Department stores suffered significantly in 2020 as a result of lockdown measures and lower footfall in shopping areas. Number two player De Bijenkorf, for example, had to close all of its shops in March and April and move almost exclusively to online sales during this period.
With the restrictions on travel introduced both nationally and internationally to contain the spread of COVID-19, De Bijenkorf lost a large part of its in-store revenue. De Bijenkorf has a model that is specifically aimed at selling to international tourists with high disposable incomes, as they are more likely to purchase high-value luxury products.
Hema remains the dominant player in department stores in the Netherlands, operating by far the biggest network of stores, although the typical Hema store generates fewer sales than its competitors’. Hema had been seeing increasing competition from variety stores and e-commerce during the review period, which has been seeing it invest in expanding its online store, even before the pandemic struck the country.
A continued focus on experience will be important for De Bijenkorf, combining a broad selection of luxury products with high levels of service for shoppers. De Bijenkorf is highly dependent on international tourists, which means that, once tourism recovers in the post-pandemic period, this should have a positive impact on footfall in De Bijenkorf stores and the company’s overall value sales.
Hema will be focusing less on international expansion and more on its Dutch stores. As part of this strategy, it is set to renew all of its stores according to its new concept and new look.
The department store as a concept goes against some current and future trends in retail. Consumers are looking for more specific, niche-driven retailers that serve a well-defined market.
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Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Department Stores industry in Netherlands with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
If you're in the Department Stores industry in Netherlands, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
Department stores are chained or independent retail outlets that usually exceed 2,500 sq metres of selling space, are typically in high-street or shopping mall locations, and have a primary focus on selling a range of non-food/drink/tobacco merchandise across several categories in different departments. Department stores usually have a mid-to-upper price positioning. Example brands include Macy’s, Marks & Spencer, and Takashimaya.
See All of Our DefinitionsThis report originates from Passport, our Department Stores research and analysis database.
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