Shopping in Netherlands: Expat Store Guide

The first thing I bought in the Netherlands — before I even had a bed delivered — was a box of stroopwafels and a set of tea towels from HEMA. Standing in the queue at the Amsterdam Centraal branch with my two purchases, I felt an irrational but powerful sense of arrival. HEMA does that to people. It is inescapably Dutch, warm, slightly chaotic, and somehow exactly what you need.

A decade later, I have shopped at every store worth knowing in this country and steered dozens of newly arrived expats towards the options that save money, time, and frustration. The Netherlands has a distinctive retail culture — more digital than most European countries, more price-conscious than the UK, and still attached to some specific brick-and-mortar institutions that do not translate elsewhere.

This guide covers what you actually need to know: where to buy things, how to pay for them, and how to furnish your first Dutch apartment without spending more than necessary.

HEMA: The Dutch Institution You Will Come to Love

HEMA is the Dutch equivalent of Marks & Spencer crossed with Muji — a general merchandise retailer that does a specific range of things well and is unmistakably, defiantly Dutch.

Founded in 1926 (the name stands for Hollandsche Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam — a mouthful that translates roughly as Dutch Standardised Prices Company Amsterdam), HEMA has over 700 stores in the Netherlands and a loyal customer base that borders on cultural identity.

What HEMA does well:

• Kitchen basics (the HEMA lunch set is a Dutch rite of passage)
• Bedding, towels, and bathroom essentials
• Stationery and school supplies
• Baby and children’s clothing and accessories
• Food — particularly the rookworst (smoked sausage), available hot at the counter, which is genuinely excellent
• Seasonal items (Christmas, Easter, Sinterklaas)
• Basic clothing and underwear at fair prices
• Bicycles and bicycle accessories

What HEMA does less well: electronics (limited and not especially competitive), large furniture, fashion beyond basics.

Price level: Mid-market. Not the cheapest for most items (Action beats it for basics) but reliable quality and often surprisingly well-designed.

Practical tip: Download the HEMA app for online shopping and store-specific deals. The click-and-collect service is efficient. During school supply season (August), HEMA is genuinely the best value in the country for children’s stationery.

Action: The Budget Revolution

Action is a Dutch discount retailer that has become one of the most successful retail stories in European history. Founded in 1993 in Enkhuizen, it now operates thousands of stores across seventeen countries — but the Netherlands is still its home and the stores are denser here than anywhere else.

Action sells everything at low prices: cleaning products, storage solutions, textiles, tools, stationery, toys, cosmetics, seasonal decoration, batteries, garden supplies, craft materials. The quality ranges from surprisingly decent to exactly what you would expect for the price.

Why every expat should know Action:

• It is genuinely the cheapest source for household basics
• Storage boxes, hangers, picture frames, cleaning supplies — all dramatically cheaper than supermarkets or HEMA
• Seasonal items (Christmas lights, Easter decorations, summer outdoor furniture) at prices that make it easy to decorate a Dutch apartment without financial stress
• Random useful finds — Action’s “what did you even find in there?” factor is high

Price level: Very cheap. Basket of typical household basics costs 40-60% less than at Albert Heijn or HEMA.

Practical reality: Stores can feel chaotic, stock rotates frequently, and you cannot always find the same item twice. But for stocking up a first apartment, Action is the one to know. Most Dutch people shop there regardless of income level — there is no social stigma attached.

Bol.com: The Dutch Amazon

Bol.com is the dominant Dutch e-commerce platform. Founded in 1999, it was acquired by Ahold Delhaize (the parent company of Albert Heijn) in 2012. It operates across the Netherlands and Belgium and is the first place most Dutch people look when buying anything online.

Why Bol.com beats Amazon in the Netherlands:

• Fully integrated with iDEAL, the Dutch online banking payment system
• Faster delivery from Dutch distribution centres (often next-day or even same-day in the Randstad)
• Better Dutch customer service — returns are handled quickly and without friction
• Broader coverage of Dutch-market products (Dutch-language editions, products sized and certified for the Dutch market)
• Bol.com Select (subscription service) offers free delivery on most orders for around €10/year — excellent value

What Bol.com sells: Books, electronics, toys, clothing, household goods, garden furniture, sports equipment, baby products — essentially everything. The third-party marketplace has expanded significantly and now rivals Amazon’s selection for most categories.

Price: Competitive with other online retailers. Not always the cheapest for electronics (Coolblue often has better service guarantees at comparable prices) but reliable and convenient.

App: The Bol.com app is well-designed and has a barcode scanner that lets you scan products in physical shops to check prices — useful when comparing in-store prices with online options.

