How bathroom chain X2O streamlines its European expansion with Mollie
Ecommerce
“If you have omnichannel ambitions, choose a provider from the start, like Mollie, that can handle both online and in-person payments.”
Tom De Bondt - Director IT & Digital bij X2O
The Belgian bathroom specialist X2O aims to conquer the European market with a sleek B2C model and a renewed store concept. Behind the scenes, however, the company faced complex payment challenges. Thanks to the switch to Mollie, X2O can now accelerate its European ambitions, say Tom De Bondt, Director of Digital & IT at X2O, and Aron Vanoverberghe, Senior Business Development Manager at Mollie.
The bathroom as a European battleground
For many families, a bathroom is a major investment. This makes the sector both sensitive to economic fluctuations and interesting for new retail models. While the market in Germany is faltering and stabilizing in Belgium, Tom De Bondt, Director of IT & Digital at X2O, sees plenty of opportunities. "We’ve had a flying start in France, and we are growing strongly in the Netherlands. Our ambition is clear: X2O wants to become a European player. With Mollie’s scalable solutions, X2O can grow in Europe without added complexity. Thanks to Mollie’s scalable payment solutions, we can achieve growth without difficult processes or excessive complexity. Their local teams in every market where they operate, combined with twenty years of experience on a European scale, make them a reliable and valuable partner."
X2O distinguishes itself with a direct-to-consumer model. "In the traditional chain, installers take a margin, which increases the final price. We have removed that link: customers buy directly from us, without intermediaries. This allows us to offer more value for their budget." The concept proved successful. Since 2005, X2O has grown into the largest bathroom specialist in the Benelux. "We have more than 60 showrooms spread across Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and France, combined with strong webshops. Our value-for-money concept makes high-quality bathrooms accessible to a wide audience. We combine our own brands with A-brands and offer complete bathroom solutions, from advice to service."
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The knot in the checkout
Until last year, X2O had separated payment worlds: one provider for the webshop and another for physical terminal payments. "We literally lived in two worlds. For finance, this meant consolidation per channel, which caused unnecessary double work," says Tom. The expansion into France was the breaking point. "We were about to manage a third layer of complexity. That’s when we realized: this is not sustainable. We needed a reliable partner who could support both online and offline payments on a European scale."
That was the moment Mollie entered the picture. Aron Vanoverberghe, Senior Business Development Manager at Mollie, had known X2O for some time. "I had been trying to get a foot in the door with Tom for years," he laughs. "When we started offering terminals as well, everything changed. For a retailer like X2O, it had to be a true omnichannel story."
For Tom, the choice was easily made. "European coverage, a single platform that makes consolidation simple, reliability, and speed: those were the decisive criteria. With Mollie, we could go live in a few weeks, whereas other providers would have needed months," he explains. "Furthermore, their twenty years of experience as a European fintech player and the trust they receive from more than 200,000 companies provided extra security."
An integration faster than expected
The transition went remarkably smoothly. "For our webshops, it was almost plug-and-play. The API documentation was excellent, and our developers were full of praise," says Tom. "The biggest challenge was the terminals in the showrooms. We have more than a hundred and fifty of them, and they had to be physically replaced. But honestly, it took longer to dismantle the old ones than to install the new ones. We noticed from the start that the customer is truly central to Mollie. They put together a dedicated team to guide the rollout for us."
"We work with sales engineers who provide not just commercial but also technical support," Aron explains. "This was an advantage with X2O because their digital team is strong. We held follow-up meetings every two weeks and could pivot quickly."
The most visible result is time savings. "Our finance department saves significantly on reconciliation work," Tom emphasizes. "Reports that used to take days now take minutes because everything comes together in the Mollie Dashboard. The customer experience has also improved. Returns and refunds now run smoothly, regardless of the channel." Tom calls this true omnichannel convenience. According to Aron, this will become the norm. "It doesn't make sense to work with different providers online and offline. Retailers who continue to do so lose time and flexibility. One platform is the future."
Meanwhile, the payment market is evolving rapidly. "We notice, for example, that 'buy now, pay later' is gaining ground. A bathroom is a large investment, and customers appreciate the flexibility of paying in installments. Younger customers without a credit card especially turn to services like Klarna or Alma," the X2O director notes. "In the Netherlands, this is already standard. Belgium is following more slowly, but the trend is irreversible," Aron adds.
Advice to other retailers
What does Tom De Bondt advise other retailers who want to rethink their payment processes? "Look beyond the cost per transaction, because that is the wrong discussion. Operational efficiency and customer convenience are much more important. And if you have omnichannel ambitions, choose a provider like Mollie from the start that can handle both online and in-person payments. Integrating them later is always more expensive and complex." And what is the biggest difference for X2O since the switch? Tom doesn't have to think long. "We now have one overview of all our payments, regardless of the channel. That sounds trivial, but it makes a world of difference."
Strategic partner for growth
For X2O, Mollie has since become more than just a supplier. "With every new market or channel, we ask ourselves: can Mollie support this? They have become a strategic partner," says Tom. The collaboration is also important for Mollie. "X2O is a benchmark in retail," says Aron. "When a major player chooses our platform, it proves that our approach works. It gives confidence to other retailers considering the same step."
"With its strong European foundation and reliable technology, Mollie helps companies like ours grow across borders without adding complexity," Tom concludes.