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.

Customs Clearance Challenges: Why Data Has Become the Foundation of Cross-Border Success

CBM: Customs regulations seem to be becoming more complex every year. What are the biggest customs clearance challenges online retailers are facing today?

Guy Cliffe: Interestingly, the biggest challenge isn't necessarily the regulations themselves—it's how quickly customs requirements are evolving across the world.

Authorities are moving away from paper-based processes and placing far greater emphasis on advance electronic data, automated risk profiling and supply chain transparency. That means retailers need to start thinking about customs much earlier in the fulfillment process.

Businesses are also selling into more international markets than ever before, each with different thresholds, documentation requirements and customs rules. Managing that complexity while still delivering the seamless customer experience consumers expect has become one of the biggest operational challenges in cross-border e-commerce.

The retailers that perform best are those that stop viewing customs as an administrative obligation and start treating it as a strategic part of their international operation.

CBM: Since Brexit, how has the customs landscape changed for retailers selling between the UK and the EU?

Guy Cliffe: Brexit fundamentally changed how goods move between the UK and the European Union. Customs is now part of every shipment. Most businesses have adapted remarkably well, but I still see companies underestimating the importance of customs preparation.

One of the most common mistakes is assuming customs only matters when goods are ready to leave the warehouse. In reality, customs begins with the quality of the product data inside a retailer's own systems. Incorrect commodity codes, incomplete product descriptions or inaccurate customs values all create unnecessary delays, additional costs and poor customer experiences.

Returns are another area that is frequently overlooked. Many retailers are missing opportunities to recover import duties or simplify reverse logistics because customs isn't being considered as part of the overall returns strategy.

CBM: Many retailers struggle with customs delays. What usually causes shipments to be held at the border?

Guy Cliffe: Most delays aren't actually caused by customs authorities. They're caused by the information businesses submit. Missing shipment data, inconsistent documentation, inaccurate classifications, or discrepancies between commercial documents are what typically trigger additional inspections.

As customs authorities increasingly rely on automated risk assessment systems, data quality becomes the deciding factor. Retailers often assume they need a faster logistics solution when, in reality, improving the quality and consistency of their customs data will have a much greater impact.

CBM: Product data seems to be becoming increasingly important. How critical are accurate product descriptions and HS codes?

Guy Cliffe: They're absolutely fundamental. Good customs clearance starts long before a parcel reaches the border. Every product description, HS code, declared value and shipment detail contributes to how customs authorities assess risk.

Generic descriptions like "gift" or "clothing" are no longer sufficient. Retailers that invest in detailed product information don't just reduce delays—they improve compliance, minimize manual intervention and ultimately create a much better customer experience.

CBM: Regulations such as ICS2 are changing customs procedures across Europe. How should retailers prepare?

Guy Cliffe: The most important thing is recognizing that ICS2 isn't a standalone regulation. It's part of a much broader shift towards digital customs. Authorities increasingly expect shipment information before goods even begin their journey.

Retailers should review the quality of their customs data today, work closely with experienced customs partners, and ensure their systems can support different international reporting requirements. Businesses that build flexibility now will adapt far more easily as new regulations continue to emerge.

CBM: How do customs challenges differ between marketplaces and mid-sized online retailers?

Guy Cliffe: Large marketplaces benefit from enormous scale and sophisticated technology, but they also have to manage millions of products from thousands of different sellers. Maintaining consistent customs data at that scale is extremely challenging.

Mid-sized retailers usually have much greater control over their own product information, but often lack dedicated customs expertise or experience entering new international markets. Despite those differences, the fundamentals remain exactly the same. Success depends on accurate data, robust processes and choosing the right customs partner.

CBM: Returns aren't usually associated with customs. Why should retailers think differently?

Guy Cliffe: Returns should be part of every retailer's customs strategy. Every returned item may involve import duties, VAT, and customs procedures. One of the biggest missed opportunities is the recovery of duty.

Many retailers are entitled to reclaim duties on returned goods but simply don't have the processes in place to do so. A well-managed returns operation doesn't just improve customer experience—it improves cash flow and reduces unnecessary costs.

CBM: Technology is transforming customs. Which innovations are having the biggest impact?

