When you shop for clothing online, you typically think of major fashion retailers like Zalando, Wehkamp or About You. Big brands such as H&M, The Sting and Zara also dominate the digital landscape. But a new player is entering the fashion arena: Bol.com is becoming a serious marketplace for apparel.
The largest online retailer in the Netherlands announced that fashion will be a strategic focus area. For brands and retailers, this creates a low-barrier opportunity to increase visibility and revenue. If you sell fashion, this is the moment to step in.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- Why Bol.com is investing heavily in fashion
- How to make your fashion assortment successful on the platform
- How to stand out from thousands of competing sellers
- What you must not do as a fashion retailer on Bol.com
Bol.com is investing in fashion
The rumors have circulated for a while, but now it’s confirmed: Bol.com is expanding its fashion category significantly. The platform already sold bags, sportswear, maternity clothing and baby items. But this year, fashion will become a major strategic category.
According to Margaret Versteden, Director of Stores & CCO, this will be Bol.com’s last major category expansion for now. The marketplace wants to grow with both existing partners and new fashion retailers.
Bol.com expects brands to bring their expertise: assortment strategy, trends, returns handling and high-quality product content. The focus lies on a broad range of colors, sizes and variations, where third-party sellers can add meaningful value.
The current 100,000 fashion items on the platform will quickly grow to more than 500,000, driven by external sellers. Bol.com also expects brands to improve their content quality, including product descriptions and high-quality images.
Why fashion brands choose Bol.com
Fashion brands increasingly recognize the power of marketplaces. Platforms like Bol.com offer:
- massive visibility
- millions of active shoppers
- a strong mobile-first audience
- scalable sales without heavy marketing costs
In December alone, Bol.com attracted 11.2 million shoppers, with over 60% browsing on mobile. That’s a compelling opportunity for fashion brands.
The Dutch fashion industry generates around €5.5–6 billion in annual revenue, with around 15% through digital sales channels, a percentage that continues to grow. Selling fashion on Bol.com gives brands an additional boost to capture this rising demand.
How to succeed with fashion sales on Bol.com
Whether you’re a major brand or a smaller retailer, you can be successful on Bol.com but only if you focus on the right fundamentals.
#1 Provide strong product information
Visibility starts with high-quality content. In fashion especially, product information and imagery directly influence conversion.
Focus on:
- Clear titles with relevant keywords
- Complete and accurate product descriptions
- Consistent sizing, material and fit details
- High-quality product images
Bol.com supports sellers with guidelines for titles, search terms and category structure. If you sell more than 200 items, the platform recommends integrating via API so you can:
- sync product data automatically
- update stock levels in real time
- manage prices from a central system
#2 Expand your assortment strategically
Bol.com regularly shares data-driven insights with partners. You’ll learn which products shoppers are searching for but aren’t yet available, the so-called “white spots.”
This helps you discover:
- which items have strong demand
- which categories have room for growth
- where your assortment can become more profitable
Retailers who act on these insights grow significantly faster.
#3 Deliver outstanding service
Your seller performance strongly affects your ranking on Bol.com. Keep an eye on:
- Phone support between 09:00–17:00
- Responding to customer emails within 24 hours
- Shipping within the promised timeframe
- Communicating realistic delivery windows
Poor service costs you literal ranking points. As your ranking drops, so does visibility and ultimately revenue. Excellent service is essential for long-term growth.
What is not allowed on Bol.com (fashion category)
Bol.com has strict guidelines for materials and visual content. The following items are not permitted:
Prohibited materials
- Endangered plant-based materials (e.g., red coral, rosewood)
- Real fur (any part of an animal skin)
- Angora, mohair, kangaroo
- Snake leather, crocodile leather
- Ivory
Prohibited content
- Erotic imagery in the fashion category
Listings containing any of these elements will be rejected or removed.
Ready to start selling fashion on Bol.com?
Selling fashion on Bol.com is a strong growth opportunity, if you get your content, assortment and service right. A solid strategy helps you stand out in a highly competitive marketplace.
At Follo, we help brands and retailers with: product data optimization, marketplace strategy, high-quality content creation and scalable growth on Bol.com, Amazon and Zalando.
Want to discuss your fashion strategy for Bol.com? We’re here to help.
