Digital payments on King’s Day growing in popularity and creativity

Press release
Article tags:
  • Economy
  • Innovation

With King’s Day approaching rapidly, the whole of the Netherlands is already excited about the flea market. This is always a busy time for the Tikkie app. For several years now, people have been able to use a Tikkie QR code that buyers can scan to pay for their purchases quickly and easily. Counting out coins has become a thing of the past. This payment option has become increasingly popular on King’s Day.

During the 2023 edition, the number of QR code transactions was over 30% up on 2022, and a further increase is projected for 2024. On King’s Day, Tikkie sees six times as many QR code transactions as on a normal day. Meanwhile, people are finding more and more creative ways to make money besides simply selling their goods. Tikkie saw entrepreneurs making good money by charging to use their toilets during the festivities, and street musicians passing the hat round with a Tikkie QR-code pinned to it.

The average value of a King’s Day purchase using a Tikkie QR code was 13.11 euros. People mostly use this option for small payments (62% of these payments is under 10 euros and 41% under 5 euros), but also for larger sums. Around 13% of the QR code transactions were for amounts over 25 euros. Based on the descriptions used for last year’s King’s Day transactions, Tikkie can predict what people are most likely to spend their money on during this year’s celebrations. Here are the Top 5:

  1. Beer – the signature King’s Day drink

  2. Clothing – we all love a good deal on vintage clothes

  3. Food – stuffing ourselves at a food stand or food truck

  4. Toilets – full bladders mean a strong cash flow

  5. Market – the tradition of selling second-hand stuff on the flea markets is alive and well

Ultimate King’s Day tip: originality pays!

For many people in the Netherlands who sell their preloved items on the flea market, King’s Day is a money-maker, especially if being short of cash is no longer an issue. “The 2023 data reveal that creative entrepreneurs do particularly well on King’s Day. As the five most used descriptions show, toilets are a lucrative business: last year, people all around the Netherlands made money by charging strangers a small fee to use their toilets during the festivities,” says Moreno Kensmil, Head of Marketing at Tikkie. “Other creative entrepreneurs made money with nail varnishing, karaoke, arm wrestling and singing songs in exchange for a Tikkie payment.”

Celebrate King’s Day with the Tikkie QR code!

Using a QR code to pay is easy, no matter how old or young you are. Open the app and create a Tikkie, which you then share using the QR code pictogram. The buyer scans the code using their mobile phone, and makes the payment directly from their own bank. The buyer doesn’t have to be listed as a contact, so paying is quick and easy. Another useful option is to email a QR code to yourself, print it out and hang it up. You can do this not only if you’re selling merchandise, but also if you have a music or dance stand. You can specify either a fixed amount or an open amount. For open amounts, users scan the code and decide for themselves what amount they want to transfer. To find out more, visit tikkie.me/Koningsdag.