The Buybox determines who gets the order on bol.com — and for many sellers, it’s the key to sustainable growth on the marketplace. In this article, you’ll learn exactly how the Buybox works, which factors influence bol.com’s decision, and what you can do to consistently win that top spot. This gives you a clear, actionable roadmap to increase your sales.
What is the Buybox on bol.com?
The Buybox is the position where bol.com selects one seller as the default provider of a product. When multiple sellers offer the exact same item, bol.com chooses who receives the order. Most shoppers click the blue “Add to cart” button immediately — about 99% of purchases go to the seller in the Buybox.
Below the button, users can see alternative sellers, but only a small percentage browses through this list. If you’re not in the Buybox, you’re likely missing out on the sale.
Here’s how it works:
- Multiple sellers list the same product
- Bol.com evaluates who has the strongest overall offer
- That partner is awarded the Buybox
The competition is shaped entirely by your price, delivery performance and service quality.
What does that look like in practice?
Imagine searching for a book. Several sellers list the same title, but only one appears directly under the “add to cart” button. That seller wins the Buybox. Others appear in a secondary list — a list that most customers never open.
For sellers, this means one thing: winning the Buybox is winning the order.
Your strategy for winning the Buybox on bol.com
The Buybox is highly competitive, especially if you aim to scale your marketplace business. To increase your chances, focus on the three key components bol.com evaluates:
1. Fast and reliable delivery
Bol.com sets strict expectations around delivery speed because it directly affects customer satisfaction.
- The platform evaluates the number of delivery days you promise
- If your delivery window is 1–2 days, bol.com counts it as 2
- Delivering after your promised time harms your performance
Consumer expectations keep rising — in some categories, same-day delivery is the norm. The more consistent you are, the stronger your Buybox position becomes.
2. Competitive, market-aligned pricing
Price remains one of the most influential Buybox factors. In your seller dashboard, the Price Analysis page shows whether your pricing is competitive within your category.
Typically, the Buybox goes to the seller with the most competitive price, provided delivery and service standards are also strong.
3. Strong performance across service metrics
Bol.com assesses sellers on several service standards, each with minimum thresholds you must meet. Strong performance significantly increases your Buybox chances.
These include:
- On-time delivery rate
- Order cancellation rate
- Customer satisfaction score
- Speed of customer response
- Return rate
Consistent, predictable performance is key.
Buybox checklist: what bol.com expects from sellers
Bol.com uses eight clear criteria that influence Buybox eligibility. The most important ones include:
1. On-time delivery
At least 93% of orders must be delivered on time.
2. Minimal cancellations
A maximum of 2% is allowed.
3. Track & trace required
For all parcels and letterbox shipments.
4. Phone availability
You must be reachable on weekdays between 09:00–17:00.
5. Reduce customer questions
Lots of questions often signal unclear product content — optimize where needed.
6. Seller rating of 8 or higher
This refers to your seller score, not product reviews.
7. Low return rates
High return percentages negatively influence your reliability score.
8. Fast customer response
90% of questions must be answered within 8 business hours.
You can monitor all performance metrics in your seller dashboard, updated weekly.
Your bol.com strategy: compete smartly with data, service and pricing
Some sellers assume bol.com prefers its own offers in the Buybox, but that’s not how it works. The algorithm is strictly performance-based. If you outperform bol.com on price, service and delivery, you can win the Buybox, even against bol.com itself.
Many professional sellers use repricing tools such as Vendiro or ChannelEngine to stay competitive without manually updating prices. In fast-moving categories, this is almost essential.
To scale sustainably, focus on:
- Consistent service performance
- Smart price optimization
- Clear product content (reducing customer questions)
- Reliable logistics
These are the levers that influence the Buybox.
Want to improve your Buybox performance?
At Follo, we help brands grow on marketplaces with data-driven insights, operational support and scalable marketplace management. If you want to understand how to consistently win the Buybox, we’d love to help you move forward.
