Insights & News
Your daily source for critical global commerce news and exclusive, practitioner-led analysis.
Latest news
AI becomes a key driver of online shopping: 7 in 10 consumers want AI support during purchases
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a central element of the online shopping experience. According to recent market insights, around 70% […]
Amazon introduces Seller Wallet for European marketplace sellers
Amazon has rolled out a new financial management feature for sellers operating in Europe. The company has launched Amazon Seller […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — February 27, 2026
Marketplace Platforms: Acquisitions, Growth, and Dominance Amazon Achieves Record Revenue, Becomes World’s Largest Company Amazon has reported record revenues, surpassing […]
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TikTok Shop Launches Amazon Integration to Simplify Listings and Fulfillment
TikTok Shop is making it significantly easier for brands to expand into social commerce. With a new Amazon integration, sellers can now import product listings directly from Amazon using just a product URL — while TikTok tightens control over fulfillment to streamline delivery standards. Amazon Listings Imported in Minutes The […]
eBay Tests AI-Powered Messaging Assistant for Sellers
eBay is rolling out a new AI-based messaging assistant designed to help sellers respond faster to buyer inquiries. The feature, currently being tested as an optional tool, generates suggested replies to common customer questions — while keeping full control in the hands of merchants. AI-Generated Reply Suggestions Based on Listing […]
EU Approves New €3 Customs Charge on Low-Value Imports
The European Union is tightening its approach to low-value ecommerce imports. The Council of the European Union has signed off on new customs rules that will end the long-standing exemption for parcels worth up to €150. From July 1, small shipments entering the EU will be subject to a flat […]
Allegro and Meta partner to expand second-hand listings via Facebook Marketplace
Allegro has announced a new partnership with Meta aimed at increasing the visibility of second-hand products sold by private individuals online. As part of the collaboration, selected listings from Allegro Lokalnie can now be additionally displayed on Facebook Marketplace. The feature is currently in a testing phase and remains free […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — February 13, 2026
Marketplace Platforms: Growth, Acquisitions, and Legal Challenges Ceconomy’s Online Marketplace Drives Revenue Growth MediaMarkt and Saturn’s parent company, Ceconomy, reported its twelfth consecutive quarter of revenue growth, fueled by online sales and the expansion of its marketplace. The company’s online revenue share now exceeds 30%, with increasing investment in retail […]
FedEx Gains Access To One Of The Europe’s Most Advanced Parcel-locker Networks
One of Poland’s largest logistics and ecommerce delivery companies, InPost, is entering a new phase after being acquired by a consortium of international investors in a deal valued at around €7.8 billion. The buyer group includes FedEx, Advent International, PPF Group and A&R Investments, the investment vehicle of InPost founder […]
Online Retailers Must Introduce Mandatory “Withdrawal Function” by June 2026
The European Union has introduced new rules strengthening consumer protection in ecommerce, requiring online retailers to implement a mandatory electronic “withdrawal button.” The measure forms part of the implementation of Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and will soon require businesses selling online within the EU to enable customers to withdraw from contracts […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — February 6, 2026
Marketplace Platforms: Amazon, eBay, and Fast Fashion Consolidation Amazon Overtakes Walmart in Sales, German Authority Bans Price Controls In 2025, Amazon’s sales reached $717 billion, surpassing Walmart’s $715 billion. Amazon’s marketplace sales grew to $269 billion (+9%). Separately, Germany’s competition authority has prohibited Amazon from influencing third-party seller pricing on […]
Court Order Forces Allegro to Rethink Delivery Display
A court ruling in Poland could reshape how delivery options are presented on one of Central and Eastern Europe’s largest ecommerce platforms. The District Court in Warsaw has issued an interim order requiring Allegro to change the way it shows shipping methods during checkout, particularly for offers covered by its […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — January 30, 2026
Marketplace Expansion, Innovation, and Financial Moves Wolt Evolves into Local Marketplace with Enhanced Advertising Delivery app Wolt is repositioning itself as a local marketplace, rolling out a major app update focused on maximizing advertising potential for businesses. This move signals a shift towards becoming a comprehensive local commerce platform, potentially […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — January 16, 2026
Marketplace Updates: eBay Fees, Amazon Reviews, and European Alternatives eBay Increases Fees for Sellers eBay is increasing its marketplace fees starting in mid-February 2026, impacting sellers with higher sales commissions. This change could affect profitability for cross-border e-commerce businesses relying on the platform. Sellers should review their pricing strategies to […]
Euro Switch Puts Bulgaria on the Radar of Online Sellers
Bulgaria’s move to the euro at the start of 2026 could mark a turning point for its digital commerce sector. By adopting the common European currency, the country has removed a long-standing obstacle for foreign online stores: currency exchange. For international sellers, this change lowers complexity and makes entering the […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — January 9, 2026
Marketplace Platforms: Growth, Fees, and Risks Galaxus Continues Expansion, Eyes Marketplace Strategy Galaxus saw substantial growth in 2025, reaching €4 billion in sales, a 17% increase. Sales outside of Switzerland also grew by 14%, reaching €418 million. This growth underscores the potential of Galaxus’ marketplace strategy and its increasing international […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — December 19, 2025
Social Commerce: Instagram Shops & GenAI’s Impact Instagram Shops: Key Success Factors Explored A new analysis from E-Commerce Institute Cologne highlights the key success factors and challenges for brands using Instagram Shops as a sales channel. With over a billion users and a visually-driven platform, Instagram offers significant opportunities for […]
From Discovery To Checkout: How Marketplaces Now Own The UK Buying Journey
When UK consumers plan to spend more than 90 euros online, they rarely start with a brand website or a physical store. They go straight to online marketplaces. New research from Akeneo shows that marketplaces lead high-value purchase decisions in the United Kingdom, outperforming both retail stores and standalone ecommerce […]
France E-commerce: Is a Shein Website Suspension in France Still on the Table?
