Are you ready to start an online shop in the Netherlands? Open an online shop in the Netherlands and take advantage of the great financial opportunities the country’s e-commerce sector has to offer.
Amsterdam is a hub of technology and innovation and is known as the ‘Silicon Value of Europe’ due to its state-of-the-art technology infrastructure and highly sought-after tech workforce. This makes the city perfectly suited to start a Dutch company and open an online shop in the Netherlands. What’s more, the Netherlands has a highly tech-savvy population and the Dutch government has regulations in place that actively support business development in The Netherlands, especially in the e-commerce sector.
Our consultants are experts in business development in the Netherlands and they can help you to start a Dutch business to identify specific opportunities when you want to open an online shop in the Netherlands, as well as how to take advantage of these opportunities.
Regulations for online shops in the Netherlands
The Dutch government actively supports and encourages starting a business in the Netherlands in the e-commerce field, and regulations are very relaxed for online shop business development in the Netherlands.
However, while no special licenses are required to open an online shop in the Netherlands, there are certain rules and regulations that online stores need to abide by, including the following:
Terms & conditions concerning payment, delivery, and product guarantees must be displayed on the website at all times.
Information about the company’s business address, company registration number, and VAT number must be displayed.
Personal data protection protocols must be in place to ensure data security.
Compliance with certain laws and regulations specifically pertaining to online businesses.
Our Entity Portal can offer you great advice about how to open an online shop in the Netherlands, including all the rules, regulations, and tax requirements.
How do I set up an online shop in the Netherlands
The first thing you have to do when starting a Dutch business is to register a Dutch company with the Dutch Trade Register, which must include the mandatory NACE (Nomenclature of Economic Activities) number. For online shops, the numbers are as follows (depending on the type of operation): Section G; Division 47; Group 47.9; Class 47.91.
Once registered you need to choose, purchase and register a .nl domain name(.com domain names are also popular) with the SIDN (Stichting Internet Domeinnaamregistratie Nederland). There are certain technical and legal requirements for .nl domain names.
Design, publish, and open an online shop.
It is recommended that you set up a merchant account with a reputable Dutch financial institution.
When you start a business in the Netherlands, such as a Dutch BV, you must apply for a VAT number.
Online shopping is becoming more commonplace every day as more and more people look to the web to purchase goods and services. Regardless of whether you sell products online or not, having an online presence is critical for any successful business.
With its highly connected and tech-savvy consumer market, and favourable government regulations that support online business development in The Netherlands, the country is the perfect place to host and manage your online shop or online presence.
Steps to start service, or operate in Industry
Starting a business in The Netherlands for e-commerce is fairly simple, with certain steps to take and regulations to adhere to:
To open an online business in The Netherlands, you first have to register a company with the Dutch Trade Register, including the mandatory NACE (Nomenclature of Economic Activities) number. For an online businesses, the number is as follows: Section D; Division 47; Group 47.9; Class 47.91.
Once registered you need to choose, purchase and register a .nl domain name with the SIDN (Stichting Internet Domeinnaamregistratie Nederland). There are certain technical and legal requirements for .nl domain names.
Design, publish and open an online business.
Once the site is up and running, the owner of the site has to ensure it adheres to certain Dutch laws and regulations that pertain specifically to online businesses.