Coolblue: Electronics Done Properly

Coolblue is the Dutch electronics retailer that people actually like. Founded in Rotterdam in 1999, it has built a reputation for extraordinary customer service — something unusual in electronics retail — and has a devoted following in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Why Dutch people love Coolblue:

• Customer service is genuinely good. Same-day delivery in the Randstad. Friendly, knowledgeable telephone support (in Dutch and increasingly in English). Returns without hassle.
• Clear, honest product descriptions — the Coolblue website is famous for writing product descriptions that are actually helpful
• Physical stores in major cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Eindhoven) where you can try products before buying
• The Coolblue installation service for large appliances (washing machines, dishwashers) is priced fairly and saves considerable stress

What to buy at Coolblue: Large appliances (washing machine, fridge, oven), laptops and computers, phones, TVs, audio equipment, cameras. For anything that needs installation, the Coolblue installation option is worth considering.

Price vs. competitors: Coolblue is not always the cheapest, but the service guarantee and return policy make it the best total value for expensive items. For budget electronics, MediaMarkt or Bol.com may be cheaper.

Refurbished section: Coolblue’s refurbished and open-box section is excellent — certified returned products with warranty, at meaningful discounts. A good source for expats furnishing a home without wanting full new prices.

MediaMarkt: The Electronics Superstore

MediaMarkt is the large-format electronics superstore — the Dutch equivalent of Best Buy or Currys. You will find them in major retail parks outside city centres and in some shopping malls.

MediaMarkt has a wider physical range than Coolblue stores and sometimes has better in-store promotions on specific items. Customer service is less consistent than Coolblue — it depends heavily on the individual staff member you encounter — and the stores can feel overwhelming.

Best use case for MediaMarkt: When you need to physically compare products before buying (TV screen quality, headphone sound, laptop keyboard feel), or when they have a specific promotional deal that makes them the cheapest option.

Marktplaats: The Dutch eBay

Marktplaats.nl is the dominant Dutch classifieds and second-hand marketplace. It is the first place Dutch people go to buy and sell second-hand goods, and it should be one of the first places you visit as an expat furnishing a home.

Why Marktplaats matters for expats:

• Second-hand furniture at 20-60% of new prices
• Electronics, bikes, appliances, tools — nearly everything is listed by private sellers
• Free pickup (ophalen) is common, though expect to arrange your own transport for large items
• Very active in the Randstad — stock in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht is excellent

Practical tips for Marktplaats:

• Set up location filters to find listings near you
• “Ophalen” means pickup only; “Verzenden” means the seller will ship
• Negotiate — the Dutch are practical about price but not offended by reasonable offers
• Meet in person at a neutral location for high-value items; the platform has basic buyer protection for PayPal transactions but most sales are cash or bank transfer
• The Marktplaats app lets you save searches and get alerts for new listings matching your criteria

For large furniture — sofas, beds, dining tables, wardrobes — Marktplaats is often the best option for expats who do not want to wait for IKEA delivery or pay full retail prices. Many expat departures generate high-quality listings with “must sell quickly” pricing.

Vinted: Second-Hand Clothing

Vinted is the Lithuanian-founded second-hand clothing marketplace that has become extremely popular in the Netherlands. Dutch people are enthusiastic sellers — the culture of “not wasting” (niet verspillen) drives a lot of high-quality listings.

Vinted has good selections of children’s clothing, branded sportswear, outdoor gear (useful given the Dutch cycling culture — see our cycling in the Netherlands guide for context on what to buy), and general fashion.

The platform handles payment and provides basic buyer protection. Delivery is typically through PostNL or DHL.

Blokker and Xenos: Household Goods

Blokker is a household goods chain selling kitchenware, cleaning supplies, storage, and small appliances. After a difficult period financially, Blokker has stabilised and remains a useful high-street option for household basics.

Price and selection have both improved, though HEMA and Action still beat Blokker on price for comparable items. Blokker’s strength is its depth of kitchen and cooking equipment — if you need a specific pot or pan style, they usually have it.

Xenos (part of the same group) sells home decor, seasonal items, and lifestyle products at middle-market prices. Good for decorating a Dutch apartment affordably — particularly strong on storage solutions, cushions, and candles (Dutch homes are obsessed with candles and soft lighting).

Kringloopwinkels: Charity Shops and Thrift Stores

This deserves its own section because it is genuinely one of the best-kept secrets for newly arrived expats.

Kringloopwinkels (literally “circular shops”) are Dutch thrift stores — a mix of charity shops and community recycling centres. They sell donated and collected second-hand goods across every category: clothing, furniture, books, kitchen equipment, electronics, bikes, and household items.

