What’s New in E-commerce? — February 13, 2026
Marketplace Platforms: Growth, Acquisitions, and Legal Challenges
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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 media. This highlights the growing importance of marketplace platforms for established retailers seeking to expand their digital footprint.
Source: Ecommerce News / Read more
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Uber Eats Eyes Further Expansion with Potential Acquisition of Flink
Following its rumored interest in Trendyol Go and Getir, Uber Eats is reportedly considering acquiring Flink to further expand its food and delivery business. This move signals a continued consolidation trend in the competitive delivery marketplace, with major players vying for market share through strategic acquisitions.
Source: Exciting Commerce / Read more
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Estée Lauder Sues Walmart Over Counterfeit Sales on Marketplace
Estée Lauder has filed a lawsuit against Walmart, alleging the retailer facilitated the sale of counterfeit beauty products by third-party sellers on its marketplace. The lawsuit claims Walmart played an active role in enabling these sales. This case underscores the ongoing challenges marketplaces face in combating counterfeit goods and protecting brand integrity.
Source: Business News / Read more
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Amazon Sellers Exploiting Demand with Excessive Shipping Costs
Reports indicate that some Amazon sellers are charging exorbitant shipping fees, up to €2,000, for winter-related items, taking advantage of high demand. Customers are expressing outrage and demanding action. This highlights the need for marketplaces to monitor and regulate seller practices to ensure fair pricing and prevent consumer exploitation.
Source: News / Read more
Customer Service: The Need for Speed and Availability
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Real-Time Customer Support Becomes Critical for E-Commerce Success
Asynchronous customer support is increasingly detrimental to e-commerce businesses. Research indicates that delayed responses lead to abandoned purchases, erosion of customer trust, and lost revenue. This shift is driven by the rise of discovery commerce, where customers expect immediate assistance and information.
Source: E-Commerce Times / Read more
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Many Online Retailers in Belgium and the Netherlands Lack Evening Customer Service
A study of the 100 largest online stores in Belgium and the Netherlands reveals that 72% do not offer customer service in the evening. Furthermore, only 44% utilize WhatsApp for customer support, despite its popularity. This lack of availability potentially leads to missed conversions and lost sales opportunities in these markets.
Source: Ecommerce News / Read more
Logistics And Delivery: Carrier Expansion and Strategy Shifts
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InPost Attracts Investment, JD Logistics Expands in Europe
European logistics are being reshaped as FedEx, backed by Advent International, invests in InPost, a company operating 47,000 parcel lockers. This move comes as JD Logistics launches JoyExpress in Europe, initially for Joybuy, with plans to potentially serve MediaSaturn, expanding last-mile service options. These expansions signal increasing competition and innovation in European e-commerce delivery.
Source: Exciting Commerce / Read more
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Packeta Enables Direct Carrier Selection for Poland
Packeta is enhancing its services to Poland by allowing senders to directly choose specific Polish carriers when submitting parcels. Effective February 16, 2026, this change provides more control and potentially optimized delivery options for shipments to Polish addresses, improving the cross-border shipping experience.
Source: Blog Packeta / Read more
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Amazon Alters Logistics Strategy, Impacting Seller Accounting
Amazon is discontinuing commingling, a move that increases transparency for merchants but introduces new accounting challenges. This shift requires sellers to adjust their bookkeeping practices to accommodate the changes in Amazon’s logistics strategy, affecting how they manage inventory and track sales.
Source: News / Read more
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JD Logistics Launches JoyExpress for European Last-Mile Delivery
JD Logistics is launching JoyExpress in Europe, starting with deliveries for Joybuy and potentially expanding to serve MediaSaturn. This initiative aims to provide new last-mile service options, increasing competition and potentially improving delivery speed and efficiency for European consumers.
Source: Exciting Commerce / Read more
Social Commerce: TikTok Shop Growth and Opportunities
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TikTok Shop Doubles GMV, Reaching $64 Billion
TikTok Shop’s Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) doubled in 2025, reaching an estimated $64 billion, driven primarily by the US market ($15 billion) and Indonesia ($13 billion). This growth underscores TikTok’s increasing importance as a social commerce platform. For cross-border e-commerce businesses, this expansion presents significant opportunities to tap into new markets and leverage TikTok’s engaged user base for direct sales and brand building.
Source: Exciting Commerce / Read more
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Smart Home Brands Find Success in TikTok Shop
Since launching in Germany in March 2025, TikTok Shop is changing the digital customer journey. Smart home providers like smartkram are using social commerce to combine brand awareness, community engagement, and direct sales. This approach allows for a more integrated and interactive shopping experience, potentially increasing conversion rates and customer loyalty for cross-border e-commerce businesses in the smart home sector.