Guy Cliffe: Automation is removing much of the manual work that has traditionally slowed customs. Direct integration between retailer systems and customs platforms helps ensure information is captured accurately and submitted consistently.

We're also seeing automated validation tools identify missing or inconsistent data before shipments even reach customs. Looking ahead, intelligent technologies that provide better supply chain visibility and identify compliance risks before goods move will become increasingly valuable.

CBM: Finally, what should retailers prepare for over the next two to three years?

Guy Cliffe: Customs authorities will continue placing greater emphasis on advance electronic data, digital compliance and security screening. Manual processes will continue to disappear, while scrutiny of low-value e-commerce shipments is likely to increase.

The retailers that invest today in robust data, integrated technology and flexible customs processes won't simply remain compliant.They'll be the businesses best positioned to compete internationally while delivering the frictionless customer experience consumers increasingly expect.

The post SPOTLIGHT ON… Guy Cliffe: Director at UKP Worldwide appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

UK fintech company Kord has raised £6.4 million in Series A funding to expand its platform for customer onboarding, regulatory compliance and payment processing.

The round was led by Guinness Ventures, with participation from Beringea, SFC Capital and angel investors. The investment brings Kord’s total funding to approximately £9 million since the company's founding in 2020.

Kord plans to use the new capital to expand its team, accelerate product development and attract more customers across the property, legal and financial-services sectors.

The company is addressing a persistent problem in regulated industries: businesses often rely on several disconnected systems to verify customers, conduct anti-money-laundering checks, manage documents and process payments. Kord aims to bring those processes together within one platform.

What Kord does

Kord is a London-based fintech infrastructure company founded by CEO James Owusu. It operates as the business-to-business brand of Checkboard Limited.

Its platform is designed for regulated organizations such as estate agents, law firms, conveyancers, lenders and brokers.

Kord combines several services that companies would traditionally obtain from different providers, including:

• Digital onboarding
• Identity verification
• Know-your-customer checks
• Anti-money-laundering screening
• Sanctions monitoring
• Source-of-funds verification
• Electronic signatures
• Client-money accounts
• Payment collection
• Compliance reporting

The company’s main objective is to integrate customer identity, compliance information, and payment activity into a single workflow.

This can reduce duplicated administration and provide businesses with a clearer record of who the customer is, where the funds came from and how the transaction was processed.

Why Kord raised £6.4 million

Kord intends to use the Series A funding to strengthen its technology and expand across regulated industries. Many companies still use one provider for identity verification, another for compliance checks, a separate platform for documents and an external payment service.

This fragmented approach can create delays, increase costs and make oversight more difficult. Customers may also be required to submit the same information several times as they move between estate agents, mortgage providers, conveyancers and law firms.

Kord wants to replace this fragmented process with a more coordinated digital transaction system. Rather than offering only an identity-verification tool, the company is developing infrastructure that connects onboarding, compliance decisions and the movement of money.

Connecting compliance and payments

One of Kord’s central ideas is that customer identity and payment activity should not be handled separately. A business may verify a customer successfully during onboarding but use a different platform to receive or distribute funds.

When those systems are disconnected, it can be difficult to maintain a complete view of the transaction. Kord allows businesses to collect customer information, verify identity documents, complete compliance checks, review the source of funds, and manage payments within the same environment. 

The company also provides digital wallets and client-money accounts for regulated organizations. This integrated model is intended to create a stronger audit trail and reduce manual work. It may also help businesses identify inconsistencies between the person completing the onboarding process and the individual or organization sending the money.

Responding to identity fraud

Fraud prevention is an important part of Kord’s proposition.

Generative AI has made it easier to produce manipulated documents, false images and convincing digital identities. Regulated companies therefore need to compare customer information against multiple data sources.

Kord says its API-based platform helps businesses verify identity information and detect suspicious discrepancies.

The company describes its payment infrastructure as a closed-loop environment in which identity, compliance data and payment activity remain connected.

This approach is designed to reduce risks such as impersonation, payment diversion and account substitution during high-value transactions.

For regulated businesses, the ability to connect a verified identity directly to the movement of money could become increasingly valuable as digital fraud becomes more sophisticated.

Property transactions are a key market

The property sector is one of Kord’s main target markets. Buying or selling a property involves several parties, including buyers, sellers, estate agents, lenders, solicitors and conveyancers.

