By Ron Healy - A strange version of pass-the-parcel takes place in international eCommerce.

• A customer buys something from a merchant. 
• The merchant passes it to a fulfilment provider. 
• The fulfilment provider passes it to a first-mile carrier.
• The first-mile carrier passes it to a consolidator, airline, customs broker, postal operator or another carrier. 
• Eventually - as if by magic - the final carrier passes it to the customer.

The physical parcel moves from player to player. So does the information associated with it - although not always as successfully. Each organisation has its own reference number, its own system, its own data structures and its own particular view of what’s inside the box. Some manage detailed product data. Others manage a description, a value and a shipping label. Somewhere along the way, “Men’s 100% cotton knitted pullover, manufactured in Turkey” becomes “clothing” and eventually “gift”, if enough information is lost and somebody becomes sufficiently (un)creative.

When the music stops partway through (i.e. at the border), somebody is left holding the parcel without knowing what’s in it.

From inherited decisions to cross-border orchestration

The problem for logistics providers is that many important decisions have been made before they ever see the box.

• The merchant decided what information to collect about the product. 
• The merchant or their web store / platform decided how to classify the product.
• The checkout decided what to charge the customer. 
• Somebody chose whether duties and taxes are included or not. 
• A delivery promise was made. 
• The transaction was paid for and the customer quite reasonably believes the difficult part is over.

Then the parcel enters the logistics network and those decisions become physical.

If the product description is inadequate, somebody must improve it. If the classification is wrong, the consignment may be delayed or reassessed. If the customer wasn’t told that import charges will be collected at the door, the carrier becomes the bearer of bad news. If information is missing, somebody must find it, while the parcel - and the customer - wait.

In other words, consignment data is becoming part of the consignment. 

This raises a more interesting question than how to become better at repairing incomplete information downstream:

Why should the organisations with the greatest practical understanding of cross-border execution wait until after the transaction and then deal with the fallout?

Instead, why not contribute upstream? Moving upstream does not require a shipper or 3PL to become an eCommerce platform. It means connecting to the transaction early enough to improve the data that will determine what eventually happens to the parcel.

Customs authorities are also placing greater expectations on everyone. While customs may not expect the carrier to originate every piece of data for parcels crossing the border, they do expect accurate, timely and complete information – whoever creates it. This is evidenced by a wider global movement towards advance electronic data, product-level scrutiny and greater accountability for increasingly high volumes of low-value consignments. 

The EU’s new €3 ‘flat rate (but not quite)’ duty and the suspension of duty-free de minimis by the United States are different responses to different priorities but both increase the significance of the information attached and/or related to individual parcels. The World Customs Organization’s cross-border eCommerce framework reflects the same emphasis on advance data, data quality and cooperation between supply-chain participants. 

Fully landed cost as a logistics product

Fully landed cost has traditionally been treated as something the merchant or checkout provider should calculate. That makes superficial sense because the customer needs to see a price before paying and the checkout has the fullest view of the transaction data.

However, the checkout does not necessarily know how the order will be fulfilled, which carrier will be used, where the goods will actually leave from or whether the order will be split. It may not know what information the downstream carrier requires or which delivery-duty arrangements are available.

A logistics provider often does.

This creates an opportunity for shippers, 3PLs, 4PLs, carriers and logistics aggregators to upsell fully landed cost as part of their own merchant proposition. They do not have to develop tax, customs and classification capabilities internally. They can package those capabilities alongside fulfilment, shipping and delivery. Imagine a logistics provider offering:

• Guaranteed Delivery and No Extra Charges – DDP fulfilment backed by revalidation and exception handling. 
• Landed Cost in the Checkout – duty, tax and shipping shown and collected. 
• Delivery Rescue – DAP-to-DDP conversion and intervention before the border. 
• Cross-Border Ready – validated data and international documentation. 
• Cross-Border Optimised – compliant selection of the best tax, customs and carrier route. 
• Cross-Border Intelligence – analytics, audit evidence and recommendations for improving cost and conversion.

The key product is remarkably easy for a merchant or customer to understand: Guaranteed delivery - no extra charges.

Customers do not particularly care which organisation calculated the import VAT, selected the customs treatment or paid the duty. They care that the price they paid is the real total and their parcel arrives without a ‘ransom demand’!

For the merchant, this removes one of the most uncomfortable uncertainties in international selling. For logistics providers, it creates a differentiated service beginning at checkout and continuing through to the doorstep.

Making this work requires an independently available and easily verifiable identifier that travels with the parcel from checkout to doorstep. This identifier would be added to a permissioned blockchain, allowing authorised stakeholders to verify the original checkout data. Instead of repeatedly copying selected information from system to system, the original transaction remains connected to the physical consignment. Each downstream stakeholder simply maps their own reference, created throughout the journey, to the independent reference. The merchant generates their order reference, the payment provider generates their payment reference, the warehouse generates their dispatch reference and each carrier generates a shipping reference. Customs will eventually issue their reference. 

With an independent reference mapped from each and with a lookup capability available to stakeholders, nobody needs to abandon systems or references they already use. Independent mapping allows the transaction to be revalidated when the physical world takes over. At fulfilment, handover or customs presentation, the actual contents can be automatically compared with the original checkout. If they match, the existing calculation and evidence can be confirmed. If they do not, the customs, duty and tax information can be recalculated. This could even be done before the parcel begins its journey.

Since each reference is associated with the same underlying consignment identity, suitably authorised participants can use their own reference to lookup the parcel’s status any time. A QR code on the parcel validates the data record from a scanner, or an API call can do it automatically. Ultimately, every authorised stakeholder can view the original data associated with any parcel they will be involved with delivering - all the way from checkout to doorstep.

Rehabilitating DAP for eCommerce

The same connection creates another opportunity for consignments sold under DAP shipping. DAP has a bad rap, mostly because it’s been the source of many painful emails, calls and text messages where consumers are told they must pay tax and duties (and a handling fee on top) to receive the product they thought they had already paid for. Or equally painful for merchants as consumers refused delivery and they lost not only the sale but the shipping and the reverse logistics.

With ePAL’s recent DAP-to-DDP innovation, a merchant, shipper, 3PL or other participant can use its own mapped reference - or simply scan a QR code - to trigger a request to the customer before collection or while the parcel is travelling towards the border. The outstanding landed cost is calculated and the customer given the opportunity to pay before the consignment reaches customs. 

Where timing, jurisdiction and carrier processes allow it, the consignment can then be converted from DAP to DDP treatment before reaching the border.

Where the customer declines, this can be captured, minimising doorstep refusals for “surprise charges”.

Today, that payment request often begins when the parcel is already stopped at the border. Moving it earlier allows the problem to be resolved while the parcel is still moving… or even before it even leaves the warehouse.

