According to research by the European Commission almost two thirds of online shops and platforms triggered doubts about the reliability of consumer reviews. In 144 out of the 223 websites checked, authorities couldn't confirm that businesses were doing enough to ensure authentic reviews.

Payment methods are an integral component to the success of ecommerce businesses. Knowing which payment methods are preferred by customers can increase conversion for online stores. Genome, a Lithuania-based financial platform, made a list of the current trends and most popular methods in Europe.

Amazon Logistics has won the top spot in MoneySavingExpert's (MSE) annual UK parcel delivery poll. It's the first time that Amazon Logistics is considered the best carrier by consumers in this poll. The company replaces last year's winner DPD Local.

Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn has grown its market share to 35.9 percent in 2021. Its online channel, where customers order groceries, has helped achieve this growth. Up to 10 percent of the company's revenue come from this channel.

Ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus, ecommerce has grown significantly. An indicator of that growth is the number of online stores on platforms like Shopify. Between March 2020 and January 2022, the number of stores on Shopify grew with 201.53 percent.

Ecommerce giant Amazon and credit card issuer Visa are continuing to try to solve their dispute over payment fees. This means that payments with millions of credit cards will still be accepted. The announcement came two days before previously announced ban on Visa credit cards.

The Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden were very early adopters of the internet and have a highly developed digital infrastructure. Online shopping is very common in the Nordics, yet research reveals that there is still growth potential in this region.

Flash delivery startups have seen their turnover grow in the Netherlands. Research estimates that by the end of 2021, Dutch consumers were spending around 40 million euros per month on flash deliveries. This growth is expected to continue throughout this year, meaning that a total turnover of 1 billion euros can be achieved in 2022.

B2B-marketplace Ankorstore has secured 250 million euros. After only two years of operations, the French company is Europe’s latest unicorn with a value over 1,75 billion euros. The platform wants to use the money to develop their existing services and open new offices in Italy and Spain.

Online payment method PayPal is well-known within Europe, but the usage of PayPal in online stores varies between countries. In Italy, 93 percent of online stores offer PayPal as a payment method. On the other end of the spectrum, PayPal is only offered in 1 percent of Serbian online stores.

Carrefour, the French supermarket group, is partnering with online grocery marketplace Everli to deliver in their home country France. The companies previously launched partnerships in Italy and Poland. Both brands are also looking to cover future international markets together.

Parcel delivery service Instabox will enter Germany in early 2022. It's the Swedish company's latest expansion across Europe. The company is active in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and now also Germany.

SwipBox, the parcel locker company from Denmark, has had a good year. The number of lockers has tripled to 10 thousand. The amount of customers has also doubled in 2021, thanks to the pandemic boom in ecommerce as well as increased sales of their smart lockers, the company says.

Bol.com, the largest online store in the Netherlands and Belgium, is to acquire Dutch bicycle courier company Cycloon. With the takeover the online store wants to deliver more sustainably. Moreover, Bol.com will deliver its own parcels for the first time.

Amazon customers from the United Kingdom can now pay later for their orders through a partnership with Barclays, the British bank. The new payment service called ‘Instalments’ was already introduced in Germany last year. ‘Buy now, pay later’ is becoming increasingly popular in Europe.