Different organizations may need to complete their own identity, compliance and source-of-funds checks. This can lead to duplication and longer transaction times. Kord wants businesses to complete identity verification, anti-money-laundering screening, document collection and payments through a more coordinated system.

Reducing administrative friction could help transactions move more quickly and lower the risk of delays caused by missing or repeated documentation. However, Kord cannot remove every cause of failed property transactions. Financing problems, broken chains, survey findings and changing customer circumstances also play important roles.

Its value lies in simplifying the compliance and payment stages.

Supporting law firms and conveyancers

Law firms and conveyancers are another important market segment because they frequently handle large sums of client money. These businesses must verify customer identities, screen for sanctions, establish the source of funds and maintain records of the checks they complete.

Kord combines these compliance functions with payment processing and client-money accounts. The platform is designed to create a clear record of how funds were received, held and transferred.

This is important because compliance involves more than completing a check. A regulated company may need to demonstrate which documents were reviewed, when the review took place, which risks were identified and why a transaction was approved. Kord aims to centralize that information within an audit-ready record.

Investor interest in fintech infrastructure

Kord’s funding reflects wider investor interest in fintech companies that provide infrastructure to regulated industries.

Investment is increasingly moving beyond consumer banking applications toward business-to-business services such as:

• Identity verification
• Regulatory technology
• Fraud prevention
• Payment infrastructure
• Client-money management
• Transaction monitoring

These services are becoming more important as traditionally paper-based sectors adopt digital processes.

Property and legal services still rely heavily on emails, PDF documents, manual checks, bank transfers and disconnected software. Kord is betting that companies will increasingly prefer integrated platforms instead of purchasing multiple separate tools.

A modular platform

Kord describes its technology as modular, allowing customers to adopt individual services or combine several functions. A business could use Kord only for identity verification or source-of-funds checks while retaining its existing payment platform.

Another customer could use the full system for onboarding, compliance, client accounts and payments. This flexibility may help Kord serve industries with different requirements.

An estate agent may prioritize identity checks and source-of-funds verification, while a law firm may require detailed compliance records and client-money services. Kord also offers API-based integration, allowing its technology to connect with existing customer management, accounting, and case management systems.

What comes next for Kord?

Following the Series A round, Kord will focus on product development, recruitment and customer acquisition. Its main challenge will be proving that the platform can scale across different regulated industries while remaining simple to use.

Integration will also be critical. Law firms, financial-services companies and property businesses already depend on specialist software. Kord’s ability to connect with those systems could determine how quickly customers adopt its platform.

The company is expanding at a time when regulated businesses face two competing pressures. Customers expect faster and more convenient digital experiences, while regulators require stronger identity checks, fraud controls and record-keeping.

Kord is attempting to meet both demands by building compliance directly into the transaction process.

Building trust into digital transactions

Kord’s £6.4 million Series A is ultimately an investment in digital trust infrastructure.

The company is not trying to remove compliance from regulated transactions. It wants to make compliance more connected, efficient and easier to manage.

By bringing together identity verification, anti-money-laundering checks, source-of-funds analysis, client accounts and payments, Kord is addressing a structural weakness in many regulated industries.

Customer information and customer money are still frequently managed through separate systems.

The new funding gives Kord additional resources to expand its platform and strengthen its position across property, legal and financial services.

As digital fraud becomes more advanced and regulated industries continue to modernize, platforms that connect identity, compliance and payments could become an increasingly important part of Europe’s fintech market.

The post Kord raises £6.4 million to unify onboarding, compliance and payments appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Large fashion companies operating in the European Union can no longer destroy unsold clothing, accessories and footwear under a new rule intended to reduce textile waste and promote more circular business models.

The prohibition entered into application on July 19, 2026, under the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, commonly known as the ESPR.

The measure directly affects fashion brands, retailers, marketplaces and e-commerce companies that manage excess inventory, discontinued collections and returned products. Instead of sending usable goods to landfill or incineration, affected businesses must prioritize resale, donation, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing or recycling.

For the fashion e-commerce sector, the regulation transforms returns and excess inventory from a cost-management issue into a compliance priority.

What does the EU ban cover?

