What’s New in E-commerce? — December 12, 2025
Marketplace Platforms: Funding, Fees, and Shifting Market Share
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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 and Swiss Marketplace Group. The successful IPOs signal continued investor interest in marketplace platforms, despite broader economic uncertainties.
Source: Exciting Commerce / Read more
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TikTok Shop to Increase Fees in 2026
TikTok Shop will raise its fees to 9% starting January 8, 2026. While this increase will impact all sellers, new merchants will receive a temporary discount. This fee hike could affect profitability for sellers on the platform and potentially influence pricing strategies.
Source: News / Read more
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Chinese Marketplaces Gain Ground in Germany
German retailers are facing increasing competition from Chinese marketplaces like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, resulting in billions in lost revenue during the 2025 holiday season. A significant portion of German gift shoppers are turning to these platforms, with two-thirds using Amazon and 15% shopping on Chinese platforms. This trend highlights the growing influence of Chinese e-commerce giants in the German market.
Source: News / Read more
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UK Consumers Increasingly Rely on Online Marketplaces
Online marketplaces are central to the purchasing process for UK consumers, especially for higher-value items. According to a recent survey, 30% of UK shoppers use marketplaces for purchases exceeding 90 euros, surpassing physical stores and other websites. This underscores the dominance of marketplaces in the UK e-commerce landscape.
Source: Ecommerce News / Read more
Logistics And Delivery: DHL App Outage Disrupts Holiday Tracking
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DHL App Outage Impairs Package Tracking During Peak Season
A significant outage of the DHL app occurred during the critical holiday shipping period, disrupting package tracking for customers. The disruption impacted the ability of both senders and recipients to monitor the progress of their shipments. This incident highlights the vulnerability of relying solely on digital interfaces for logistics information and the potential for negative customer experience during peak seasons.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
Social Commerce: Instagram Shops & GenAI’s Impact
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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 emotional and engaging product presentation. Understanding these success factors is crucial for brands aiming to effectively leverage social commerce for cross-border sales.
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GenAI’s Influence on Social Commerce
The wieCommerce? podcast explores the impact of generative AI content, including tools like Vibes and OpenAI’s Sora, on social commerce. Kristina Mertens and Jochen Krisch discuss how user-prompted content and AI-driven platforms are reshaping the landscape. This development has implications for how brands create content and engage with customers in the evolving social commerce environment.
Source: Exciting Commerce / Read more
B2B And Wholesale: Legal Compliance on Marketplaces
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Händlerbund Provides Legal Texts for Conrad’s B2B Platform
Merchants selling on Conrad’s B2B platform now have access to legally vetted text templates provided by Händlerbund. This integration simplifies compliance with German legal requirements for B2B e-commerce, reducing the risk of legal issues for sellers. By offering these resources, Conrad aims to attract and retain more businesses on its platform, fostering a trustworthy environment for wholesale transactions.
Source: Händlerbund / Read more
Cross-border Sales: New EU Handling Fees
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Netherlands to Introduce Handling Fee on Low-Value E-Commerce Parcels
The Netherlands is set to implement a new handling fee for low-value e-commerce parcels arriving from outside the European Union. This move aligns with similar actions taken by other European countries aiming to alleviate pressure on their customs systems due to increasing cross-border e-commerce volume. The new fee will likely impact businesses shipping directly to consumers in the Netherlands from outside the EU.
Source: News – WORLDEF News / Read more
AI Agents Reshape E-Commerce: From Shopping to Checkout
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AI-Powered Shopping Experiences Gain Traction, Driving Holiday Sales
AI-driven “agentic commerce” is emerging as a significant force, with consumers increasingly using AI chatbots like ChatGPT for product discovery, reviews, and price comparisons. This trend could drive an estimated $263 billion in holiday sales. Retailers like Instacart are integrating AI, allowing ChatGPT to handle the entire checkout process via its new Instant Checkout App. These AI agents are designed to act on customers’ behalf, interpreting preferences and completing transactions with minimal human interaction.
Source: Business News / Read more
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The Rise of AI-Driven Intent Shopping and Agentic Commerce
The e-commerce landscape is shifting towards “agentic commerce,” where AI agents autonomously handle online shopping tasks for consumers. This approach bypasses traditional search and browsing, posing a challenge to established e-commerce models. However, some experts point out current limitations of AI browsers, while others highlight the potential for AI agents to revolutionize various aspects of retail.
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AI Bots: The New E-Commerce Grinch?
As AI bots become more prevalent in e-commerce, concerns are rising about their potential to negatively impact the shopping experience. These bots can outcompete human shoppers, hijack limited-release items, and flood sites with scams, leading to customer frustration and distrust. The need for robust security measures to protect consumers from malicious bot activity is growing.
