Half of Bies’ wardrobe is full of items from abroad. “I mainly order products from the Shein. Very well known among young people. I find shopping there a lot more fun than in the store: in terms of size, colors but also in terms of price it is ideal. I can buy a lot of things for little money.”
When the VAT levy comes, Bies expects to continue ordering online. “I earn enough with my full-time job. In addition, I know what I get in terms of quality and price, so those few extra euros don’t matter much to me. I also always order large quantities, not one shirt at a time. That will also make a difference in the future. .”
‘Shopping in your own country’
There are customers who, because of the VAT levy, think twice about ordering something from outside Europe. “In any case, it is becoming less tempting to continue my shopping behavior,” says Roxanne Brouwers (32) from Den Bosch, who sometimes had periods in which she bought things every week from online stores such as Wish or AliExpress. “Toys for the children, school supplies or heels, for example.”
“It’s not even that much, that 21 percent VAT,” says Brouwers. “I really don’t lose sleep over it. But because it was so cheap at Chinese webshops, I took the gamble to order something. The question is what something really looks like and what the quality is like. And whether it is at all arrives.”
After July 1, Brouwers will “think about it” before making another purchase. “It is still possible to buy shoes once, but I will become more selective. It is not just the VAT levy, I also increasingly have to pay hefty shipping costs. Then heels are already 16 euros and there is another tenner. For that price I might as well go shopping in the Netherlands.”