The prohibition applies to unsold:

• Clothing
• Clothing accessories
• Footwear
• Returned products within these categories

Large companies are affected from July 19, 2026. Medium-sized enterprises are expected to be subject to the same prohibition as of July 19, 2030, while micro and small businesses are currently exempt.

The rule covers products that were never sold as well as returned goods that remain suitable for resale, repair or reuse.

Companies must follow the EU waste hierarchy. This means prevention and reuse should be prioritized before recycling, incineration or disposal.

Discount sales, outlet distribution, secondary marketplaces, donation programs and repair services may therefore become increasingly important routes for unsold stock.

Why has the EU introduced the measure?

The European fashion sector generates significant waste before many products are ever used.

According to figures referenced by the European Commission, between 4% and 9% of textile products placed on the European market are destroyed before use. This represents an estimated 264,000 to 594,000 tonnes of textiles annually.

The Commission also estimates that destroying unsold textiles generates approximately 5.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

These figures include more than the environmental impact of disposal. Every destroyed product also represents wasted raw materials, water, energy, transport and labor.

The prohibition is intended to discourage overproduction and encourage brands to improve forecasting, stock management and product circulation.

Are any exceptions allowed?

Products may still be destroyed in limited and justified circumstances.

Possible exceptions include goods that:

• Present a health or safety risk
• Are contaminated
• Are damaged beyond repair
• Are counterfeit
• Infringe intellectual-property rights
• Cannot reasonably be reused or recycled

However, high storage costs, reduced profitability or the difficulty of reselling a product are not sufficient reasons for destruction.

Businesses using an exception must be able to prove why destruction was necessary. This may require safety reports, damage assessments, correspondence with donation partners or evidence that reuse and recycling options were unavailable.

Relevant documentation must generally be retained for 5 years to allow national authorities to inspect it.

Why the ban matters for fashion e-commerce

Online fashion retailers are particularly exposed because they normally process higher return volumes than physical stores.

Customers often order several sizes, styles or colors and return the products they do not want. Returned goods may arrive with damaged packaging, missing labels or signs of handling. Seasonal products can also lose value while they move through the returns process.

In the past, some companies concluded that inspecting, cleaning, repackaging and restocking a low-value product cost more than disposing of it.

That calculation must now include regulatory compliance.

A product cannot be destroyed simply because processing it is expensive. Retailers must determine whether it can be resold, repaired, donated or recycled before considering disposal.

This increases the importance of fast returns processing. The longer a product remains in a returns center, the more likely it is to lose commercial value.

Reverse logistics becomes a compliance function

Retailers need visibility over what happens to every returned or unsold product after it reaches a warehouse, fulfillment center, store or logistics partner.

A compliant reverse-logistics operation should be able to direct products towards:

• Immediate resale
• Cleaning and repackaging
• Repair or refurbishment
• Outlet or secondary-market sale
• Donation
• Recycling
• Documented destruction as a last resort

This will require better product grading and stronger links among order management, inventory, and warehouse systems.

Companies should also review contracts with fulfillment and waste-management providers. Agreements should clearly explain who assesses returned goods, who approves disposal and who stores the evidence supporting each decision.

Outsourcing logistics does not necessarily remove the retailer’s regulatory responsibility.

Recommerce could benefit

The ban is likely to increase the supply of clothing and footwear available for resale.

Brands may expand official second-hand stores, outlet platforms, refurbishment programs and partnerships with recommerce marketplaces.

Other companies may use business-to-business liquidation networks to sell excess stock to authorized resellers rather than destroying it.

Luxury brands face a more complex challenge. Heavy discounting can weaken exclusivity, while uncontrolled liquidation may place products in unauthorized sales channels.

These companies may need to develop controlled resale programs, authenticated second-hand platforms or material-recovery systems that protect both compliance and brand value.

Better forecasting becomes essential

The best way to avoid problems with unsold stock is to produce and purchase more accurately.

Fashion businesses are likely to invest further in artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and real-time stock visibility.

Useful measures include:

• Smaller initial production runs
• Faster replenishment cycles
• Improved local demand forecasting
• Earlier markdowns
• Stock transfers between markets
• Pre-orders
• On-demand production
• Better analysis of return reasons

Retailers that identify weak demand early can redirect stock while it still has commercial value.

