German online platform Otto is eliminating 480 call center positions. This results in layoffs of hundreds of employees. Several of the company’s customer service locations will be closed completely.

Marketplace aggregator SellerX has announced that it is letting go of a fifth of its workforce. This comes down to 170 jobs out of a total of more than 800. The company is doing this because it needs to cut costs.

Dutch fulfillment company Monta has realized its previously announced expansion into France. The company recently opened its first warehouse in the country. In total, it now has 19 locations in Europe.

A large share of German online store owners are dissatisfied with developments in the German ecommerce market. Strict regulations in the country about online sales seem to be the biggest hurdle for sellers, at least 60 percent of sellers are dissatisfied by the legal framework.

Dutch online marketplace Bol has had a good year: sales increased 8.7 percent, reaching 3.1 billion euros. It also earned more from its own platform sales than all sales partners together, figures show. Bol seems to become more like an online store again, instead of a platform.

The European Parliament has approved a revision of VAT rules. As a result, online platforms will be liable for VAT payments if their sales partners do not fulfill this obligation. The reform aims to prevent unfair competition and combat VAT fraud. Businesses will save billions on costs, according to policymakers in Brussels.

Last year, Amazon once again outpaced the ecommerce market growth in both Germany and the United Kingdom. Its revenue reached 39.6 billion euros and 36.7 billion euros, respectively. The American company has managed to withstand the rising competition from Chinese platforms, with growth in the United Kingdom accelerating even.

Ecommerce in Turkey was worth 30.8 billion Turkish Liras (or 7.95 billion euros) in 2016. The online retail industry in this country is becoming more and more mature. The ecommerce share in Turkey's total retail was 1.7 percent in 2012, but it increased to 3.5 percent last year, a new study shows.

Chinese ecommerce giant JD.com is said to be in talks with Ceconomy, the owner of MediaMarkt and Saturn, about an acquisition. The Chinese platform wants to expand in Europe while its domestic economy is slowing down.

Over the past year, Amazon has delivered more than one billion products to Prime members in the United Kingdom on the day of order or the following day. The American company continues to invest in same-day delivery and its network of pick-up locations.

French software company Stockly is a stock pooling and exchange solution for online sellers. The company now announces that it has raised 26 million euros. With the capital injection, it wants to accelerate its growth in Europe.

Between 2024 and 2029, Forrester is predicting an increase in online sales in Europe. It expects that online sales will grow from 389 billion euros in 2024, to 565 billion euros in 2029. Online sales will also take up a larger share of the total retail sales.

The EU aims to curb the influx of unsafe products entering the European market via ecommerce platforms such as Temu, Shein, and Amazon. Brussels wants to make these platforms liable for dangerous or illegal products sold online. There are also plans to establish a new EU customs authority.

Online marketplace Amazon is introducing a shipping solution called Easy Ship in Europe, for sellers in the Netherlands and Poland. According to the ecommerce giant, the solution helps sellers ship their products faster, smoother and more cost-effectively.

TikTok Shop is preparing to launch in Germany, as indicated by various job postings. Notably, sellers will soon be able to utilize Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT) in Germany. This suggests TikTok plans to open warehouses for sales partners on the European mainland.