The new control point in cross-border eCommerce

There is a backstage layer within international logistics that most people never see. A parcel enters the network through one stakeholder while transport, clearance and final delivery are performed by others. The same digital identity and orchestration capability becomes more valuable each time the parcel passes between providers.

Aggregators and orchestration platforms already allow shippers, carriers and other providers to sell, buy and coordinate capacity between themselves. These platforms already coordinate parcel transport. The opportunity is to coordinate the data and decisions travelling with it.

If a parcel has a persistent digital identity, handing it off it to another carrier doesn’t mean rebuilding the data. The new carrier simply retrieves the original data associated with the transaction, maps its own reference to the same identity and add its subsequent events to the chain.

The aggregator therefore becomes more than a marketplace for transport capacity. It becomes a control point connecting capacity, consignment data, compliance status and commercial decisions.

There are obvious operational benefits. Better data should mean fewer customs holds, fewer information requests, less manual rekeying and fewer parcels waiting for somebody to decide who should pay. Revalidation can identify discrepancies before customs does. Earlier collection of duties and taxes can reduce refusals and returns.

The commercial benefit may be larger.

A logistics relationship traditionally begins after the sale. The merchant wins the customer and decides how the transaction will work. The logistics provider executes what it receives. Moving upstream changes that relationship. The provider becomes part of how the merchant sells, not simply how it ships.

Conclusion

Connecting checkout to doorstep allows post-checkout providers to influence the transaction before it becomes a physical problem. Fully landed cost becomes an offer to merchants. “Guaranteed delivery - no extra charges” becomes a product rather than an aspiration. Traceability, revalidation and intervention make that product more credible and the resulting merchant relationship more valuable and much harder to replace.

Pass-the-parcel will continue. The opportunity is to make sure that when the parcel passes from one participant to another, its identity, information and history travel with it.

Instead of inheriting somebody else’s decisions and repairing them downstream, logistics providers take advantage of ePAL Global’s orchestration layer to help make better decisions upstream – right from the checkout.

ABOUT OUR AUTHOR:

Ron Healy is Co-founder and Head of Product at ePAL Global, a cross-border e-commerce technology company focused on simplifying tax, customs, duties and compliance for international merchants. An experienced product and innovation leader, Ron has worked across startups, large enterprises, the public sector and academia, specializing in turning complex regulatory and operational challenges into practical digital solutions. At ePAL Global, he leads product strategy and innovation, with a particular focus on making cross-border e-commerce simpler, more transparent and cost-effective for merchants.

The post Playing pass-the-parcel in the new eCommerce reality appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

HELMOND, 26 August 2026 – Maxi-Cosi is taking the next step in how it connects with parents across Europe. On Thursday evening, 27 August, the brand will broadcast Parenthood Unfiltered, an interactive live parenting show broadcast across Maxi-Cosi’s own platforms in seven European countries, as well as via social channels.

To the best of our knowledge, this makes Maxi-Cosi one of the first brands in the European baby and juvenile products category to broadcast an interactive livestream at this scale across its own D2C platforms and social channels. The broadcast is part of a pilot series developed by Maxi-Cosi together with live commerce agency YSS – Your Shopping Stream.

Following an initial closed pilot earlier this summer, the second edition will be open to everyone and distributed more widely. At this stage, the focus is on testing and learning – including how the format can drive reach, engagement and interaction, and what role live commerce can play within the customer journey.

Entertainment, interaction and commerce

With Parenthood Unfiltered, Maxi-Cosi has created a ‘parentainment’ format that brings together honest conversations about parenthood, expert insights, entertainment and product integration. During Back to Reality, parents and experts discuss the transition from the summer holidays back to everyday family life.

Viewers can participate live through questions, polls, games and giveaways. Maxi-Cosi products are also integrated into the show, while viewers will receive access to an exclusive discount code during the broadcast. The result is an interactive live experience that brings together elements of television, social media and e-commerce.

From a Dutch case to European scale

For YSS, the collaboration with Maxi-Cosi follows an interactive livestream with Dutch celebrity chef Herman den Blijker earlier this year. With Maxi-Cosi, YSS is now scaling its live commerce model across seven European markets at once.

“The next evolution of live commerce lies, in my view, precisely in this scalability,” says Suzanne Pronk, founder of YSS. “It’s not about simply going live on social media, but about building formats where content, interaction and commerce come together.

Maxi-Cosi shows how one central production can reach audiences across multiple European markets, with owned platforms and social channels reinforcing each other.” The live production is delivered in collaboration with FabriQ Media Group, with the interactive technology powered by Livery Video.

The post Maxi-Cosi brings interactive live commerce to seven European markets appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Alibaba Group has agreed to sell its gaming business Lingxi Games to Asian private equity firm Trustar Capital, marking another significant step in the Chinese technology giant’s strategy to concentrate resources on e-commerce, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

The transaction involves Alibaba transferring its entire stake in Lingxi Games to Trustar Capital. Reuters reported that the deal is worth more than $2 billion, citing a source familiar with the transaction, although an internal memo confirming the sale did not disclose the final valuation or a closing date.

The divestment reflects Alibaba’s increasingly focused strategy as it redirects capital from businesses it considers non-core to areas it sees as central to its future growth.

Alibaba exits Lingxi Games

Lingxi Games is a Guangzhou-based game developer best known for titles including Three Kingdoms: Strategy Edition, developed in collaboration with Japanese game company Koei Tecmo.

According to reports, Lingxi CEO Zhou Bingshu told employees that Alibaba would transfer full ownership of the company to Trustar Capital. Management and operations are expected to remain largely stable following the acquisition.

Trustar Capital, formerly known as CITIC Capital, emerged as the buyer after reports in early August suggested several potential bidders had been evaluating the gaming company.

The disposal comes after Alibaba spent several years building a presence in China's highly competitive gaming sector. However, gaming has become increasingly peripheral to the group's wider strategic direction.

Instead, Alibaba is consolidating around two areas that management has repeatedly identified as fundamental to the company’s future: commerce and artificial intelligence.

E-commerce and AI become Alibaba's strategic priorities

Alibaba's decision to sell Lingxi is not an isolated restructuring move.

The company formally identified e-commerce and AI technology as its most strategically important directions in 2024, when it reorganized its domestic and international commerce operations under a newly integrated e-commerce business group.

Since then, Alibaba has been reducing its exposure to businesses outside those priorities.

The company previously disposed of non-core retail assets including its holdings in Sun Art and Intime. Alibaba said monetizing these investments would allow it to concentrate resources on developing its core businesses.

Selling Lingxi Games fits directly into that strategy.