French authorities have withdrawn their request for a full temporary shutdown of Shein’s website in France, opting instead to push for stricter controls and legal compliance measures. The move follows concerns over illegal products previously found on the fast-fashion platform, including banned weapons and sexually explicit items deemed inappropriate for […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — December 12, 2025
Marketplace Platforms: Funding, Fees, and Shifting Market Share Meesho and WeSports Go Public Indian marketplace Meesho and the WeSports Group have successfully launched their IPOs, raising $600 million and $47 million respectively. This comes during a period of limited IPO activity, excluding China, and follows the public offerings of Pattern […]
Amazon Fee Cuts Ahead: Better Margins for European Sellers in 2026
Amazon has announced one of its largest European fee reductions to date, aiming to strengthen its partnership with the hundreds of thousands of independent sellers powering its marketplace. Today, over 60% of all Amazon orders in Europe come from third-party sellers — mostly SMBs — who together list billions of […]
OTTO Defies Market Expectations with New Black Friday Records in Germany
German e-commerce giant OTTO has reported another round of record-breaking results for its Black Friday promotion period, outperforming both industry forecasts and its own historic highs from 2024. Across the two-week campaign window from November 18 to December 1, OTTO achieved a 2.5% year-over-year increase in order value. The biggest […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — December 5, 2025
Marketplace Platforms: Amazon Fee Changes, MENA Expansion Paribu Acquires CoinMENA for $240 Million, Marking Türkiye’s Crypto Expansion Türkiye’s Paribu has acquired CoinMENA, the largest crypto asset trading platform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), for approximately $240 million. This marks Türkiye’s largest fintech acquisition to date and its […]
AI: OpenAI expands ecommerce push with ChatGPT Shopping Research
OpenAI has introduced a new feature called Shopping Research directly inside ChatGPT, aiming to support users in making more informed purchase decisions. Instead of offering simple answers on prices or product features, the tool delivers personalized buyer’s guides that compare multiple items, highlight differences and trade-offs, and source updated product […]
AI Powers Record-Breaking Black Friday 2025: $11.8B Spent Online in the U.S.
Black Friday remains the global e-commerce compass — and this year, the U.S. results show just how powerful that compas still is. On 28 November 2025, U.S. shoppers spent a whopping $11.8 billion online — the highest total ever recorded for a Black Friday and a 9.1% increase year-over-year. In […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — November 28, 2025
Marketplace Platforms: Expansion, IPO Plans, and Operational Challenges Meesho Eyes IPO as Indian E-commerce Surges Indian e-commerce platform Meesho, positioning itself as a budget-friendly alternative to Amazon India and Walmart’s Flipkart, is planning an IPO. Boasting 213 million customers and over 2 billion annual orders, Meesho’s potential IPO reflects the […]
Allegro expands its reach with 4.2M international buyers onboard
Allegro keeps proving that its marketplace model works far beyond its home country. The company is seeing strong demand from buyers abroad — 4.2 million international customers shopped on its platforms last quarter, marking a major jump compared to a year ago. International turnover is also rising fast, even if […]
Amazon Becomes Belgium’s Second-Largest Online Retailer
Amazon has quickly strengthened its foothold in Belgium, becoming the country’s second-largest online retailer only three years after debuting its dedicated Belgian storefront. The company is now preparing a major investment push aimed at expanding delivery capabilities and boosting its local presence. Belgian Logistics Hub Ready for Growth Amazon recently […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — November 21, 2025
Marketplace Platforms: Live Shopping, Amazon in Belgium, and Counterfeit Prevention eBay Launches Live Shopping in Germany eBay has launched live shopping events in Germany, marking a significant step in the evolution of e-commerce in the region. This move reflects the growing importance of real-time interaction and video commerce in online […]
EU to End €150 Customs Exemption on Low-Value Imports
EU economy ministers have agreed to remove the €150 customs duty exemption on low-value parcels entering the Union, a decision that will significantly affect the cross-border shipping model used by platforms such as Shein and Temu. The move is part of a broader effort to modernise the EU’s customs framework […]
Amazon Launches Free Express Shipping Upgrade for Marketplace Sellers
Amazon has quietly rolled out a new logistics initiative designed to speed up cross-border deliveries for merchants who fulfill orders themselves. The program, called FBM Ship+, enables sellers—particularly those shipping from Asia—to offer faster delivery times to customers across Europe without paying extra shipping fees. FBM Ship+ is currently available […]
Consumer Trends & Logistics: Black Friday is Dead, Long Live Temu, and Robots Take Over Delivery!