Quality varies significantly by location. A kringloopwinkel in an affluent Amsterdam neighbourhood (De Wallen, Oud-Zuid) will have better quality donations than one in a more mixed area. The larger chains — Humana, Emmaus, Kringloop Noord — have consistent stock and reliable opening hours.

What to look for:

• Furniture: wardrobes, bookshelves, coffee tables, and chairs regularly appear at 10-30% of new prices
• Kitchen equipment: pots, pans, dishes, cutlery — everything you need to stock a kitchen for €20-30 total
• Books: Dutch kringloops have large English-language book sections in major cities
• Bikes: some kringloops sell refurbished bikes at very fair prices
• Smaller appliances: toasters, kettles, lamps — inspect carefully but usually good value

Opening hours are typically Tuesday to Saturday, 09:00-17:00. Most accept cash and PIN; few accept credit cards.

Primark, H&M, and Zara: Familiar Names

The international fast-fashion chains operate throughout the Netherlands, concentrated in major city centres and large shopping malls.

Primark has large stores in Amsterdam (multiple), Rotterdam, Eindhoven, and other major cities. Prices are as cheap as elsewhere in Europe, and the Amsterdam stores are well-stocked. The downside is that the stores are often busy and stock is inconsistent.

H&M is everywhere — town centres, shopping centres, retail parks. Quality and price are consistent with other European H&M stores. The H&M Home section has decent basics for furnishing at fair prices.

Zara is present in major Dutch cities with the same quality and price positioning as elsewhere. The Amsterdam Zara stores are large and well-stocked.

For clothing, Vinted is often better value for branded items; Primark and Action are better value for basics.

Opening Hours and the Koopzondag System

Dutch shop opening hours are regulated by law, and municipalities set the rules for Sunday trading. This creates variation across the country.

Weekdays (Monday-Friday): Most shops open 09:00 or 10:00 to 18:00. In city centres, many stay open until 20:00 or 21:00. Late-night shopping (koopavond) on Thursdays or Fridays is common in major cities.

Saturdays: Typically the same as weekdays or slightly shorter.

Sundays (Koopzondag): The Netherlands formally introduced Sunday trading in 1996, but municipalities can restrict it. In practice:

• Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague: most shops open Sunday 12:00-17:00 or 11:00-18:00
• Eindhoven, Groningen, Tilburg: good Sunday coverage in city centres
• Smaller towns and villages: mixed — some shops open, some do not, some only on the first Sunday of the month

Supermarkets have their own hours and are generally open daily including Sundays in most urban areas. See our supermarkets guide for specifics.

National public holidays (there are roughly 8-10 per year) generally mean closed shops, though some larger retailers open for reduced hours on non-religious holidays. Christmas Day and Good Friday most shops are closed; other holidays vary.

iDEAL, PIN, and Paying in the Netherlands

Understanding Dutch payment culture is important for shopping here.

iDEAL is the Dutch online payment system — a direct bank transfer that bypasses credit cards entirely. It accounts for approximately 70% of Dutch online payment transactions. To use iDEAL, you need a Dutch bank account with online banking enabled. It is available at essentially every Dutch e-commerce site including Bol.com, Coolblue, Marktplaats, and all supermarkets’ online shops.

PIN is what Dutch people call debit card payment — whether that is Maestro, Visa Debit, or Mastercard Debit. PIN payment in physical shops is completely standard and contactless (tik) is universal. You can tap your card or phone without needing to enter a PIN for amounts under €50 (contactless limits).

Credit cards: Visa and Mastercard are accepted in most larger stores. American Express is accepted in about 60% of larger retailers but not universally. Some smaller shops and markets do not accept credit cards at all.

Cash: Still accepted everywhere (unlike some European neighbours who have moved more aggressively to cashless), but less used than a decade ago. Having a small amount of cash for markets, kringloopwinkels, and small independent shops is useful.

For managing money as an expat before you have a full Dutch bank account set up, see our best bank accounts for expats in the Netherlands guide. Getting a Dutch bank account should be one of your first priorities — the limitations of operating without one for online shopping are real. If you are still in the early weeks of your move, our first 30 days in the Netherlands checklist covers the full admin sequence including banking, registration, and getting your BSN sorted.