Rather than maintaining a broad portfolio spanning retail, entertainment, gaming and other sectors, Alibaba is increasingly positioning itself as a technology and commerce company built around a combination of e-commerce platforms, cloud infrastructure and AI.

Alibaba is spending heavily on AI

The shift is particularly significant because Alibaba is committing enormous amounts of capital to artificial intelligence infrastructure.

In February 2025, the company announced plans to invest at least RMB380 billion, approximately $53 billion at the time, in AI and cloud infrastructure over a three-year period. Alibaba said the investment would exceed its total spending on AI and cloud infrastructure during the previous decade.

That investment covers computing infrastructure, AI models, cloud services, and technologies capable of supporting increasingly advanced AI applications.

Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu has positioned AI as one of the company's largest technological opportunities. The group has since expanded its Qwen family of AI models, increased its cloud computing capacity, and developed AI services for both consumers and businesses.

By the end of Alibaba's 2026 fiscal year, AI-related products represented around 30% of Alibaba Cloud's external revenue, while external cloud revenue grew 40% during the final quarter of the year, according to the company.

The numbers demonstrate why Alibaba increasingly views AI and cloud infrastructure not simply as technology investments but as major future revenue engines.

AI is also becoming part of Alibaba's e-commerce strategy

For e-commerce businesses, however, Alibaba's strategy matters because it is not developing AI and commerce as separate divisions. Instead, Alibaba is increasingly integrating artificial intelligence throughout its commerce ecosystem.

AI can potentially influence almost every layer of an online marketplace, from product discovery and search to advertising, merchant services, customer support, logistics optimization and personalized recommendations.

Alibaba has already deployed AI solutions across Taobao and Tmall and has increasingly connected its Qwen ecosystem to its commerce platforms. In 2026, for example, the company integrated the Qwen app with Taobao's product catalog and introduced Qwen-powered shopping capabilities inside Taobao. This creates an important strategic advantage.

Alibaba operates major consumer and B2B commerce platforms while simultaneously controlling cloud infrastructure and developing its own foundation AI models. Those capabilities could allow Alibaba to build AI shopping tools without relying heavily on third-party technology providers.

The race toward agentic commerce

The evolution could become even more significant as e-commerce moves toward agentic AI. Traditional online shopping still requires consumers to search for products, compare options, evaluate sellers and manually complete purchases.

AI agents could increasingly perform parts of that process independently. A consumer might eventually ask an AI assistant to find a specific product within a budget, compare delivery times, evaluate seller reliability, and recommend or potentially execute the best purchase.

For marketplace operators, this changes the importance of both product data and the technology controlling the interface between consumers and merchants. Alibaba has already described agentic AI and Model-as-a-Service as important components of its long-term AI strategy.

Integrating those technologies with Taobao, Tmall, Alibaba.com, AliExpress and other commerce platforms could give the company a large real-world environment in which to deploy AI-driven shopping services.

International e-commerce remains important

Alibaba's commerce strategy also extends far beyond China. Its international operations include platforms such as AliExpress, Lazada, Trendyol and Alibaba.com, giving the company exposure to both consumer and business-to-business cross-border commerce.

Alibaba previously reported that international commerce revenue was being supported by growth in businesses including AliExpress and Trendyol. The group therefore has an opportunity to apply AI capabilities across markets with very different languages, consumer behaviors and merchant ecosystems.

AI tools could prove especially valuable in cross-border commerce, where sellers must deal with challenges including multilingual product information, localization, customer service, search relevance and international marketing.

As AI becomes more deeply embedded in Alibaba's international platforms, these services could lower some of the barriers merchants face when selling into unfamiliar markets.

A leaner Alibaba emerges

The Lingxi Games sale therefore represents more than simply the disposal of a gaming studio. It also signals how Alibaba is reshaping itself after years of operating as a highly diversified technology conglomerate.

The company has repeatedly stressed portfolio discipline and the disposal of non-core assets while increasing spending on businesses that can support long-term growth. That increasingly means concentrating resources around consumption, e-commerce, cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

Gaming may remain a large global digital industry, but maintaining a major gaming studio does not necessarily strengthen Alibaba's position in its most strategically important markets.

Selling Lingxi lets the company simplify its portfolio while potentially freeing up billions of dollars in capital as investment requirements in AI infrastructure continue to grow.

What the Lingxi Games sale means for e-commerce

For the wider e-commerce industry, Alibaba's restructuring illustrates how quickly AI is becoming intertwined with competition between the world's largest commerce platforms.

Amazon, Alibaba, Google, Meta and other technology companies are all exploring how generative and agentic AI could change product discovery and purchasing. The competition is no longer simply about which marketplace has the largest selection of merchants or the fastest logistics network.

Increasingly, it could also depend on who controls the AI systems consumers use to discover, compare and buy products. Alibaba's combination of marketplaces, merchant relationships, consumer data, cloud infrastructure and proprietary AI models puts it in a particularly strong position to pursue that opportunity.

The sale of Lingxi Games suggests the company is willing to give up significant businesses if they no longer fit that objective. And as Alibaba continues to invest tens of billions of dollars into AI and cloud infrastructure, the direction of travel is becoming increasingly clear: the company wants e-commerce and artificial intelligence to reinforce each other as the foundations of its next stage of growth.

The post Alibaba Sells Lingxi Games as It Doubles Down on E-Commerce and AI appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Czech beauty retailer Notino generated €1.76 billion in revenue during its latest financial year, reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s most successful cross-border e-commerce businesses.

The Brno-based company closed fiscal year 2025, covering May 2025 to April 2026, with revenue growth of 11.5% year on year. Notino now serves more than 40 million customers across 27 European markets, supported by a combination of localized online stores, mobile commerce, physical retail and beauty-service partnerships.

Although growth slowed during the Black Friday and Christmas shopping period, the company reported a significant acceleration in early 2026. Revenue growth reached 27% during the opening months of the calendar year, suggesting that the retailer entered its new financial period with renewed momentum.

The results demonstrate how a retailer originating in Central Europe can build a large cross-border business by combining regional localization with centralized technology, logistics and brand management.

Poland remains Notino’s largest European market

Poland generated more than 15% of Notino’s total revenue, making it the company’s largest national market.

The Czech Republic, where Notino is headquartered, accounted for approximately 12%, while Italy contributed 9%. Romania represented a further 7% of annual revenue.

The geographical distribution of its sales highlights the genuinely cross-border nature of Notino’s business. Rather than depending heavily on its domestic market, the retailer has built substantial operations across Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Europe.

Croatia and Lithuania were the company’s fastest-growing markets during the financial year, with revenue in both countries rising by more than 25%.

These results also illustrate the opportunity available in smaller European markets. While Germany, France, Italy and Spain are often considered the primary destinations for international e-commerce expansion, markets in Central and Eastern Europe can offer strong growth where competition, customer acquisition costs and online retail penetration differ from those in the continent’s largest economies.

