The United Kingdom

Retailers within the UK have terminated contracts worth 8.3 billion euros with suppliers that didn't meet ethical and sustainable standards in 2021. The demand for ethical and sustainable products from customers has led to a shift in how retailers shape their supply chain.

AO, the online electrical retailer, is considering leaving the German market. The company from the United Kingdom launched there in 2014 but is struggling due to fierce competition, increasing costs and supply chain issues.

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.

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.

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.

Major marketplace from the United Kingdom, OnBuy, announced that it will reward its entire workforce with over 1 million euros in share options this month. The news follows the announcement of an anticipated IPO and international expansion.

'Buy now, pay later' (BNPL) is becoming increasingly popular. One in five UK consumers are planning to use these services during Christmas, to spread out the costs. But the increasing popularity has also caused an increase in outstanding debt amongst UK shoppers.

eBay has signed a partnership agreement with InPost, the Polish ecommerce delivery company. Sellers on eBay now get access to InPost's parcel lockers throughout the UK. The move will provide sellers with more flexible postal solutions.

The ecommerce giant Amazon is planning to stop accepting payments made with Visa credit cards in the UK, starting next year. Customers are being encouraged to change their default payment method. "We're very disappointed that Amazon is threatening to restrict consumer choice", said Visa.

Marketplaces are now a starting point in 44 percent of all product searches. This is more than twice the number of searches in search engines. Brand loyalty seems to be less important to consumers, as marketplaces are almost 5 times more likely to be a starting point to research products than a brand's own website.

Logistics company Whistl has acquired Relish, a product sampling specialist. For now, Relish will remain as a standalone brand. Thanks to the acquisition, Whistl can expand its range of channels available to customers.

Due to the fast growth of ecommerce within the UK, many ecommerce companies have seen their data needs increase. Now, 57 percent of retail and ecommerce companies are scraping external public web data. External data can help their marketing and implement effective pricing strategies.

Printful, a printing and fulfilment service from Latvia, is opening a fulfilment center in the United Kingdom. The branch will be operational by the end of this year. The company also has plans for a new facility in Poland, amounting to a total of five European branches.

Yesterday, the Ecommerce Awards 2021 were handed out. The award show was a part of the Ecommerce Expo, and took place virtually due to coronavirus regulations. A total of 21 different ecommerce players won awards.

British marketplace seller and tech startup Boulevard has raised 2.5 million euros in seed capital. The company, only having started their supply chain services last year, will use the funds to diversify and further develop their in-house software. The investment comes at a time when marketplaces continue to thrive in a post-pandemic landscape.