Source: E-Commerce Times / Read more
Payment And Checkout: Fintech Partnerships & Merchant Rights
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Fifth Third Bank Partners with Brex for Commercial Cards
Fifth Third Bank has partnered with fintech firm Brex to provide commercial card services. This agreement highlights a growing trend of banks collaborating with fintech companies to enhance their technological capabilities and meet evolving customer expectations. For cross-border e-commerce, such partnerships can lead to more innovative and efficient payment solutions, potentially reducing transaction costs and improving user experience.
Source: CNBC / Read more
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Understanding Merchant Rights When Online Payments Fail in Germany
German retailers face challenges when customers fail to pay for online purchases. A recent article emphasizes the importance of clearly defined ownership reservation clauses in terms and conditions. These clauses protect merchants by retaining ownership of goods until full payment is received. This is particularly relevant for cross-border e-commerce, where enforcing payment can be more complex and costly.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
Navigating Evolving Legal Landscapes: EU Regulations & E-commerce Compliance
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EU’s NIS2 Directive Now in Effect: Strengthen Your IT Security
The NIS2 directive is now in effect, imposing new obligations on companies to bolster their IT security. E-commerce businesses should immediately assess and implement measures to comply, mitigating potential risks and ensuring data protection. Simultaneously, Brandenburg is set to lead the 2026 Consumer Protection Ministerial Conference, focusing on online shops, consumer education, and pricing transparency, signaling increased scrutiny and potential regulatory changes for online retailers.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
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Online Retailers Face Increased Scrutiny: Battery Law & Product Safety
Online retailers are increasingly being classified as manufacturers under the Battery Act (BattG), creating new compliance obligations and potential penalties. Retailers must understand their responsibilities to avoid fines and sales bans. Separately, a €1,600 fine highlights the importance of proper manufacturer labeling under the GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation), emphasizing the need for meticulous product safety compliance to avoid costly penalties.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
Marketing And Advertising: Comcast’s WBD Bid & Peacock’s Future
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Comcast’s Failed Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery Assets
Comcast President revealed the company’s unsuccessful attempts to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming and studio assets. The offers were made before Netflix emerged as the leading contender. The outcome highlights the intense competition for content and scale in the streaming landscape, impacting future partnerships and content acquisition strategies for global media players.
Source: Business News / Read more
Returns And Refunds: German E-commerce Regulations
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Germany: Gutscheins Not Valid as Sole Refund Method
A recent German court ruling clarifies that retailers must refund customers using the original payment method after a return. Issuing vouchers instead of refunds is only permissible with the customer’s explicit consent. This impacts cross-border e-commerce businesses selling into Germany, requiring them to ensure their return policies comply with German consumer protection laws to avoid legal issues and maintain customer trust.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
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Germany: Who Can Claim Warranty for Gifted Items?
German law specifies that warranty claims for defective Christmas gifts can be made by the recipient, even if they weren’t the original purchaser. This means e-commerce businesses selling in Germany may need to handle warranty requests from gift recipients. Understanding this distinction is crucial for managing customer service and returns effectively during peak gifting seasons.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
Data Protection And GDPR: Chatbot Security Risks
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Cybersecurity Experts Warn of Chatbot Vulnerabilities
AI-powered chatbots can become entry points for phishing attacks and data theft, according to cybersecurity expert Udo Schneider. These attacks leverage classic patterns to exploit vulnerabilities in chatbot implementations. This poses a significant risk to e-commerce businesses utilizing chatbots for customer service and data collection, requiring enhanced security measures and vigilance.
Source: etailment.de / Read more
Taxation and Invoicing: VAT Reforms and Digital Tax Updates
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UAE Announces Comprehensive VAT Reforms Effective 2026
The United Arab Emirates will implement new VAT regulations starting January 1, 2026. Issued by the Ministry of Finance, these reforms aim to simplify compliance for businesses, enhance transparency, and align the UAE’s tax framework with international best practices. The changes are intended to streamline processes for businesses operating in the region and promote a more transparent tax environment.
Source: News – WORLDEF News / Read more
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Germany Clarifies Rules for Digital Tax Assessments Starting 2026/2027
New regulations for digital tax assessments in Germany, starting in 2026 and 2027, have led to many questions. The Bundesfinanzministerium (Federal Ministry of Finance) is addressing these concerns to provide clarity on the updated procedures. Businesses should stay informed about these changes to ensure compliance with the evolving digital tax landscape in Germany.
Source: News / Read more
SEO And Webshop Optimization: Long-Tail and Online Availability
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Leveraging Long-Tail SEO for AI Visibility
Practical Ecommerce reports that targeting long-tail keywords can significantly improve a website’s visibility, especially with the rise of AI-driven search. Focusing on specific, niche queries can attract targeted traffic and enhance overall SEO performance. This strategy is particularly relevant for cross-border e-commerce businesses aiming to reach diverse customer segments with tailored product offerings.
Source: Practical Ecommerce / Read more