Revenue has more than doubled in four years

Notino’s latest performance forms part of a much longer period of rapid expansion.

The company generated approximately €737 million in revenue in 2021. Four years later, annual revenue had increased by more than €1 billion to reach €1.76 billion.

In 2022, the company reported turnover of more than €1.03 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 32%. At that stage, Notino said customers were purchasing the equivalent of 3.5 products every second.

Fiscal year 2024 revenue subsequently reached approximately €1.58 billion, up 18% year on year. The latest €1.76 billion result therefore represents continued double-digit expansion, although at a more moderate annual rate than in some previous periods.

Notino nevertheless said it continued to grow faster than the wider European e-commerce market while maintaining a sufficiently strong financial position to keep investing in its infrastructure and customer experience.

Four in ten Notino orders now come through its app

Mobile commerce has become a central element of Notino’s customer-retention and sales strategy.

Approximately four out of every ten orders are now placed through the Notino mobile app. The company has invested in simplifying the purchasing process, improving digital services, increasing personalization and introducing a loyalty program designed to encourage repeat purchases.

The proportion of app-based orders is particularly significant for the beauty sector, where frequent purchases, product discovery, personalized recommendations and loyalty incentives can encourage customers to return regularly.

An app can also provide retailers with a more direct relationship with customers than conventional web traffic. It reduces dependence on search engines, marketplaces and paid advertising channels while creating additional opportunities for personalized offers, product reminders and loyalty rewards.

Notino’s loyalty program was initially introduced in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The retailer plans to refine the program using customer feedback before expanding it gradually into additional European markets.

This controlled approach reflects one of the central challenges of cross-border e-commerce: a program that performs well in one market may need to be adapted to different customer expectations, pricing environments and purchasing habits elsewhere.

Physical stores become an important growth channel

Despite its origins as an online retailer, Notino is increasingly developing an omnichannel model.

The company currently operates 27 physical stores across eight European countries. Revenue generated through those stores increased by almost 30% year on year, substantially faster than the company’s overall annual growth rate.

Notino opened its first physical store in Croatia during the latest financial year and plans to open its first Slovenian store in Ljubljana in autumn 2026.

The expansion demonstrates that physical retail can complement rather than replace an e-commerce-led strategy.

Beauty products can be difficult to evaluate entirely online. Fragrance, makeup and skincare customers may want to test products, receive advice or compare different options in person before purchasing. Stores can therefore support product discovery and build trust, while the online platform provides a broader range, convenient delivery and repeat-order functionality.

Physical locations can also serve as local brand-building tools in markets where a retailer is less established. They give customers a visible point of contact while strengthening the credibility of the broader online operation.

Notino is building a broader beauty ecosystem

The retailer’s strategy now extends beyond selling physical products.

Through the Notino Partner platform, customers can book appointments with participating beauty salons. The service connects more than 8,000 salons with customers in five European countries and processed approximately 1.5 million bookings during the latest financial year.

Notino plans to introduce the service in Croatia and Austria during 2026.

The platform gives the company an opportunity to become involved in a wider portion of the customer journey. Instead of interacting with consumers only when they purchase cosmetics, Notino can also participate when they book hair, skincare or other beauty services.

This model can potentially create a reinforcing ecosystem. Customers discover products through the website or app, visit stores to test them and use the same brand to access related professional services.

For cross-border retailers, this broader ecosystem approach can provide an advantage over competitors focused exclusively on product transactions.

New leadership structure supports European expansion

Notino has also reorganized its senior leadership as the company prepares for its next stage of growth.

After more than six years leading the business, Zbyněk Kocián transferred management responsibility to three co-CEOs: Bartosz Kliś, Lukáš Havlásek and Jakub Šedý.

Responsibilities have been divided across three main areas of the business. The company believes that the structure will accelerate decision-making and allow it to manage an increasingly complex European operation more effectively.

Šedý oversees areas including finance, legal affairs, human resources, facilities, logistics and strategy. He said Notino had maintained healthy profitability, increased absolute EBITDA, improved working-capital efficiency and reduced net debt, although the latest figures remained subject to final audit at the time of his statement.

According to Šedý, Notino recorded growth of more than 20% in every month from February 2026 onwards.

The operational changes are intended to create a more agile organization capable of continuing to invest in technology, logistics, customer experience and talent while preserving financial discipline.

Logistics and localization remain central to the model

Notino’s growth provides a useful example of the infrastructure required to scale a cross-border retail business across Europe.

Operating in 27 markets requires more than translating a website. Retailers must manage different languages, currencies, payment preferences, delivery expectations, product regulations, promotional calendars and customer-service requirements.

Notino says it operates in 27 countries and works across 22 languages. Its workforce numbers more than 2,800 employees, according to the company’s careers information.

The company combines these local market capabilities with centralized investment in areas such as technology, inventory, logistics and digital customer experience.

This balance is important. Excessive centralization can produce a customer experience that feels disconnected from individual markets, while excessive decentralization can duplicate costs and create operational complexity.

Notino’s scale suggests that it has been able to build a common European retail platform while maintaining sufficient local adaptation to compete in very different national markets.

What Notino’s results mean for European e-commerce

Notino’s €1.76 billion revenue result offers several lessons for retailers pursuing international growth.

First, successful cross-border expansion need not begin in Europe’s largest markets. Notino grew from the Czech Republic and made Poland its largest revenue source, while some of its fastest growth is now coming from Croatia and Lithuania.

Second, localization must extend beyond language. Mobile behavior, loyalty schemes, delivery options, physical retail and beauty-service partnerships all need to reflect how customers shop in each country.

Third, omnichannel retail can strengthen an online-first business. Notino’s store revenue grew by almost 30%, indicating that physical locations are becoming a meaningful contributor rather than a secondary brand exercise.

Finally, direct customer relationships are becoming increasingly valuable. With 40% of orders coming through its app, Notino is reducing its dependence on external discovery and acquisition channels while creating more opportunities for repeat purchases and personalized engagement.

Notino prepares for its next European growth phase

Notino enters fiscal year 2026 with a larger customer base, a new leadership structure and further physical and digital expansion planned across Europe.

The company’s annual growth rate of 11.5% is lower than the exceptional increases recorded in some earlier years. However, the acceleration to 27% growth during the first months of 2026 indicates that momentum may be strengthening again.

Its progress also shows that European e-commerce growth is increasingly being driven by retailers capable of combining digital scale with local market execution.

Notino is no longer simply a Czech online perfume retailer selling internationally. It has developed into a multi-market European beauty platform incorporating e-commerce, mobile shopping, stores, loyalty services and salon bookings.

