Good to know

  • Background
  • Edited 20 February 2023
  • 1 min
  • Starting
  • Marketing

Relevant facts and current events for starting businesses.

Seduce, but do not swindle customers

Websites often use tricks to seduce customers into buying products. That is fine, as long as it does not go any further. Many websites knowingly mislead their customers. Such guiles are referred to as 'dark patterns'. In February 2023, nu.nl reported that European inspectorate bodies have announced their intention to inspect websites more strictly. Customers who 'fall' for dark patterns are likely to buy products they do not need, or pay too much. 

To find out more about the rules for online sales, watch the webinar 'Starting an online shop'.

33% of zzp’ers do not claim VAT for business travel

Research reveals that 1 in 3 zzp’ers who travel by public transport for their business do not reclaim the VAT they pay for this. The main reason? They do not know they are entitled to this money. Also, many people do not know they can deduct business travel by public transport from their taxable profit. 

Read all about tax matters for starters

Number of zzp'ers keeps growing

According to KVK and Statistics Netherlands, the number of self-employed professionals without staff (zzp'ers) in the Netherlands has risen to 1.2 million in 2022. That number is expected to continue to rise. Of course, there are many advantages to being a 'free agent',  but are there downsides as well? Yes, claims this (Dutch) article in newspaper AD.nl: liability, keeping records, and filing tax returns are some of the issues you have to be prepared for.  

Read the 7 steps for starting as a zzp’er

Number of under-21 business owners up

The number of young entrepreneurs is gojng up rapidly. In January 2023, there were some 50,000 business owners under 21 years of age, compared to 18,000 in 2017. How do these young entrepreneurs combine their business with their school, and how do they manage financial matters, for example? 

Read what to consider when you start a business as a minor

More new shops in 2023

According to research conducted by Locatus (in Dutch), there are fewer and fewer empty retail spaces: 12,700 at the end of 2022. That number has not been this low since 2011. And although the fall can be explained partly by repurposing of the shops, mostly as residential spaces, there is also an increase in the number of shops that are opening. Jewelry shops, cooking stores, and toy stores are the biggest growers. 

Read what it takes to open a shop