Sports e-tailer Athleteshop files for bankruptcy

By

Shomara Roosblad

Published
Jul 2, 2018

Dutch sports e-tailer Athleteshop has filed for bankruptcy. The online store is no longer available.

According to local news outlet RTV Noord, the Groningen-based e-store was dealing with poor delivery services as well as accumulated debts. The store’s storage spaces are almost empty, because suppliers are no longer delivering to Athletheshop. In addition, postal service companies PostNL and DHL refuse to deliver for the e-tailer.

RTV Noord reports that the e-tailer’s debt is reportedly around €5 million. Earlier, an attempt was made to reach an arrangement whereby 85 percent of the creditors had to agree to receive the payment of the claims in 2019 at a certain interest rate. If 85 percent agreed, an investor would be willing to give a financial impulse. However, the arrangement was canceled, leading to staff, who went unpaid, leaving the company.

Furthermore, Atheleteshop received many complaints from customers on their Facebookpage and various review websites. Many customer shared complaints about slow delivery, non-delivery or late repayments of returned products.

Athleteshop was founded in 2011 by former ice skater Yuru Solinger. The e-tailer offered about 15,000 products, employed about 150-200 people and was available in 15 countries.