The regulation may therefore favor companies with flexible supply chains over businesses dependent on large advance orders and long production cycles.

Marketplaces must clarify responsibility

Online marketplaces may also be affected when they own inventory, provide fulfillment services or determine how returns are processed.

They must establish who owns a returned product, who decides whether it can be resold and who is responsible for documenting any disposal.

Marketplaces may need to revise automatic destruction settings and provide sellers with clearer resale, donation and recycling options.

This is especially important for fulfillment programs in which merchants have limited control over how returned or aging stock is handled.

What should retailers do now?

Affected businesses should immediately review every point at which returned or unsold stock leaves their inventory.

Priority actions include:

• Suspending automatic destruction policies
• Establishing product-grading procedures
• Creating resale, repair, donation and recycling routes
• Requiring approval before destruction
• Retaining evidence for every exception
• Reviewing logistics-provider contracts
• Training warehouse and returns teams
• Improving inventory and returns data
• Identifying approved resale and recycling partners

Companies should also prepare for disclosure obligations that require greater transparency about the quantity and types of unsold goods they discard.

A major change for European fashion

The ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear is part of the EU’s wider effort to make textiles more durable, repairable and recyclable.

For fashion e-commerce, its impact will be felt across inventory planning, returns management, fulfillment, resale and logistics.

Unsold products can no longer be treated as disposable stock. They must be tracked and directed towards the most valuable compliant alternative.

Businesses with accurate forecasting, efficient reverse logistics and established resale networks will be best positioned to adapt.

For the European fashion industry, destruction is no longer the simplest answer to excess inventory.

The post EU ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear enters into force appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

The European Union’s fintech industry has become a major infrastructure provider for global e-commerce. European companies now process trillions of euros in payments, provide financing to millions of online shoppers, connect merchants to local payment methods, and enable marketplaces to manage sellers, currencies, fraud, and payouts through a single platform.

The industry’s global importance is visible in the numbers:

• European B2C e-commerce turnover reached €842 billion in 2024.
• Adyen processed approximately €1.394 trillion in payments during 2025.
• Klarna facilitated $127.9 billion in gross merchandise volume in 2025.
• Klarna served approximately 118 million active consumers and 966,000 merchants by the end of 2025.
• Mollie provides payment services to more than 250,000 businesses.
• The euro area recorded approximately 77.7 billion non-cash payments in the first half of 2025.
• E-money transactions in the euro area reached approximately €300 billion during the same six-month period.

These figures show that EU fintech is no longer a niche financial-technology sector. It is part of the core infrastructure supporting international digital commerce.

Europe’s e-commerce and fintech market in numbers

European B2C e-commerce turnover increased from €784 billion in 2023 to €842 billion in 2024.

That represented:

• Nominal annual growth of 7%
• Real growth of approximately 4.6% after inflation
• An increase of €58 billion in one year

The expansion of online commerce is also reflected in consumer adoption.

In 2025, approximately 78% of EU internet users purchased goods or services online. In 2015, the equivalent share was approximately 62%.

Online-shopping adoption was particularly high among younger European consumers:

• 90% of internet users aged 25–34 shopped online
• 87% of those aged 35–44
• 84% of those aged 16–24

Fintech companies support this market by connecting shoppers, merchants, banks, card networks and local payment systems.

The volume of European payments is considerably larger than e-commerce turnover alone. The euro area recorded approximately 77.7 billion non-cash payments in the first half of 2025, an increase of about 7.7% compared with the same period one year earlier.

Excluding e-money payments, cards represented approximately 73.9% of the number of non-cash transactions. Credit transfers represented around 19.3%, while direct debits accounted for approximately 3.3%.

This scale provides European payment companies with a large domestic market in which to develop technology before expanding internationally.

Adyen demonstrates the global scale of EU payment infrastructure

Amsterdam-headquartered Adyen is one of the clearest examples of the EU fintech industry’s international impact.

During 2025, Adyen processed approximately €1.394 trillion in payment volume.

Its results included:

• €649 billion processed in the first half of 2025
• €745.3 billion processed in the second half
• €2.36 billion in annual net revenue
• €311 billion in point-of-sale payment volume

Adyen’s 2025 processed volume was approximately 65% larger than the entire €842 billion European B2C e-commerce market reported for 2024.