Cross-border Sales: EU Customs Oversight and China’s EV Market Expansion
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EU Customs Checks Overwhelmed by E-commerce Imports
A recent EU-wide inspection revealed that over half of e-commerce goods from non-EU countries fail to meet European standards, while only an estimated 1 in 12,000 packages from China are actually inspected. While trade associations welcome the planned €3 duty on imported goods, logistics experts question its effectiveness in addressing the broader issue of non-compliant products entering the EU market. This raises concerns about consumer safety and fair competition within the EU.
Source: etailment.de / Read more
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US EV Slowdown Fuels China’s Global Automotive Dominance
As American automakers shift focus back to traditional gas-powered vehicles, Chinese manufacturers are poised to increase their dominance in the global electric vehicle market. This strategic divergence could give China a significant advantage in the rapidly growing EV sector, potentially impacting the competitive landscape for cross-border automotive sales and technology.
Source: Business News / Read more
AI Automation: Content Licensing and Supply Chain Efficiency
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AI Content Licensing Marketplaces Emerge
Microsoft and Amazon are developing content-licensing marketplaces, presenting new opportunities for e-commerce marketers to license AI-generated content. This could streamline content creation and provide access to diverse assets for cross-border e-commerce businesses looking to scale their marketing efforts. The development signals a potential shift in how digital content is sourced and utilized in the industry.
Source: Practical Ecommerce / Read more
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Startup Automates Supply Chain Processes with AI
Berlin-based startup GeneralMind is using AI to automate digital workflows within supply chains. Their technology aims to replace manual processes involving emails, spreadsheets, and ERP systems, specifically targeting invoice reconciliation, order confirmations, and supplier coordination. This automation promises to improve efficiency and reduce errors in cross-border transactions and logistics.
Source: etailment.de / Read more
Legal And Compliance
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EU Commission Targets TikTok’s Addictive Design
The EU Commission is challenging TikTok’s design, citing its addictive nature as a violation of the Digital Services Act. The commission is demanding changes to the platform’s design to mitigate its potential harm to users. This action underscores the growing regulatory pressure on social media platforms to address concerns about user well-being and data protection.
Source: News / Read more
Returns And Refunds: Compliance Updates for EU E-commerce
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Mandatory Withdrawal Button Coming for EU Online Shops
As of June 19, 2026, a mandatory “withdrawal button” will be required in all B2C online shops within the EU, impacting even sellers of personalized goods. This new regulation necessitates that merchants adapt their online shops to comply, ensuring customers can easily exercise their right of withdrawal. Failure to implement this button could result in legal repercussions.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
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Navigating Returns for Costumes and Hygiene Products
Merchants should be aware of the complexities surrounding returns for items like costumes and hygiene products, particularly during events like Carnival. Incorrectly denying a customer’s right of withdrawal can lead to warnings and legal action. Businesses must carefully assess whether exclusions to the right of withdrawal apply to specific product categories.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
Taxation And Invoicing: Influencer Tax Audits
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German State of NRW Launches Large-Scale Tax Audit of 7,000 Influencers
North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, has initiated a large-scale tax audit targeting approximately 7,000 influencers suspected of tax evasion. This action highlights the increasing scrutiny of digital content creators’ income and tax compliance. The audit underscores the importance of accurate income reporting and adherence to tax regulations for influencers engaged in cross-border e-commerce and marketing activities within the EU. Affected influencers should seek professional tax advice to ensure compliance and mitigate potential penalties.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
SEO And Webshop Optimization: Leveraging Google Discover
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Google Discover as an Emerging Ecommerce Traffic Source
Practical Ecommerce suggests that Google Discover is becoming a meaningful traffic channel for e-commerce businesses and warrants attention. While traditionally overlooked, Discover’s personalized feed presents an opportunity to reach potential customers who aren’t actively searching. Businesses should explore optimizing content to align with Discover’s content guidelines to tap into this potential source of traffic and increase brand visibility.
Source: Practical Ecommerce / Read more
Sustainability and Circular Economy Initiatives Gain Momentum
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EU Bans Destruction of Unsold Clothing
Starting July 19th, large fashion companies are prohibited by the EU from destroying unsold clothing. This regulation aims to reduce textile waste and promote more sustainable practices within the fashion industry. The ban encourages companies to find alternative solutions for excess inventory, such as resale, donation, or recycling, impacting supply chain management and potentially increasing the importance of recommerce strategies for cross-border businesses.
Source: Haendlerbund / Read more
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eBay Announces Climate Plan with Focus on Recommerce
eBay has released its first Climate Transition Plan, committing to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. A key component of this plan involves promoting sustainable commerce through recommerce and circular economy models. This initiative aligns with the growing trend in Germany, where consumers are increasingly prioritizing resale, reuse, and sustainability, signaling a shift towards more environmentally conscious e-commerce practices and potentially opening new markets for cross-border recommerce.