I’ve grown up using Amazon because they have a wide range of products, competitive pricing, quick doorstep delivery, easy return policy and amazing customer service which makes it a stress-free shopping experience. Imagine my horror when I discovered that there was no Amazon in the Netherlands after I moved here! Well, let me re-phrase that: There is Amazon but Amazon.nl is unfortunately an e-books and Kindle e-readers only store!

But fear not fellow shoppers, for I have discovered some great workarounds to make sure you can still get your Amazon retail therapy needs fulfilled while living in the Netherlands.

Update: as of March 2020, Amazon.nl now offers a range of more than one hundred million products in more than thirty categories. Before then, amazon.nl only sold books and Kindles. But since this post was visited so often prior to this launch, I’ll keep this blog post live incase you need to shop a product that is not available on Amazon.nl. At the end of my post, there are also some other Dutch alternatives to Amazon incase you want to try some popular local shopping sites.

Here’s three step-to-step ways to shop at different Amazon sites in the Netherlands.

Using Amazon Germany in the Netherlands

From personal experience and recommendations from other locals in Amsterdam, the best route is usually to purchase off Amazon.de so I’ll start off with this site first.

  • free shipping for most items
  • site is also available in English and Dutch
  • electronic products use European plugs
  • easier to compare pricing since it’s in Euros

Using Amazon UK in the Netherlands

Important Tip: Don’t forget that electronics from the UK means there is a different power plug and possible variations in voltage. 

  • free shipping for most items
  • Amazon.co.uk is in English
  • used English books and electronics are usually cheaper
  • the Pound is slightly more expensive than the Euro

Using Amazon.com in the Netherlands

Important Tip: Don’t forget that electronics in the USA means there is a different power plug and possibly a different voltage. Many electronic items also carry a VAT-surcharge.

  • Amazon.com is in English
  • prices are more competitive in the States
  • but many items do not ship to the Netherlands
  • if they do, Shipping & Import Fees are expensive
  • shipping time is typically long

I don’t recommend shopping via Amazon.com for the above reasons, but understand that America sometimes has a bigger selection. Also, you could always have items ship to a friend or family member that is coming to visit you soon!

How to Filter Products on Amazon That Ship to the Netherlands
Step 1

Go to Amazon Global page and login to your Amazon account.

Step 2

Go into “Your Account” settings page and then click on “Manage Addresses. Input your Netherlands address and  set it as the 1-Click default address. Note that you do not have to turn on 1-Click but the address in your country should be set to the 1-Click default.

Step 3

Now all items will have a note showing if it can be shipped to your address in the Netherlands. If it can’t, it will indicate so in a red font.

To filter and see only products that are deliverable to you, select “Ship to Netherlands” in the left hand column.

Popular Dutch shopping site alternatives

None of these solutions fit your needs? For those located in the Netherlands, here are some Dutch Amazon alternatives.

  • bol.com is the Dutch alternative closest to Amazon, though I think their prices are a bit more expensive so you’re really paying for the convenience.
  • Zalando is a global online fashion retailer offering an extensive range of designer, brand-name, and pre-owned clothing and accessories for women, men, and children. Joining Zalando Plus grants you exclusive benefits such as fast and free delivery, early access to new collections, and more.
  • Coolblue was founded as an online marketplace, similar to Amazon, and has since expanded to include physical locations.
  • Mediamarkt is a popular electronics retailer known for its wide selection of products, competitive pricing, and knowledgeable staff.
  • Wehkamp is a popular online retailer in the Netherlands known for its extensive range of products, convenient delivery options, and flexible payment methods.

The Amazon links above are affiliate links. This means if you buy a product using my link, it doesn’t cost you anything but gives me some spare change. I use this to fund the cost of my blog so I can continue to write helpful articles.

If you would like to help contribute to the maintenance of this site, please bookmark my link (Amazon.com | Amazon.de | Amazon.co.uk) and use it whenever you shop. Whatever you decide, thank you for reading my blog. I hope it helps!

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