While Zalando is a strong multinational player, there has to be room in Belgium for a strong local fashion web shop. Dieter Penninckx, FNG Group’s CEO, thinks that his brand Brantano can claim that place.
No big local players in Belgium
“Fashion and shoes in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are worth 18 billion euro, and we expect the online share to double from 15% now to 30% in three or four years’ time. Zalando thinks it can claim a share of 5 %, we think Brantano can be as big – or even larger”, claims Penninckx in Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. His brand’s strengths? A strong web shop, a large network of physical stores and a good knowledge of local taste in fashion.
Every market in Europe has a strong local online player, claims the CEO, but so far there are none in Belgium. FNG is trying to fill that place with a new online environment that uses artificial intelligence and cost 30 million euro. The results were immediate: the number of site visits that actually ends in a purchase hase doubled. A good start for an ambitous programme…