The comparison is not exact because Adyen processes both online and physical-store transactions. Nevertheless, it demonstrates the scale achieved by a single European fintech company.

Adyen provides payment infrastructure to international retailers, digital platforms, subscription companies and marketplaces. Its services can include:

• Online and in-store payments
• International and local payment methods
• Multi-currency processing
• Recurring transactions
• Fraud detection
• Payment authentication
• Marketplace payments
• Merchant payouts
• Financial accounts
• Card issuing

Adyen’s platform business also provides evidence of the growth of embedded finance.

In the third quarter of 2025, its platform net revenue reached €68.6 million, increasing by 50% year over year.

This suggests that marketplaces and software platforms increasingly want to integrate payments and financial services directly into their own products.

European BNPL has changed global online checkout

Sweden’s Klarna has helped turn buy now, pay later from a regional payment option into a global e-commerce product. Klarna reported $127.9 billion in gross merchandise volume in 2025, representing 22% annual growth.

By the end of that year, Klarna had:

• Approximately 118 million active consumers
• Around 966,000 merchants
• Operations across numerous European and international markets

By the first quarter of 2026, the company reported:

• 119 million active consumers
• More than one million merchants
• Quarterly gross merchandise volume of $33.7 billion
• Quarterly revenue of $1 billion
• GMV growth of 33% year over year

Klarna’s merchant network grew by approximately 49% in the year leading to the first quarter of 2026.

Its expansion shows how an EU fintech model can influence consumer expectations in markets such as the United States.

BNPL allows customers to postpone payment or divide the purchase price into installments. For merchants, it may reduce the immediate affordability barrier associated with higher-value purchases.

However, performance varies by market and product category. BNPL does not automatically guarantee higher conversion or average order values for every merchant.

The sector also faces increased scrutiny concerning consumer debt, affordability assessments and the use of multiple credit providers.

EU fintech makes cross-border e-commerce easier

International e-commerce requires merchants to manage more than card acceptance.

Businesses selling across borders must handle:

• Local payment preferences
• Currency conversion
• International acquiring
• Settlement currencies
• Refunds
• Fraud prevention
• Seller verification
• Regulatory compliance
• International payouts
• Financial reconciliation

EU fintech companies increasingly combine these capabilities into a single integration.

For example, an international merchant selling across Europe may need to offer:

• iDEAL in the Netherlands
• Bancontact in Belgium
• Bizum in Spain
• SEPA Direct Debit
• Local bank transfers
• Klarna
• International cards
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Account-to-account payments

Dutch fintech Mollie provides payment services to more than 250,000 businesses across approximately 30 countries.

The company reported net-revenue growth of 29% in 2025 and expanded into 12 additional markets.

Payment aggregation is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses. Without fintech providers, merchants may need separate contracts, banking relationships and technical integrations for every payment method and market.

By centralizing these services, fintech reduces the cost and complexity of international expansion.

Open banking is creating an alternative to card payments

The EU’s revised Payment Services Directive, PSD2, established the regulatory basis for open banking.

PSD2 allowed licensed providers, with customer permission, to access banking information or initiate payments directly from bank accounts.

For e-commerce, this created an alternative to conventional card payments.

Account-to-account payments may offer merchants:

• Faster confirmation
• Reduced dependence on card networks
• Potentially lower transaction costs
• Lower exposure to card chargebacks
• Direct bank-based payment authorization
• Greater suitability for high-value purchases

Open banking is particularly significant because international card schemes still dominate much of Europe’s payment market.

Approximately two-thirds of euro-area card transactions are processed through non-European companies. Several euro-area countries remain entirely dependent on international card schemes.

The development of European account-to-account systems could therefore affect both payment costs and Europe’s financial independence.

Instant payments could accelerate e-commerce settlement

European instant-payment rules are intended to make euro transfers available within seconds, at any time of day.

For e-commerce businesses, instant payments could improve:

• Cash flow
• Payment confirmation
• Marketplace seller payouts
• Supplier payments
• Refund processing
• Treasury management

The opportunity is substantial because credit transfers already account for approximately 19.3% of euro-area non-cash transactions by volume, excluding e-money. Instant settlement could be particularly valuable for marketplaces that collect customer funds and distribute money to thousands of independent sellers.