Furnishing Your First Dutch Apartment on a Budget

Practical sequence for expats who need to furnish quickly and cheaply:

Week one (immediate essentials):

1. HEMA for bedding, towels, basic kitchen kit, tea lights
2. Action for cleaning supplies, storage boxes, kitchen basics
3. Albert Heijn or Jumbo for immediate groceries — the grocery delivery services also kick in from day one

Week one to two (furniture and larger items):

1. Marktplaats for large furniture — start searching immediately as good items go quickly
2. Kringloopwinkel for everything second-hand (visit in person rather than browsing online)
3. IKEA for gap-filling (beds, desks, lighting) — book assembly time in advance or use the IKEA assembly service

Weeks two to four (making it liveable):

1. Bol.com for electronics, specific items not found locally
2. Coolblue for large appliances if not included with the apartment
3. Vinted for clothing
4. Xenos or HEMA for decorative items and soft furnishings

Cost estimate for a basic one-person apartment setup using this approach: approximately €800-1,500 for furniture, appliances (not included), bedding, kitchen equipment, and basics. Using Marktplaats aggressively can bring this down considerably. Buying everything new from IKEA would typically cost €2,500-4,000. For a more detailed breakdown of what to budget for your first months in the Netherlands, the first 30 days in the Netherlands checklist covers the full admin and spending sequence from arrival.

For context on what to budget overall for Dutch life, the cost of living in the Netherlands guide covers everything from rent and groceries to transport and healthcare. And if you are still choosing which Dutch city to base yourself in, our best cities for expats guide compares quality of life, rental markets, and community across the major options.

Getting around to actually reach these shops — particularly if you are new to the Netherlands — is easiest by public transport or bike. The OV-chipkaart guide covers the Dutch public transport payment system, and our cycling in the Netherlands guide explains everything you need to know about navigating Dutch cities on two wheels — which, for shopping trips, is often the practical choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bol.com better than Amazon in the Netherlands?

For most purchases, yes — Bol.com is faster, has better Dutch customer service, and is fully integrated with Dutch payment methods including iDEAL. Amazon does operate in the Netherlands (amazon.nl) and has a reasonably good selection, but Bol.com has broader coverage of Dutch-market products, Dutch-language manuals and packaging (which matters for electronics warranties), and faster delivery from Dutch distribution centres. The main advantage of Amazon is its international marketplace selection for niche items. For everyday purchases, household goods, books, and electronics, Bol.com is the better choice for Netherlands-based expats.

Are Dutch shops closed on Sundays?

It depends on the municipality and the size of the retailer. In the Randstad — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague — most shops are open on Sundays, typically from 11:00 or 12:00 to 17:00 or 18:00. Larger retailers in city centres often have Koopzondag (shopping Sunday) hours. HEMA, Action, and Coolblue stores in major cities are typically open seven days a week. In smaller towns and villages, Sunday opening is less consistent — some shops do not open at all on Sundays.

What is iDEAL and will my foreign card work in Dutch shops?

iDEAL is the dominant Dutch online payment system — a bank transfer system that accounts for the majority of Dutch e-commerce transactions. To use iDEAL, you need a Dutch bank account. In physical shops, Dutch retailers accept Maestro/Visa Debit, Mastercard, and Visa — contactless payment is widespread and standard. American Express is less universally accepted (around 60% of larger retailers). Some smaller Dutch shops are still cash-preferred, particularly markets and independent traders.

Where is the best place to furnish an apartment cheaply in the Netherlands?

The combination that works best: Marktplaats.nl for large furniture (sofas, beds, wardrobes) at 20-50% of new prices; IKEA for basics that Marktplaats does not have cheaply; kringloopwinkels (charity/thrift shops) for everything else. Action for textiles, storage, and small household items. HEMA for kitchen basics, bedding, and bathroom essentials. For electronics, Coolblue’s refurbished section or Marktplaats are the best value.

What is a kringloopwinkel?

A kringloopwinkel is a Dutch charity or community thrift shop — the equivalent of a British Oxfam or American Goodwill. Kringloopwinkels sell second-hand furniture, clothing, books, kitchen items, electronics, and household goods, typically at very low prices. Quality varies considerably: well-run kringloops in affluent neighbourhoods receive high-quality donations. Visiting a good kringloopwinkel within your first week of arrival is one of the most cost-effective things you can do as an expat in the Netherlands.

Does Coolblue deliver in English?

Coolblue’s website and app are currently available in Dutch only, though their customer service team can often assist in English. If you are ordering from Coolblue, Google Translate handles the website reasonably well, and product pages follow a consistent layout once you learn the structure. The delivery and installation team may or may not speak English depending on the crew — but the process is manageable with basic instructions regardless.

What is the best way to buy second-hand furniture quickly after arriving?

Marktplaats is the fastest route — set up an account before you arrive, configure location and search alerts for the items you need, and start messaging sellers from day one. Be ready to move fast on good listings as competition can be high in the Randstad. For items you need immediately and Marktplaats cannot supply quickly, kringloopwinkels and IKEA (with same-day in-store purchase and transport arranged through services like BringBee) are the fastest alternatives.

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