The next challenge will be maintaining that local relevance and operational efficiency as the business grows larger and competition in European beauty retail intensifies.

The post Notino reaches €1.76 billion as European cross-border growth accelerates appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

As e-commerce continues to expand across Europe, the environmental impact of parcel delivery is becoming increasingly important. More online orders usually mean more delivery vehicles, more stops, more congestion, and higher emissions—especially during the last mile.

Poland, however, has developed one of the most efficient e-commerce delivery models in the European Union.

There is no official EU ranking that identifies one country as the greenest market for e-commerce delivery. Nevertheless, Poland has the strongest claim thanks to its dense parcel-locker network, widespread consumer adoption and highly consolidated last-mile delivery system.

Why last-mile delivery is an environmental problem

The last mile is often one of the least efficient stages of e-commerce logistics.

Large trucks can transport thousands of parcels between fulfillment centers and regional depots. Once those parcels enter the final delivery stage, they must be distributed across hundreds of individual addresses.

Traditional home delivery can involve:

• Fragmented delivery routes
• Frequent stops and vehicle idling
• Failed delivery attempts
• Repeat journeys
• Increased urban congestion
• Higher emissions per parcel

Parcel lockers help address this problem by allowing carriers to deliver dozens of orders to a single location rather than visiting each customer individually.

This is where Poland has gained a significant advantage.

Poland has Europe’s densest parcel-locker network

Parcel lockers are not a niche delivery option in Poland. They are a central part of the country’s e-commerce infrastructure.

Recent industry estimates indicate that Poland has more than one parcel locker per 1,000 inhabitants, the highest density in Europe. The total national network is estimated at approximately 45,000 to 47,000 automated parcel machines.

InPost is the country’s dominant operator. At the end of the first quarter of 2025, the company operated 25,949 automated parcel machines in Poland, representing annual growth of around 15%.

Competition is also increasing. Allegro, DHL, DPD, Orlen and other operators continue to expand their own locker and pickup-point networks.

This means Polish consumers can frequently find a locker close to their home, workplace, supermarket or daily commuting route.

How parcel lockers reduce delivery emissions

The environmental benefit of parcel lockers is based on consolidation.

A courier delivering 50 parcels to individual homes may need to make dozens of separate stops. The same 50 parcels can potentially be delivered to one or two automated machines.

This can reduce:

• Kilometers driven per parcel
• Delivery vehicle stops
• Time spent idling
• Failed delivery attempts
• Repeat journeys
• Residential traffic congestion

InPost has reported that deliveries to its automated parcel machines generate significantly lower emissions per parcel than home delivery. The company has also estimated that its locker network avoided more than 180,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Poland in 2020.

These numbers are based on company calculations rather than a standardized EU methodology, so they should be interpreted carefully. However, the operational principle is clear: delivering many parcels to one location is usually more efficient than delivering them individually.

Consumer behavior strengthens the Polish model

Parcel lockers are not automatically sustainable. If customers drive several kilometers solely to collect an order, part of the emissions advantage can disappear. Locker location and consumer behavior are therefore essential.

Poland performs particularly well because parcel collection is often integrated into everyday journeys.

Industry research suggests that approximately 62% of Polish users collect parcels while already traveling for another purpose. In urban areas, the average distance to a locker has been estimated at around 350 meters.

This makes it more likely that customers will collect parcels while walking, commuting, shopping or traveling home from work.

The density of Poland’s network is therefore one of its greatest strengths. The closer lockers are to consumers, the less likely they are to require a separate car journey.

Fewer failed deliveries

Failed home deliveries create additional emissions and costs. When a customer is unavailable, the carrier may need to attempt delivery again, redirect the parcel or return it to a depot.

Parcel lockers largely eliminate this issue. Once the parcel is deposited, the delivery is complete, and the customer can collect it at a convenient time.

This improves first-attempt delivery rates and allows carriers to organize more predictable and efficient routes.

Sustainability without sacrificing convenience

One reason the Polish model has grown so quickly is that parcel lockers are not only more efficient. They are also convenient.

They offer consumers:

• 24-hour availability
• No need to remain at home
• Flexible collection times
• Contactless access
• Easier returns
• Often lower delivery costs

Poland shows that sustainable delivery models are more likely to succeed when the environmentally preferable option is also the easiest option.

Consumers may choose lockers primarily for convenience, but the result is still a more consolidated and potentially lower-emission delivery network.

A scalable response to growing parcel volumes

Poland is one of Europe’s fastest-developing e-commerce markets.

Polish logistics forecasts suggested that parcel operators could handle approximately 1.34 billion shipments in 2025, compared with around 1.21 billion in 2024.

Managing this growth entirely through home delivery would create additional pressure on roads, fleets and urban areas.

Poland’s out-of-home delivery infrastructure allows the market to absorb rising parcel volumes without requiring an equivalent increase in individual residential delivery stops.

It does not make the entire e-commerce supply chain carbon-free. Fulfillment centers, long-distance transport, packaging, returns and electricity consumption still generate emissions.

However, it provides a scalable way to make the last mile more efficient.

Is Poland officially the EU’s greenest delivery market?

Poland has not been officially recognized as the EU’s greenest country for e-commerce delivery.

There is currently no European index that compares all member states using the same indicators, such as:

• Emissions per parcel
• Electric vehicle adoption
• Locker utilisation
• Failed-delivery rates
• Customer collection distance
• Returns emissions
• Renewable energy use

Countries such as Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands also have strong sustainability credentials.

Nordic markets are advanced in electric delivery fleets and fossil-free fuels, while Germany and the Netherlands have invested heavily in electric vans, cargo bikes and zero-emission urban logistics.

Poland’s strength is different. It has created Europe’s most developed consolidated parcel-delivery ecosystem.

For this reason, it is more accurate to describe Poland as the EU leader in eco-efficient e-commerce delivery infrastructure rather than as the officially greenest delivery country.

What e-commerce companies can learn from Poland?

The Polish model offers several lessons for European retailers and logistics providers.

Make out-of-home delivery visible

Parcel lockers should be offered prominently during checkout instead of appearing as a secondary option.

Prioritize convenient locations

Lockers deliver the greatest environmental benefit when they are close to homes, workplaces, shops and public transport.

Encourage consolidated delivery

Retailers can promote lockers through lower prices, loyalty rewards or clear sustainability information.

Integrate returns

Using the same network for deliveries and returns can reduce home collections and simplify reverse logistics.

Combine lockers with cleaner vehicles

The most sustainable model combines parcel consolidation with electric vans, cargo bikes, renewable electricity and route optimization.

Poland offers a blueprint for Europe’s greener last mile

Poland’s position as a leader in eco-friendly e-commerce delivery is based on structural efficiency rather than a single environmental initiative.

