Bol opened its doors on 30 March 1999. Now, 27 years later, the shop has 14 million active customers in The Netherlands and Belgium, a product range of 63 million items and 43.300 sales partners who sell their goods through the bol platform (reference date: March 31, 2026).
about bol (reference date: March 31, 2026)
Highlights
1999
Bertelsmann starts an online bookshop in Europe, Bertelsmann OnLine (BOL). In the Netherlands we start with a range of 140,000 books. Unique for the time: people are allowed to pay afterwards. On March 30 we sell our first book, The Hidden History of Donna Tartt.
2002
Bertelsmann stops with bol, but in the Netherlands we continue to pop independently as the only bol in Europe. We win our first of many awards, the award for best online store in the Netherlands.
2004
We decide to expand our range. Why should we limit ourselves and only make it easier to sell books? We will also sell entertainment (remember the good old days of CDs and DVDs), electronics and toys.
2005
We become the fastest-delivering webshop in the Netherlands with the introduction of 'Ordered today, delivered tomorrow'. In the years to follow we will continue to innovate for faster delivery and maximum choice in delivery options. From 2015 we will introduce, among others, Today Delivered, Evening Delivery and Sunday Delivery.
2006
In addition to the 'Ernie' in our logo (the smiling face formed by the letters B O L), we added another human touch in 2006: Billie. Despite the countless shapes and forms he takes over the years, his character always remains the same. Billie is enthusiastic, sympathetic, helpful, practical, reliable and self-confident.
2006
We're popping through the revenue threshold of over 100 million.
2007
To be able to offer all books, we believe in working with entrepreneurs and individuals who want to sell through us. We open our used bookstore.
2009
A new generation of readers is emerging: we are introducing the Netherlands to digital reading.
2010
We cross the border. Hi, Flanders!
2010
Not at home? We are introducing pick-up points where you can collect your package yourself. In 2012, bol.com pick-up points open at Albert Heijn stores.
2011
We are making returns free of charge and thus lowering the threshold for buying online even further. We know for sure: to really change retail we have to work together. We are launching "Selling via bol.com" and transforming a webshop into a platform where all entrepreneurs with a good offer can go. In 2014 we will also open the doors to Belgian entrepreneurs.
2012
New family! Ahold, which has been called Ahold Delhaize since 2016, acquires bol.com.
2013
We continue to expand our assortment, including items that have never been sold online, such as jewelry. Add categories such as Animals, Garden & DIY and Living & Sleeping and you can conclude that we are no longer a web store, but a web store.
2014
We are making shopping even easier with the introduction of our own app.
2015
We are launching 'Logistics via bol', which allows entrepreneurs to outsource the stock and delivery of their packages. This will enable us to deliver our delivery promises to customers more often.
2016
We break through the magical barrier of 1 billion euro sales and 1,000 bol.com employees in Utrecht. It's fun! We introduce Select, offering more benefits and unlimited delivery to our most loyal customers.
2017
Another breakthrough in the development of reading: with the e-book subscription Kobo Plus we are launching unlimited digital reading.
2017
We open our first in-house fulfillment center (BFC). It receives national and international awards for its sustainability.
2018
We achieve 2 billion in sales and reach as many as 10 million customers.
2019
Collaboration is paying off: more than 50 percent of orders are placed through our more than 20,000 sales partners. We launch our sustainable store, in which the widest range of responsible products in Belgium and the Netherlands. We achieve the highest customer satisfaction score (NPS) in our history
2020
We open our platform to entrepreneurs in women's and men's fashion.
2020
We are expanding into French-speaking Belgium.
2021
We launch bol bollebozen. Our community for equal opportunity for children.
2021
We are launching a new service for our sales partners 'Shipping via bol'. More packages delivered faster, carefree shipping at attractive rates for partners.
2021
Bol has largely been packing loose items mechanically since 2015. The multi-packing machine can scan the dimensions of multiple items at the same time and folds one cardboard box around them. Smarter custom packaging means: smaller packages, less packaging material and as little dead air as possible.
2022
In 2021, Cycloon and bol already announced a proposed strategic partnership in which bol will become a shareholder of Cycloon. The parties jointly want to accelerate Cycloon's growth and share the ambition to make delivery more sustainable and social. This was approved by the ACM in May 2022, and the first package was delivered in September 2022.
2022
Bol officially opened the doors of the expansion of the Bol fulfillment center in Waalwijk. With the opening of the new adjacent building, the total floor area of the Bol fulfillment center has doubled to 100,000 m². With this, bol expects to continue to innovate and grow in a sustainable way in the future, both for customers and for sales partners.
2022
Bol passed the 50,000 sales partner mark on the platform for the first time. Since 2011, bol has been developing from a webshop to an e-commerce platform on which Dutch and Belgian entrepreneurs, mostly SMEs, sell their products.
2023
In 2023, bol can call itself a B Corp. This way we show that we meet requirements in the field of social and ecological impact. A step in the right direction, but certainly not the last.
2024
Our beloved mascot Billie has undergone a change. We want Billie to be as committed to innovation, progress and inclusivity as we are. That's why we gave our buddy a new look. With the new look, Billie adapts to any situation. Billie is there for everyone within our diverse community and shows what bol really is – a place for everyone.
2025
Maite Zubiaurre takes office as CEO of bol. Maite has held multiple senior positions at bol, including Director of Strategy & Business development and Director of Marketing & Shopping Technologies. In 2021 she was appointed as Chief Product Officer and joined bol’s board of directors.
2026
Checking out at other online stores is now just as easy as at bol. With bol.checkout, customers can order and pay at participating webshops using their trusted bol account. This means you no longer need to re‑enter your address or payment details: they’re transferred automatically and securely, so you can complete your order faster.
Transparency report
On this page we publish the bol transparency report once a year, in line with the requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This European legislation obliges online platforms to provide insight into how we deal with content moderation, safety and consumer protection every year.
We find transparency very important and want to show how we comply with regulations and take our responsibility in guaranteeing a safe and responsible platform, for our customers and users.
In our report we share information about, among other things, the number of reports that have been made about illegal and/or unwanted content, the application of automatic systems and measures to protect users.
Press can contact our spokespersons for more information at:
