Ireland

Amazon will charge European selling partners additional transport costs as a result of the war in the Middle East. In principle, the measure is temporary, the company says, and applies to both Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) and Multi-Channel Fulfilment (MCF).

Flaconi, a German online retailer of perfumes and beauty products, is rapidly expanding internationally. The company, already active in twelve European markets, is entering the United Kingdom and Spain – two of the leading ecommerce markets in Europe. Launches in five additional countries have also been announced.

Last year, 78 percent of internet users in the European Union made at least one online purchase. Ireland ranks highest, with more than 95 percent. In Romania, the number of online shoppers has grown the most over the past ten years.

European Amazon sellers can now manage their funds on the platform more easily. Amazon Seller Wallet is launching in seven European stores. This gives sellers more control over when to convert and transfer their earnings, with exchange rates displayed before every transfer.

TikTok Shop is significantly increasing its sales commission in the five EU countries where the service is active. As of 8 January, merchants in Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Ireland will no longer pay 5 percent, but 9 percent per sale.

Last year, 96 percent of Irish internet users made online purchases. The country has the biggest percentage of online shoppers, compared to other European countries. The Netherlands and Denmark also have high percentages, with 94 and 91 percent respectively.

The Irish ecommerce landscape will change in the coming months. This month, TikTok Shop has opened for business in the country. And in 2025, the launch of Amazon Ireland will take place.

TikTok Shop seemed set to launch in many European countries this summer, but owner ByteDance put the brakes on expansion. The shopping feature is reportedly set to launch in Ireland and Spain in October, with other European countries following next year.

Irish online shoppers can explore a dedicated Amazon domain next year. It will showcase a broad array of products "with low, local prices, and without additional customs charges”. Shoppers can expect an expanded selection from Irish businesses, quicker deliveries, and easier returns.

Irish ecommerce financier Wayflyer has renewed a 300 million dollar (276.7 million euros) debt line. It is currently deploying 2 billion dollars (1.84 billion euros) to more than 3,000 ecommerce business globally.

PDD Holdings has opened an office in the Irish capital Dublin. It concerns the head office, according to international news outlets, but the company itself vehemently denies this. PDD is the owner of the Chinese online platform Pinduoduo and the international ecommerce comet Temu, recently launched in six European countries.

Fashion platform Zalando is going to launch a fashion assistant powered by ChatGPT on the website and app. It will start with a beta version, which will be available to selected customers in Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Austria by Spring.

Just months after expanding to Germany and Ireland, Canadian ecommerce investor Clearco is cutting 25 percent of its staff. This comes down to 125 employees. The company points to ‘the current macroeconomic environment’.

Chinese fashion retailer Shein is looking to expand in Europe. At the same time, the company’s value has fallen around 30 percent. Shein has been under scrutiny about its labor conditions and environmental impact.

The Fortia Group assists Amazon merchants looking to sell their ecommerce business. After one year of operations they have closed 7 takeovers, the highest being valued over 16 million euros. CEO Emmett Kilduff: “We are on track to complete 30 deals in 2022.”