Its dense parcel-locker network reduces the number of stops required to deliver growing volumes of online orders. Widespread consumer adoption also means that lockers are integrated into daily life rather than treated as an occasional alternative.

The system is not completely emission-free, and its environmental performance still depends on vehicle type, locker location and customer behavior.

Nevertheless, Poland offers one of Europe’s clearest examples of how convenience, efficiency and sustainability can support one another.

As e-commerce parcel volumes continue to rise, Poland’s delivery model could become an increasingly important blueprint for building a greener and more scalable European last mile.

The post Poland Emerges as the EU Leader in Eco-Friendly E-Commerce Deliveries appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

On November 18, 2025, Cloudflare suffered a global outage that briefly broke large parts of the internet. Major platforms such as ChatGPT, X (formerly Twitter), Canva, Ikea, and multiple public-sector and transport systems became partially or totally unreachable.

Cloudflare sits in the critical path of about a fifth of global web traffic and protects or accelerates roughly 20 percent of all websites. When that layer fails, millions of users and thousands of businesses—including many e-commerce sites—feel it immediately.

This article focuses on what happened, the measurable impact, and the structural weaknesses the outage exposed for global websites and online retailers.

What Happened On November 18, 2025?

Timeline Of The Incident

Cloudflare’s own post-mortem and external monitoring align on this timeline:

• Around 11:20 UTC: Cloudflare’s network starts experiencing significant failures delivering core traffic.
  
• Late morning to early afternoon: HTTP 5xx error rates spike as routing software repeatedly crashes and restarts.
  
• Around 14:30 UTC: Core traffic is mostly restored, though some services still show elevated errors.
  
• Around 17:06 UTC: Cloudflare restores normal error levels and mitigates the incident fully.
  

Outage trackers recorded large spikes during peak usage hours in Europe and the United States.

Root Cause: A Latent Bug In Bot Management Configuration

Cloudflare confirmed this was not a cyberattack. Instead, internal issues cascaded into a global failure:

• A database permission change created duplicate entries in a “feature file” used by Cloudflare’s Bot Management system.
  
• The file doubled in size and was propagated to the entire global network.
  
• Routing software had a hard size limit. When the file exceeded it, the software crashed.
  
• Because Cloudflare pushes security configurations globally and rapidly, the bad file spread everywhere and triggered widespread failures.
  

This illustrates a classic scenario in which configuration logic (control plane) disrupts the handling of real traffic (data plane).

How Big Was The Impact?

Global Reach And Scale

Key indicators show the extent of the disruption:

• Outage trackers reported nearly 5,000 problems at peak in some regions, with global reports exceeding 11,000 in some trackers.
  
• Cloudflare handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s web traffic.
  
• Major platforms affected included X, ChatGPT, League of Legends, Bet365, Sage, YouTube, Google services, public-sector systems, and financial authorities.
  
• Public transport information systems and operational websites, such as New Jersey Transit, experienced disruptions.
  

When infrastructure at this scale fails, it becomes a systemic event.

Direct Impact On E-Commerce

For e-commerce, the outage created concrete and costly issues:

• Product pages returned Cloudflare error pages instead of loading normally.
  
• Checkout and payment APIs relying on Cloudflare Workers or WAF logic failed.
  
• Merchants using SaaS commerce platforms were impacted even when their own hosting was healthy.
  
• Identity and payment providers that rely on Cloudflare experienced cascading failures.
  

Because the outage occurred close to major shopping events like Black Friday, the timing magnified potential revenue losses.

Even a two-hour disruption during peak shopping windows can cause significant financial damage.

Broader Cross-Industry Disruption

The outage extended far beyond e-commerce:

• Customer support portals and login systems failed.
  
• Gaming, betting, and streaming services were interrupted.
  
• Corporate events such as earnings calls were disrupted.
  
• AI tools and SaaS management consoles became inaccessible.
  

This outage demonstrated how deeply Cloudflare is embedded in daily business operations.

Structural Vulnerabilities Exposed By The Outage

Hidden Single Points Of Failure In Global Infrastructure

Several analyses highlight the dangerous centralization of internet infrastructure in a small number of providers.

Key risks include:

• Excessive concentration of critical traffic through a few companies.
  
• Hidden upstream dependencies that are invisible to most businesses.
  
• Cascading failures affecting cloud providers, SaaS platforms, and downstream websites.
  

A business might believe it is diversified, yet still depends entirely on Cloudflare without realizing it.

Rapid Global Propagation Without Strong Blast-Radius Controls

Cloudflare’s quick security update mechanisms are beneficial for mitigating attacks, but dangerous during misconfigurations.

The outage shows:

• A single malformed configuration can instantly reach hundreds of data centers.
  
• Rollbacks take time, meaning outages become global almost instantly.
  
• Security infrastructure can unintentionally undermine availability.
  

Over-Reliance On A Single Edge And Payment Stack

For commerce sites relying on Cloudflare for both edge delivery and API traffic, the outage caused double failures.

This creates:

• No ability to process orders.
  
• No functional payment gateway.
  
• No administrative access to backend systems.
  

Second-Order Outages From Vendor Dependencies

Many impacted businesses did not use Cloudflare directly. Their vendors did.

This affected: identity providers, analytics tools, personalization engines, headless CMSs, and marketing platforms.

When vendors fail, your site partially fails—even if your infrastructure is perfect.

What This Means For Websites And E-Commerce

Revenue And Conversion Impact

E-commerce businesses faced:

• Failed product pages and carts.
  
• Checkout errors are causing immediate revenue loss.
  
• Customer frustration and trust erosion.
  
• Increased likelihood of users switching to competitors.
  

Brand And Operational Stress

Internal effects included:

• Support ticket spikes.
  
• Engineering teams are chasing issues outside their control.
  
• Executives are demanding explanations for an outage caused by an upstream provider.
  

Externally, brands were forced to explain failures they did not cause.

Lessons For E-Commerce And Digital Leaders

Diversify Critical Infrastructure

To prevent a repeat scenario:

• Use multiple CDNs.
  
• Implement DNS redundancy with two independent providers.
  
• Avoid tying storefront, payment, and identity flows to the same vendor stack.
  

Design For Graceful Degradation

During an upstream outage:

• Serve cached pages from backup sources.
  
• Let customers build carts locally.
  
• Queue orders for later processing.
  

The goal is to degrade softly, not abruptly fail.

Audit Vendor Dependencies

Businesses must map their full dependency graph, including sub-vendors, to understand true risk.

Strengthen Configuration Governance

Best practices include:

• Strict size limits on configuration files.
  
• Staged rollouts rather than global pushes.
  
• Automated rollback triggers.
  