Cards are unlikely to disappear. They remain widely accepted and provide established consumer protections, recurring-payment functionality and dispute mechanisms. However, instant bank payments could capture a larger share of e-commerce transactions where cost, speed or transaction value is particularly important.

E-money transactions reached €300 billion in six months

E-money has become another significant component of European digital commerce.

During the first half of 2025, the euro area recorded:

• Approximately 4.7 billion e-money payment transactions
• Transaction growth of 10.7% year over year
• A total transaction value of approximately €300 billion
• Value growth of 13.2%

E-money accounts represented approximately 98% of the number and 97% of the value of e-money transactions.

This infrastructure supports:

• Digital wallets
• Prepaid accounts
• Marketplace seller balances
• Merchant settlement accounts
• Multi-currency products
• Embedded financial accounts
• Business cards
• Platform payouts

For marketplaces, e-money infrastructure makes it possible to accept a consumer payment, deduct a commission, reserve funds for refunds, and distribute the remainder to one or several sellers.

These processes would be difficult to manage at scale using conventional bank transfers alone.

Fintech is turning marketplaces into financial-service providers

Marketplace and software platforms increasingly use fintech infrastructure to offer financial products directly to their merchants.

These services can include:

• Integrated payment processing
• Seller accounts
• Automated payouts
• Business cards
• Working-capital financing
• Foreign exchange
• Fraud prevention
• Identity verification
• Revenue reporting

This market is growing rapidly.

Adyen’s platform net revenue increased by 50% in the third quarter of 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, its platform revenue reached approximately €75 million, up 35% year over year, or 40% at constant currency.

Embedded finance allows platforms to generate revenue from payments while strengthening their relationship with merchants.

A business using the platform may no longer need to obtain separate services from a bank, payment processor, lender and card issuer. The platform can combine these capabilities through fintech APIs.

EU payment regulation has influenced global fraud prevention

The EU’s Strong Customer Authentication requirements changed how online payments are verified.

Many electronic transactions now require at least two independent authentication elements, such as:

• A password
• A registered mobile device
• A banking application
• A fingerprint
• Facial recognition

This encouraged global adoption of:

• 3-D Secure 2
• Biometric authentication
• Device recognition
• Risk-based authentication
• Transaction-risk analysis
• Banking-app approvals

The European Central Bank and European Banking Authority found that Strong Customer Authentication was effective against important forms of card fraud.

Nevertheless, fraud remains a major financial problem.

Across the EU and European Economic Area, losses reached:

• €2.2 billion from credit-transfer fraud in 2024
• €1.329 billion from card-payment fraud in 2024

Credit-transfer fraud losses increased by approximately 16% year over year, while card-fraud losses increased by around 29%.

Consumers bore approximately 85% of credit-transfer fraud losses, largely because many cases involved authorized payment scams. In these cases, customers were manipulated into approving the transaction themselves.

As a result, fintech fraud prevention is moving beyond stolen-card detection. Modern systems analyze device behavior, account history, customer location, payment values and behavioral patterns in real time.

The measurable impact on global e-commerce

EU fintech’s global e-commerce impact can be summarised through several major figures:

These numbers do not measure a single direct contribution to global e-commerce. No official statistical framework currently calculates exactly how much worldwide online revenue is generated by EU fintech.

However, the figures demonstrate the industry’s scale across payment processing, consumer finance, merchant acceptance, e-money and marketplace infrastructure.

The EU fintech industry has become a fundamental part of global e-commerce infrastructure.

Adyen processed approximately €1.394 trillion in 2025. Klarna facilitated $127.9 billion in annual merchandise volume and reached 119 million active consumers. Mollie serves more than 250,000 businesses, while euro-area e-money transactions reached approximately €300 billion in only six months.

These companies and payment systems help merchants:

• Enter new countries
• Accept local payment methods
• Manage several currencies
• Offer installment payments
• Prevent fraud
• Process marketplace payouts
• Embed financial services
• Access sales-based financing

The EU’s influence also extends beyond company performance. PSD2, open banking and Strong Customer Authentication have shaped payment regulation, security and financial innovation internationally.

Europe still faces challenges, including fragmented national payment habits, rising fraud losses and dependence on international card networks. Nevertheless, the numbers show that EU fintech has moved well beyond its regional market.

