E-commerce monitor 2026: The era of automatic growth seems over

ROTTERDAM, March 17, 2026 - The era of automatic growth in e-commerce seems to be over. Dutch webshops are increasingly steering toward profitability, customer loyalty, and efficiency instead of fast revenue growth. That's according to the E-commerce Monitor 2026, an annual study among 525 webshops.

The share of companies reporting strong revenue growth dropped from 19% in 2025 to 12% in 2026, while the share of companies with declining revenue rose from 17% to 21%.

These figures mark a clear shift in the sector. Rising costs for marketing, logistics, and staff, combined with international competition and changing consumer behavior, are making profitable growth harder to achieve.

“The days when double-digit growth was a given are over. Everything is getting more expensive, so you have to look critically at every cost item,” says Pieter van Linschoten of Feestkleding365. He is one of 10 e-commerce entrepreneurs interviewed for the E-commerce Monitor.

Retention becomes the top growth strategy

One striking trend is that webshops are focusing more and more on existing customers. 57% now call repeat purchases their most important growth strategy, up ten percentage points from a year earlier.

This shift is tied to rising acquisition costs. Attracting new customers is getting more expensive, which makes loyalty and customer relationships more important.

AI is used everywhere, but rarely strategically

AI is playing an ever-larger role in e-commerce. 77% of webshops now use AI, mainly for marketing, content creation, and day-to-day efficiency.

Yet the way it's used is often still experimental. Only 5% of companies consider AI a strategic part of the organization.

According to the study, that's a real opportunity: companies that build AI into business processes like data analysis, customer service, and inventory forecasting can gain a competitive edge.

Strong brands as the answer to international competition

International platforms and overseas sellers are putting pressure on prices and advertising costs. Yet most webshops aren't responding with price cuts.

66% are instead investing more in brand, service, and customer experience, while only 25% are choosing lower prices.

The strategy is shifting from price competition toward brand building and customer relationships.

E-commerce Monitor 2026: a practical guide for webshops

The E-commerce Monitor 2026 is an initiative of Neople, FRMWRK, Sendcloud, Spotler, Commerce Network, Insight First, and Webwinkel Vakdagen. Together, they bring expertise from across the e-commerce landscape to give entrepreneurs a clearer view of what's changing in the sector.

The study offers practical insights for webshops looking to grow in a market where efficiency, data, and customer loyalty matter more every year.

Editorial team

For more information:

Muhammed Aydogan
Marketing Specialist
[email protected]
06 15 28 15 57