• Separation of security configs from routing logic.
  

Enhance Incident Preparedness

Organizations should maintain:

• Runbooks for upstream outages.
  
• Status pages that communicate clearly.
  
• Pre-approved customer messaging for downtime periods.
  

The Cloudflare outage of November 18, 2025, was a global-scale infrastructure event that demonstrated just how fragile modern e-commerce ecosystems can be.

The lesson is clear: no matter how reliable a provider is, depending too heavily on any single infrastructure layer creates unacceptable business risk. The companies that respond to this outage by diversifying infrastructure, improving resilience patterns, and mapping hidden dependencies will be far better prepared when the next major disruption inevitably arrives.

The post Cloudflare’s Outage: Impact, Risks, And What It Reveals About E-Commerce Vulnerabilities appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

El Corte Inglés joins Bolt Food in a strategic partnership that reshapes the Spanish and Portuguese grocery delivery landscape. The move brings the retail giant’s extensive supermarket catalog to Bolt Food’s rapid delivery platform, giving consumers access to same-day and even instant grocery options.

Today, we want to review this collaboration, as it might spell considerable changes for the entire food and e-commerce industry both in Spain and Portugal. The alliance strengthens both brands, enabling El Corte Inglés to continue its digital transformation and omnichannel expansion. At the same time, Bolt Food gains one of Iberia’s most recognizable retailers as a premium partner in its quick-commerce portfolio.

Partnership details: El Corte Inglés and Bolt Food

• The collaboration allows Bolt Food users to order from a wide range of El Corte Inglés grocery and household products, including fresh produce, pantry items, and daily essentials.
  
• The partnership reinforces El Corte Inglés’s reputation as one of Spain and Portugal’s most trusted retailers while expanding its delivery footprint beyond its own logistics network.
  
• Bolt has also introduced Bolt Food Finance, a financing solution for merchants designed to support operational and marketing costs, which could soon be extended to Iberia.
  

Together, these elements make El Corte Inglés' partnership with Bolt Food one of the most notable retail developments in southern Europe’s e-commerce sector this quarter.

Why the El Corte Inglés–Bolt Food alliance matters

For consumers

• Speed and convenience: Shoppers can now order El Corte Inglés groceries directly through Bolt Food for ultra-fast delivery.
  
• Expanded reach: The partnership provides nationwide access to a trusted grocery brand, eliminating the need to visit physical stores.
  
• Enhanced user experience: The blend of Bolt Food’s delivery speed and El Corte Inglés’s product quality creates a compelling value proposition.
  

For El Corte Inglés

• Digital transformation: By joining Bolt Food, El Corte Inglés accelerates its omnichannel evolution and strengthens its e-commerce capabilities.
  
• Inventory optimization: Local stores double as fulfillment hubs, improving stock rotation and delivery efficiency.
  
• Brand modernization: By aligning with a digital-first platform, El Corte Inglés positions itself as a forward-thinking, customer-centric retailer.
  

For Bolt Food

• Retail credibility: Partnering with a national retail icon boosts Bolt Food’s visibility and trust among Spanish and Portuguese consumers.
  
• Network growth: Access to El Corte Inglés’s established supply chain enhances service reliability and scalability.
  
• Competitive positioning: The partnership enables Bolt Food to differentiate itself from other food-delivery apps by expanding into grocery commerce.
  

How El Corte Inglés prepared for its Bolt Food integration

El Corte Inglés already had solid last-mile capabilities through its “Entrega en el día” service, which provides same-day delivery in over 50 Spanish cities. By joining Bolt Food, the company moves into ultra-fast grocery delivery, meeting the growing demand for 10- to 30-minute delivery windows.

In its last fiscal year, El Corte Inglés reported €512 million in profit on €16.68 billion in revenue, reflecting strong fundamentals and low debt — a solid foundation for expansion into digital channels and partnerships like Bolt Food.

Opportunities and challenges as El Corte Inglés joins Bolt Food

Key opportunities

• Leadership in Iberian quick commerce: The partnership may give both companies an early advantage in Spain and Portugal’s developing instant-delivery segment.
  
• Cross-category growth: El Corte Inglés could expand its Bolt Food offerings beyond groceries to include electronics, cosmetics, or household goods.
  
• Data synergy: Combining Bolt’s delivery analytics with El Corte Inglés’s retail intelligence can optimize product assortments and local pricing.
  

Main challenges

• Operational complexity: Managing rapid delivery across hundreds of SKUs and multiple stores demands robust systems.
  
• Profitability pressure: Ultra-fast delivery models face thin margins and require high order density to sustain.
  
• Competitive market: Players like Glovo, Getir, and Amazon Fresh already compete for similar customer bases in Spain and Portugal.
  
• Urban regulations, including restrictions on delivery vehicles and local labor laws, could impact scaling speed.
  

The future of quick commerce after El Corte Inglés joins Bolt Food

Expansion and scaling

The initial rollout is expected to focus on major urban centers in Spain and Portugal, with gradual expansion based on performance metrics like order frequency and delivery efficiency.

Subscription and loyalty programs

Both companies could introduce premium delivery tiers or subscription models, offering faster deliveries and exclusive deals for regular customers.

Market influence

The phrase “El Corte Inglés joins Bolt Food” is likely to become synonymous with the ongoing convergence between traditional retail and tech-driven delivery services in southern Europe.

By joining forces, El Corte Inglés and Bolt Food are redefining how consumers shop for groceries in Spain and Portugal. The partnership combines El Corte Inglés' brand trust and product quality with Bolt Food’s agility and delivery speed, marking a decisive step toward the future of retail.

As El Corte Inglés joins Bolt Food, both companies position themselves at the heart of Europe’s fast-evolving ecommerce and quick-commerce ecosystem — where convenience, technology, and reliability define customer loyalty.

The post El Corte Inglés joins Bolt Food: Market Impact and Future Outlook appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Amazon’s longest-ever Prime Day, spanning July 8–11, 2025, is already delivering eye-popping results and is expected to generate the equivalent of two Black Fridays in one weekend.

U.S. Online Sales Expected to Hit $23.8 Billion

Adobe Analytics forecasts U.S. online spending (across Amazon and all retailers) during the four-day event to reach $23.8 billion, up 28.4% from last year’s $14.2 billion over two days. Bank of America estimates that Amazon alone will drive $21–$ 21.4 billion in gross merchandise volume (GMV), up approximately 60% year-over-year.

Mobile and AI Are Driving Impulse and Engagement

Over 52% of purchases in the U.S. are expected to come from mobile devices, highlighting the rise of app-based and impulse shopping. AI innovation plays a role, with tools like Amazon’s Rufus chatbot guiding customer decisions. Adobe notes a material surge in AI-driven sales.