Black Friday is Changing (and Temu is Taking Over) Forget the chaos of a single Black Friday rush. New exclusive research from the PwC Hungary e-commerce team shows that the shopping frenzy now lasts for weeks, stretching from late October into early December. What the data tells us: • Big […]
What’s New in Commerce? — November 10, 2025
Logistics And Delivery: Carrier Updates DPD Announces Christmas Shipping Deadlines DPD has announced its shipping deadlines for the upcoming Christmas season. E-commerce businesses should take note of these dates to ensure timely delivery of orders during the peak holiday period. Planning logistics around these deadlines is crucial for maintaining customer […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — November 7, 2025
Marketplace Platforms: Shein & Temu Face Scrutiny, eBay Adjusts Ad Structure Shein and Temu’s German Sales Reach €3.3 Billion Amidst Controversy Shein and Temu’s combined sales in Germany are estimated at €3.3 billion, with one in five German consumers planning to purchase from these platforms before Christmas. However, both platforms […]
What’s New in E-commerce? — November 6, 2025
Marketplace Platforms: Mytheresa Divests The Outnet, European Marketplaces Dominate E-commerce Mytheresa Sells Off-Price Business The Outnet Mytheresa is selling its off-price business, The Outnet, to the Timeless Group and Icon Luxury Group for $30 million. The Outnet, which generates $260 million in revenue, will be managed by The O Group, […]
Polish E-commerce: Insights From 2025 Show Shoppers Going Global And Mobile
Polish e-commerce continues to mature, with consumers fully embracing online and mobile shopping. The latest OmniCommerce 2025 report highlights how convenience, price awareness, and omnichannel experiences now define the Polish market. From the dominance of mobile apps to the growth of cross-border and re-commerce trends, data reveals a landscape where…
Taxation and Invoicing: EuroCommerce Calls for an EU-Wide Parcel Tax to Keep the Single Market Intact
EuroCommerce is urging EU policymakers to adopt a single, harmonized parcel handling fee across Europe. The association warns that national approaches to the new parcel tax could fragment the single market and create unequal conditions for businesses trading across borders.
Marketplace platforms: PayPal increases stake in Shopware
PayPal has expanded its investment in German e-commerce software company Shopware, increasing its stake from 11% to 41%. The move strengthens PayPal’s foothold in European digital commerce and could pave the way for deeper integration between its payment services and Shopware’s merchant platform—enhancing cross-border payment experiences and checkout efficiency.
Nordic E-commerce: Over 80% Shop Monthly and 73% Buy Across Borders
Discover the dynamic Nordic e-commerce landscape, where over 80% of consumers shop online monthly, and 73% make cross-border purchases. As the region leads Europe in digital maturity, brands can engage with a motivated audience. With sustainability influencing decisions and varied delivery and payment preferences, the Nordics are a strategic priority…
Parcel Lockers in Europe 2025: Adoption, Growth, and E-commerce Impact
Parcel lockers are changing how e-commerce works in Europe, giving consumers a simple and eco-friendly option instead of home delivery. With nearly 155,000 lockers in use and a notable 43% rise in cross-border deliveries, this trend is growing. Countries like Poland and Germany are at the forefront, introducing smart solutions…
InPost Growth Slows in Poland Amid Legal Dispute with AllegroNews
InPost, a leading parcel locker operator in Poland, faces slowing growth due to a legal dispute with Allegro, the largest e-commerce platform. Despite reporting an adjusted EBITDA of 999.5 million zlotys, worries over declining parcel volume growth have triggered an 8% drop in share price. As InPost grapples with this…Insights
