Van den Heuvel Verlichting 100 years of craftsmanship, with an eye on the future
- Industry: Retail
- Solutions: Online
For a century, Van den Heuvel Verlichting has been a trusted name in lighting and interiors. What started in 1925 as a small shop on the Paul Krugerstraat in Rotterdam has grown into a leading chain of specialist lighting stores with nationwide coverage across the Netherlands and a strong online presence. This year, the family business celebrates its 100th anniversary: a milestone only 0.1% of all retailers reach. Behind this success is a combination of vision, craftsmanship and Buckaroo as its payment service provider (PSP).
A century of lighting - from lampshades to omnichannel
Van den Heuvel Verlichting has grown from a traditional brick-and-mortar store into a modern organization. With showrooms at home furnishing retail parks across the Netherlands and a user-friendly online store, the company combines the in-store experience with digital convenience.
What sets the brand apart? Quality, personal service and craftsmanship. “We deliberately choose European suppliers, mainly from the Netherlands and Germany, to guarantee high quality and good service,” says Managing Director Ad den Elzen. “If something goes wrong, we can act quickly. We pass that trust on to our customers.”
“Buckaroo has been growing with us for more than ten years. They offer not just a stable platform, but also insights, advice and real involvement. That makes them indispensable to us”
- Ad den Elzen, Managing Director at Van den Heuvel Verlichting
Partnership: from solid foundation to strategic value
Van den Heuvel Verlichting has worked with Buckaroo to process online payments since 2013. The choice came from a recommendation by the company's online store developer, but the relationship has since become much more than a technical integration.
“For years, Buckaroo has been our stable foundation for everything related to payments,” says Christina Leung, responsible for Marketing & Sales at Van den Heuvel Verlichting. “From Lightspeed to our current WooCommerce store: every migration went flawlessly. The support is hands-on, the contact is personal, and our relationship manager Sandra really thinks along with our business model. That's what we look for in a partner.”
At every step, Buckaroo provided a scalable and stable payment environment. The plug-and-play integrations, quick response times to support questions and the advisory role make the difference. “We feel part of the Buckaroo family,” Ad adds. “The lines are short and they understand our DNA.”
Over the years, the payment mix has been optimized step by step, resulting in a 15% increase in conversion for Van den Heuvel Verlichting. Thanks to the stability and reliability of Buckaroo's platform, the number of failed transactions has dropped by 30%. On top of that, adding pay later options has increased the average order value by 25%.
“We feel part of the Buckaroo family. The lines are short, the people are committed and they keep adapting along with us. That makes the difference”
- Ad den Elzen, Van den Heuvel Verlichting
Payment convenience tailored to the customer
Van den Heuvel Verlichting targets consumers in the mid-range and upper segments. Customers usually know exactly what they want and rely on quality and advice. You can see this attitude in how they pay as well: online, almost everything is paid with iDEAL, even for higher order values. This is followed by credit cards, PayPal and Bancontact.
Looking ahead: AI, international expansion and Wero
In recent years, Van den Heuvel Verlichting has seen its online revenue grow from € 150,000 to over € 1 million. That growth lays the foundation for the next step: from professionalization to cross-border expansion and smart payment innovations.
With future ambitions in Belgium and Germany come new customer needs and payment habits. Buckaroo plays a key role here, not just as a payment provider, but also as a strategic advisor. One example is the recent introduction of European developments such as Wero in Germany, which fits well with repeat purchases and the behavior of these consumers. AI is also seen as an opportunity, for example for smarter customer service or personalized advice.
“We know we can turn to Buckaroo with questions about the future: whether it's international expansion, new payment methods such as Wero or technology integrations with AI. Their forward-looking view and attentiveness help us make choices that suit our brand and tomorrow's customer” Christina adds.
