolblue - another Dutch general eCommerce brand, similar to Bol.com, but not as popular
Albert Heijn - the online market for Netherlands leading supermarket chain
Zalando - a German-based shoes and clothing online retailer

Pay attention to how established Dutch retailers handle pricing, returns policies, and marketing. Competing online retail sites will show you what Dutch shoppers expect from eCommerce brands.

2. Double-check Prohibited Products

The trouble with international laws is that sometimes the differences surprise you. It’s best to review beforehand whether you can legally sell your product line on Amazon.nl.

The standard Amazon prohibited items apply, such as no firearms and dangerous materials. Additionally, Amazon Netherlands has a few more items of note, particularly in the categories of electronics and food/beverage goods, as well as what constitutes “hazardous and dangerous items.”

If you’re worried about one of your products falling into these questionable areas, double-check the official Amazon lists here.

3. Understand Dutch Culture and Its Market

Colloquially, Dutch culture is known for its mercantilism — students of history might know why. From the country that invented capitalism, you can expect a unique form of shopping behaviors different from other European countries.

For one thing, you can bet on Dutch shoppers prioritizing the lowest price. Although individual shoppers may vary, on the whole you can bank on a bargain-hunter strategy for Dutch markets, factoring in for convenience.

You’ll also want to consider the most popular product categories. According to the Dutch national statistics bureau, relayed through ExpatINFO Holland, the most common items the Dutch buy online are:

clothing/sporting goods (52%)
trips/accommodations (47%)
event tickets (45%)
household goods/appliances (34%)
books/periodicals (29%)
computers/electronics (28%)
groceries/cosmetics (26%)
telecom services (23%)

And whatever you do, don’t deliver late — that’s the number one problem with eCommerce, according to the Dutch customers surveyed.

Late delivery can result in negative seller feedback and other complications for your Amazon business. Consider using Amazon FBA to fulfill your .nl orders to provide a better buyer experience. You can also start requesting reviews and more with FeedbackFive, which supports Amazon.nl.

4) iDEAL with It

The Dutch shopping behaviors are unique to the Dutch…that’s why it should come as no surprise that only 45% of people in the Netherlands own a credit card.

So how is online shopping so popular there? Most Dutch use iDEAL, a mobile banking-and-transfer app. This app transfers money straight from your bank account to the merchant or other recipient, and appeals to a culture where the word for “debt” is the same word for “guilt.”

Amazon.nl is already set up to accept payment from iDEAL (along with the German Amazon.de), so if you want to give shoppers the road of least resistance, you should look into it yourself.

5) Follow Our 5 Steps to Selling in Europe

You may be wondering why this article hasn’t mentioned anything about VAT, language barriers, shipping overseas, or all the other logistical obstacles to selling internationally. It’s not that these issues don’t apply to the Netherlands, it’s just that we explained them all in great detail in another guide, Best Practices for Selling on Amazon Europe.

Because the Netherlands is a part of Europe (spoiler alert!), these same strategies and principles still apply. If you're already selling in the Netherlands, you can use FeedbackFive to manage your reputation for Amazon.nl. Send Amazon feedback and review requests, monitor your product reviews, and get detailed order trend data with FeedbackFive.