Coolblue: Amazon competitor from Netherlands battles for Germany’s market share

We probably know about the great success of Dutch e-commerce scaleup Coolblue! Now, the Rotterdam-based company is all set to debut its operations in the German market, competing against the like of heavy-weights including Amazon. The arrival Coolblue would spice up the competition since the American giant is already big in Germany.  

In fact, Coolblue has already started to develop its own delivery network, installation service, bicycle network, and shops in the Düsseldorf area. As a result, the company has hired 40 German-speaking couriers to do the last kilometers of the delivery process.

As of today, customers in the Düsseldorf area can order white goods via the German-language Coolblue website and app. These orders are delivered to customers from the warehouse in Tilburg the next day by real Coolblue employees. After Düsseldorf, the company also plans to deliver to other cities in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Pieter Zwart, the co-founder, said: “We start with the delivery and installation of white goods. More product types and services will follow soon and we will deliver as many small product orders as possible to customers by bicycle. And yes… there will also be a physical store soon. In this way, we will make customers in and around Düsseldorf very happy. ” 

Founded by Pieter Zwart, Paul de Jong, and Bart Kuijpers in 1999, Coolblue’s goal is to provide the very best customer service. With 14 physical stores in the Netherlands and Germany, the retailer sells consumer products in 10 categories, from Image & Sound, Telephony, Computer & Tablets, to Household & Living. Coolblue has its own delivery and installation service as well. In 2019, Coolblue achieved a turnover of 1.5 billion euros.

Pieter Zwart, added: “Our step across the German border is a milestone for all 5000 Coolblue employees. Recently we have worked very hard to expand our infrastructure to Germany. That means not only hiring and training German-speaking Coolblue employees but also, for example, setting up customer-oriented product trips and designing our blue box, bag, bus, and bicycle. 

Furthermore, the company continues to expand its own infrastructure by adding more services and product groups in the upcoming days.

Main image credits: Coolblue