The world of leather goods and coding may sound unorthodox, but it is exactly what Jaap Vermoolen deals with on a daily basis. Through his parents’ leather goods business, he ended up in the world of coding and has since become one of the most prominent coders for these types of webshops in the Netherlands.
Welcome to Webdinge and Vrijdagriemen.nl
Joop, Jaap’s father, has been in the leather goods industry for almost 50 years. After completing community college, he apprenticed at a tannery in Chaam. He started his own company, Joop Vermoolen Lederwaren, a few years later. Eventually, this became JV Modeaccessories BV. They sell handcrafted leather goods such as belts and handbags to retailers.
When the internet became popular in the 1990s, Joop naturally had to shift online too. Jaap, who just graduated in marketing and communications, decided to design a webshop for his parents’ company. His talent for coding was quickly picked up by Lightspeed — a platform for webshops that wanted him as a partner. This is where the birth of Jaap’s own company, Webdinge, took place. Webdinge specializes in building custom-made web shops. When his father made the switch from retail to private, Jaap was, of course, also there. Afdelingriemen.nl was born.
Personal contact with the customer
Since its inception 13 years ago, Webdinge has helped thousands of people build web shops. “I am not the largest company, with the largest turnover, but I still have to say ‘no’ because of the crowds,” says Jaap proudly. “We find short lines and good personal communication with our customers most important. As a result, we often have returning customers with whom we build relationships for years.” As an online store programmer, you don’t need much working space. Still, working comfortably is a must. Jaap’s new home office in North Brabant is, therefore, equipped with all the facilities to make working from home as comfortable and functional as possible. “My office is on the attic of our new house and I adapted it myself,” says Jaap.
Also at J.V. Modeaccessories, customer satisfaction comes first. That is why having a well-organized online store is key: “If it is easy to use for the customer, it is easier to purchase things. The automatic system provides a good overview of what comes in and what is sent to customer.”
Biggest challenges
Webdinge often works with clients who have either had a bad experience with other agencies or have a more difficult assignment that no one else has been able to carry out. “Those are always the best assignments. Especially when we succeed.”
From the toolbox: Belts with an emphasis on design
Joop Vermoolen still processes his belts by hand. The coarse material is supplied and cut to size. After this, all kinds of decorations are carved into it with hand tools. “We use hammers, awls, and nails, among other things.”
Strong connection with home
The story will change for Jaap’s parents in the coming years. After years of designing buckles and belts according to your wishes, it may be time for them to think about retirement. “Now you shouldn’t think about an old, fragile man, or that the work will be too much,” says Jaap. “Both my parents are very active and full of life. They simply cannot sit still.” Jaap and his entire family are extremely closely connected. However, he is not sure whether he will later take over the leather goods business. “My brother and parents are apprentices. But I don’t feel like really selling belts any time soon. Running a webshop is a lot of fun, but immersing myself completely in the world of leather – not really my thing.”
