Where to expand

Hungarian customers are not used to shopping online. However, local e‑commerce is undergoing dynamic year‑on‑year growth, presenting many interesting business opportunities. With our help there is no need to be afraid of the language barrier, which gives you the opportunity to focus on building a strong position in this rapidly growing market. It will definitely pay off!

Romania is the largest country in the Balkans and the fastest growing economy in Europe. With a population of almost 20 million, it is the seventh most populous country in the European Union. Bucharest is the eighth largest city in the EU. Romanian e‑commerce is experiencing rapid growth; in excess of 35% per year. Be there or miss out!

Germany is Europe’s strongest economy. More than 90% of the population actively uses the Internet and the online shopping figures are really high. The volume of German e‑commerce is growing by about 10% annually. In 2020, the market was worth EUR 80 billion. At NK Expand, we can help you successfully expand into the German market.

The Austrian market is very similar to the German one. Customers are willing to pay a higher price, whereby the credibility of the online shop and the quality of the goods play essential roles in their decision‑making. It is for these reasons that a number of online stores are therefore considering expanding into the Austrian and German markets at the same time. At NK Expand, we will make sure that your expansion into German‑speaking markets is a success.

Poland is the ninth largest country in Europe. With a population of more than 38 million, it is also the sixth most populous country in the EU. Polish e‑commerce has grown rapidly in recent years, as in other countries in the region. However, it is important to take into consideration that the competition is intense, which puts constant downward pressure on prices. As this suggests, Poles are extremely price sensitive.

Croatia is another Balkan country that offers lots of opportunities for expanding Czech online stores. A huge advantage is the willingness of Croats to shop in foreign online stores. It is not necessary to invest huge amounts of energy and resources to operate as an online shop based in Croatia. Expanding your online store into the Croatian market therefore represents an opportunity not to be missed.

Italy is the fastest growing e‑commerce market in Western Europe. The low number of online shops combined with low Internet connectivity represent ideal conditions for steep growth in the coming years. Foreign online stores should definitely not miss this opportunity to expand into the Italian e‑commerce market.

Ukraine is a huge market with over 40 million people. However, its potential is negatively affected by the war conflict with Russia. As soon as the situation calms down, the local e‑commerce market is expected to experience rapid growth due to the low level of competition. This will be another interesting market in which it will be easy for expanding Czech online shops to succeed. The right timing of expansion into the vacant Ukrainian market is thus an opportunity that you should watch closely.

Slovakia has historical ties with the Czech Republic, ties which persist to this day in cultural and linguistic terms. The Slovak economy is very successful and is one of the fastest growing in the Central European region.

The Czech Republic is a real e‑commerce paradise. The number of active online shops is unrivalled in Central Europe and is attracting more and more customers. It is not surprising that the turnover of Czech online stores is rising sharply every year. Fortunately, the journey doesn't end there because online shopping still only represents one‑tenth of the market.

The Netherlands is a small country in terms of area and population. However, from the point of view of European e‑commerce, it is one of the most important. Almost the entire population of 17 million people has access to the internet, with Dutch online business ranking third after the United Kingdom and Germany. The Netherlands represents an attractive opportunity to expand for any online store.

Bulgarians have one of the fastest internet connections in the world, which means the number of shoppers in online stores is increasing significantly every year. Despite this, Bulgarian e‑commerce is still relatively underdeveloped. Expand into Bulgaria and get your slice of the cake that is the dynamically growing Bulgarian online market!

Slovenia’s economy is more developed compared to other European post‑socialist countries. For online shops, Slovenia is an interesting location for further expansion. The main reason is the low number of active online stores operating on the Slovenian market. Expanding your online store into Slovenia is therefore an opportunity not to be missed.

Switzerland is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association but is neither a member of the European Union nor the European Economic Area. The country is economically strong. In terms of GDP, it is the ninth richest country in the world. A specific feature of Switzerland is the country´s division into cantons and not only one, but several official languages ‑ German, French and Italian.

France has built a name for itself, one which resonates in Europe and around the world. Its location within Europe is almost ideal, as it borders large countries such as Germany, Spain and Italy. It is the seventh largest e‑commerce market in the world. For online stores, France is another ideal destination for foreign expansion.

Despite the large number of online shops, further growth is expected in the coming years as the offline shopping infrastructure in Spain becomes more and more obsolete. For Czech online shops, Spain represents an exciting opportunity for expansion abroad.