Prime Day 2025 Global Launch and Local Highlights

Prime Day is launching in 26 countries, featuring localized offerings. For example, Ireland is participating for the first time, offering deals such as Fire TV discounts and unique events like ice-cream carts in Dublin and Cork.

Some of the highlights in the best-selling category, so far, per country and region are: 

Spain (Day 1, July 9)

Top-selling discounts (up to 80%) include:

• Fire TV Stick HD
  
• Air fryers (Russell Hobbs)
  
• Noise-canceling earbuds
  
• Home goods (pillow sets, irons, kitchen, and cleaning items)
  

United Kingdom

• The LG 32″ LQ63 Smart TV saw a 2,700% increase in sales after a 63% price cut to £129.99, becoming a bestselling upgrade for smaller rooms.
  

United States and Global

• Discounts of up to 24% on apparel and electronics.
  
• Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) methods may account for approximately 8% of sales, representing around $1.8 to $1.9 billion.
  

Prime Day 2025 Merchant and Margin Pressure

About 60% of Amazon listings are third-party sellers. Many face reduced discount capabilities due to tariffs, such as a 50% surcharge on aluminum, which has led to thinner margins.

Surveys indicate that approximately 25% of U.S. consumers may skip the event due to price sensitivity or concerns about inflation. 

Marketplace Competition and Strategic Positioning

Competing retailers, including Walmart, Target, TikTok, and Best Buy, are running parallel promotions, prompting Amazon to extend Prime Day to four days. The extended duration reduces urgency but enables themed daily deals and more personalized shopping experiences.

The post Prime Day 2025: A Record-Breaking 4-Day Shopping Extravaganza appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

The European Union (EU) introduced substantial changes to e-commerce legislation in 2024 to enhance transparency, fairness, and safety in its digital market. Today, we want to highlight the main changes during 2024 in e-commerce legislation inside the EU, focusing on the Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR).

Digital Services Act (DSA)

The DSA, effective February 17, 2024, establishes a comprehensive framework for digital services, emphasizing user safety and platform accountability. Key updates include:

• Illegal Content Management: Platforms must prevent disseminating illicit goods, services, and content, providing mechanisms for users to report violations.
• Increased Transparency: Platforms must now disclose detailed information about content moderation policies, advertising strategies, and algorithmic operations.
• Protection for Minors: New regulations restrict the use of minors’ data for targeted ads and mandate safeguards against harmful content.
• Systemic Risk Mitigation: Huge online platforms (VLOPs) with over 45 million monthly users must assess and mitigate risks, such as the spread of disinformation and negative mental health impacts.

The DSA’s implementation marks a significant shift in e-commerce legislation inside the EU, ensuring platforms prioritize safety and transparency.

Digital Markets Act (DMA)

The DMA, fully enforceable by March 6, 2024, targets large online platforms (gatekeepers) to ensure fair competition in the digital marketplace. Key provisions include:

• Ban on Self-Preferencing: Gatekeepers cannot favor their own services over third-party offerings.
• Interoperability: Services must be interoperable with those of third-party providers, fostering competition.
• Data Rights for Businesses: Companies using gatekeeper platforms must have access to their data for improved service delivery.

Gatekeepers face fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue for non-compliance, reinforcing the importance of adherence to e-commerce legislation inside the EU.

General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)

The GPSR effective December 13, 2024, replaces the previous General Product Safety Directive and sets higher safety standards for online and offline products. Major changes include:

• Broadened Scope: Online marketplaces and fulfillment service providers are now directly responsible for product safety.
• Improved Market Oversight: Authorities have expanded powers to monitor compliance and remove unsafe products.
• Operator Obligations: Manufacturers, importers, and distributors must ensure compliance with safety standards and report issues via the Safety Business Gateway.
• Consumer Protections: Enhanced consumer rights include access to safety information and remedies for unsafe products.

The GPSR ensures that all products sold within the EU adhere to strict safety regulations, aligning with the evolving e-commerce legislation inside the EU.

Implications for E-Commerce Businesses

The main changes during 2024 in e-commerce legislation inside the EU have significant implications for businesses:

• Compliance Mandates: Businesses must adapt operations to comply with new safety and transparency requirements.
• Greater Accountability: Online platforms, including content moderation and product safety enforcement, face increased responsibilities.
• Opportunities for Smaller Businesses: By curbing gatekeeper dominance, the DMA creates a more level playing field for smaller companies.

The 2024 updates to e-commerce legislation inside the EU represent a transformative step toward a safer, more transparent, and competitive digital marketplace. Businesses must stay proactive in meeting these regulations to thrive in this dynamic environment. The EU ensures a fairer and more secure digital landscape for all stakeholders by prioritizing compliance and user safety.

The post Main Changes During 2024 in E-Commerce Legislation Inside the EU appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Alibaba unveiled its new tool: Accio, the world's first B2B vendor search engine. Accio will index B2B vendors worldwide and enhance Alibaba's global vendor ecosystem.

Accio offers SMBs the ability to easily access the expertise, information, manufacturers, and products they need to make informed sourcing decisions for their business through three core components:

Accio Search - An AI-powered B2B search engine built to enable natural language searches, providing an intuitive platform for businesses to connect with global suppliers.

Accio Page - An AI-powered feature that provides a dynamic Wikipedia-style interface for product information, as well as objective product details and comparisons to similar items.

Accio Agent - An end-to-end e-commerce platform that acts as your sourcing agent, supporting inquiries, payments and after-sales services through Alibaba's robust infrastructure.

How does Accio works? 

According to CNBC, Kuo Zhang, president of Alibaba Group, said Accio uses data from 50 million businesses on Alibaba International’s platform and publicly available industry information. The tool incorporates 1 billion product listings and documents covering industries across more than 100 markets from Alibaba.com, the company’s business-to-business platform that sells to companies outside China.

The company said that businesses based in Europe and North America are the largest group of buyers. In October, Alibaba’s international arm announced an updated version of an AI translation tool to help merchants reach customers in other countries. The company claimed the tech’s translation capabilities beat those of Google, DeepL, and ChatGPT.

Although Alibaba's international business has grown rapidly in recent years, its main revenue driver remains its domestic e-commerce platforms, Taobao and Tmall. In August 2023, management told investors that “the Taobao app has the greatest potential to become a one-stop smart portal for life and consumption enabled by AI.”

During the weeks-long Singles Day shopping festival that wrapped up Monday, more than half of over 500 merchants selling on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com used a generative AI-enabled tool, according to a survey by Bain & Company.

Those features include AI for customer service and content generation. The survey found that 56% of respondents said AI tools had a “high positive impact” on improving productivity.

The post Alibaba unveiled Accio: the world’s first B2B search engine appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.