The Event

Shopping Today Utrecht · 8 Oct 2026

Shopping Today is the Netherlands' leading ecommerce event, organized by Thuiswinkel.org, the Dutch national ecommerce association. It brings together Dutch retailers, marketplaces and technology providers for a day focused on the state of ecommerce in the Netherlands. For US brands weighing the Netherlands as an EU entry point, it's one of the clearest single snapshots of that market available.

Treat this one as market education rather than a sales trip: the room is dominated by Dutch-market operators, not international sellers, so the value is in hearing how the market actually works day to day. Worth knowing that before you judge it on the headline attendance figure.

What this means for EU expansion

The Room

Who's expected at Shopping Today 2026

Shopping Today draws the Dutch ecommerce establishment: retailers, marketplaces, logistics providers and the association members of Thuiswinkel.org itself. It's a domestic-market event first, which is exactly what makes it useful as a read on how the Netherlands actually operates day to day.

Dutch Retailers Ecommerce Directors Logistics Providers Marketplace Teams Industry Associations

For a growing brand seeking the next step up, is Shopping Today 2026 a good fit?

Less useful for brands still deciding between EU countries; higher-value once the Netherlands is already the leading candidate.

Why the Netherlands matters

The Netherlands has one of the fastest VAT registration timelines in the EU and a central location that makes it a common first EU warehouse choice for US brands.

Language consideration

Expect substantial Dutch-language content given the domestic audience. Confirm English-language sessions or translation support before committing to travel.

Where it fits

A useful market-intelligence trip for brands seriously evaluating the Netherlands, rather than a general EU ecommerce show.

Programme

What's on at Shopping Today 2026

Three tracks anchor the confirmed agenda.

01 Dutch Ecommerce Trends

Sessions covering the state of ecommerce in the Netherlands, consumer behavior shifts and where growth is coming from across categories.

State of Dutch ecommerce 2026
Consumer trends and expectations

02 Marketplaces & Bol.com

Coverage of the Dutch marketplace landscape, with Bol.com as the dominant local platform for brands entering the market.

Selling on Bol.com
Marketplace vs owned-store strategy
Cross-border selling into Belgium

03 Logistics & Fulfillment

Sessions on the Netherlands' role as a European logistics hub, relevant to any brand considering a Dutch warehouse as a base for wider EU delivery.

The Netherlands as an EU distribution hub
Returns and last-mile delivery

Live Intelligence

What's being said about Shopping Today 2026

Themes shaping the October 2026 program.

Bol.com continues to lead Dutch marketplace share

ECOMMERCE EVENTS CALENDAR · JUL 2026

Dutch shoppers continue to favor Bol.com over Amazon for everyday purchases. A brand entering the Netherlands without a Bol.com strategy is missing the market's default marketplace.

The Netherlands remains the fastest EU VAT registration

INTELLIGENCE UPDATE · JUN 2026

At 3-4 weeks, Dutch VAT registration is consistently the fastest route to legally holding EU stock. That speed is a major reason US brands choose a Netherlands warehouse as their first EU base.

Sustainability and packaging rules are rising on the agenda

INTELLIGENCE UPDATE · MAY 2026

Dutch retailers are increasingly vocal about EPR packaging obligations, which apply from a 50,000kg/year threshold for general packaging. Batteries, WEEE and textiles carry no threshold at all, so category matters as much as volume.

The bigger picture

Why the Netherlands is a common first EU base

Shopping Today is a direct window into why so many US brands choose the Netherlands as their EU entry point. Fast VAT registration and central logistics make it a practical base for reaching Germany and neighboring markets quickly.

Expandly runs fulfillment out of our Netherlands warehouse, so we pay close attention to how this market behaves. If the Netherlands is your entry point, the same signals are worth your time.

Dutch VAT registration takes roughly 3-4 weeks, the fastest of any major EU market.
A Netherlands warehouse reaches Germany and neighboring countries within a day or two by road.
Bol.com, not Amazon, is the dominant marketplace for everyday Dutch shopping.
EPR packaging registration applies above a 50,000kg/year threshold, though batteries, WEEE and textiles have no threshold at all.

Worth attending if the Netherlands is a serious contender for your first EU warehouse location.

Dutch VAT registration

Dutch VAT registration takes roughly 3-4 weeks, the fastest of any major EU market, making the Netherlands a common first choice for a European base.

3-4weeks, fastest in the EU

Packaging EPR threshold

EPR packaging registration only applies once a brand ships more than 50,000kg of packaging a year, though batteries, WEEE and textiles carry no threshold.

50,000kg/yrgeneral packaging

Dominant marketplace

Dutch shoppers consistently favor Bol.com over Amazon for everyday purchases, making it the default marketplace any brand entering the Netherlands needs a strategy for.

Bol.comnot Amazon

Good to Know

Questions about Shopping Today 2026

Who organizes Shopping Today?

Shopping Today is organized by Thuiswinkel.org, the Dutch national ecommerce association, giving it strong ties into how Dutch retailers and regulators actually operate.

Is Shopping Today useful for a US brand that hasn't picked the Netherlands yet?

Yes, since the Netherlands is one of the fastest and most central EU markets to launch in, and this event is the clearest single snapshot of that market.

Is Shopping Today conducted in English?

The event is primarily aimed at the Dutch ecommerce market, so expect substantial Dutch-language content; confirm English-language session availability before booking travel.

Does Expandly have any direct connection to this event?

Expandly runs fulfillment for clients out of our Netherlands warehouse, so this event is useful market intelligence both for our own operations and for founders scoping the market.

Why hold stock inside Europe instead of shipping from the US?

Local stock ships next-day domestically and reaches neighboring EU countries in a day or two. Shipping each order from the US adds cost, customs delay, and a slower delivery promise.

Which marketplaces matter most for selling in Europe?

Amazon is not automatic across Europe. Local marketplaces often lead: Bol dominates the Netherlands, Zalando leads fashion, Allegro leads Poland. Stock entering a marketplace's local fulfillment triggers VAT obligations there.

Make Your Move

Heading to Utrecht?

If Shopping Today has you seriously considering the Netherlands as your EU base, it's worth mapping the VAT and warehouse setup before you commit stock.

Expandly's Global Expansion Pathway (GEP™) covers exactly what a US brand needs to get VAT registered and stock moving through our Netherlands warehouse, reaching Germany and neighboring markets fast. We're happy to brief you before the event on what a realistic Dutch launch timeline looks like. Want to talk through it ahead of October?

Global Expansion Pathway™

Where to Expand