The post EU Fintech Industry Impact on Global E-commerce appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Uber has reportedly paused most of its planned Uber Eats expansion across Europe, marking a significant change in direction only months after announcing its intention to enter seven additional markets.

According to a Financial Times report subsequently covered by Reuters, Uber no longer intends to proceed for now with food-delivery launches in five of the seven countries included in the expansion programme.

Austria, Norway and Greece were identified among the affected markets. The report did not name the other two countries.

Uber Eats will continue operating in Denmark and Finland, where the company says its recent launches have performed strongly. The strategic retreat comes as Uber continues pursuing a possible acquisition of Berlin-based Delivery Hero.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the Financial Times report. Uber did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment, while Delivery Hero declined to comment.

The development nevertheless suggests that Uber may be reconsidering the cost of building delivery networks country by country while simultaneously pursuing an acquisition that could give it immediate access to established restaurants, couriers, retailers and consumers across numerous international markets.

Uber originally targeted seven new European markets

Earlier in 2026, Uber announced plans to expand its food-delivery business into seven additional European countries:

• Austria
• Denmark
• Finland
• Norway
• The Czech Republic
• Greece
• Romania

Uber expected the expansion to generate approximately $1 billion in additional gross bookings over three years.

The company has since launched in Denmark and Finland. According to the latest report, Uber has paused plans for five of the remaining or originally targeted markets.

Austria, Norway and Greece were specifically identified. Because the report did not name the other two, it would be premature to state definitively that they are the Czech Republic and Romania, even though those are the two remaining countries from the original list.

Uber reportedly told the Financial Times that it had decided to concentrate on Denmark and Finland following the “huge success” of those launches. The company intends to focus resources on maintaining momentum in markets where Uber Eats is already operating.

There has been no public indication of when, or whether, the other planned launches could be reconsidered.

Uber continues to pursue Delivery Hero

The pause comes while Uber is pursuing a potential takeover of Delivery Hero, one of the world’s largest local-delivery groups.

Delivery Hero confirmed on 23 May 2026 that it had received an approach from Uber involving a potential takeover offer of €33 per share.

The offer did not represent a final agreement. Delivery Hero shareholders and investors subsequently indicated that the proposed price could undervalue the company, and Uber’s board reportedly discussed whether to increase the offer.

However, no higher formal bid or completed acquisition had been announced at the time of publication.

The initial €33-per-share proposal would value Delivery Hero at more than €11 billion, depending on the number of shares and the valuation method used.

Uber has built a major Delivery Hero position

Uber had already become Delivery Hero’s largest shareholder before the takeover approach became public.

On 18 May, Delivery Hero said Uber held approximately 19.5% of its issued share capital and options corresponding to another 5.6%.

Reuters later reported that Uber increased its overall Delivery Hero position from approximately 25% to nearly 37% after buying shares from Aspex Management.

The figures should be understood carefully. Delivery Hero’s official 19.5% disclosure referred to issued share capital at a particular point in time, while the larger percentages reported later reflected Uber’s expanded position and potentially included different forms of economic exposure.

What is clear is that Uber has accumulated a strategically significant interest in Delivery Hero while exploring a full acquisition.

Why Uber may prefer acquisition over organic expansion

Launching a delivery platform in a new country requires considerable investment.

A company must recruit restaurants and retail partners, establish a courier network, localise payment and technology systems, provide customer support and invest heavily in consumer marketing.

New entrants also frequently use discounts and promotions to attract customers from established competitors. This can make organic market expansion expensive, particularly in countries where consumers already have access to several mature platforms.

Acquiring Delivery Hero could give Uber immediate access to existing delivery infrastructure instead of requiring it to reproduce those networks independently.

Delivery Hero operates a wide portfolio of regional brands, including:

• Glovo
• foodora
• foodpanda
• talabat
• PedidosYa
• efood
• Yemeksepeti
• HungerStation
• Woowa Brothers

These businesses already have relationships with restaurants, grocery companies, retailers, couriers and consumers across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

A successful takeover could therefore provide Uber with geographic scale that would be costly and time-consuming to achieve through individual country launches.

Avoiding competition with a potential acquisition target

Pausing the launches may also prevent Uber from investing in new operations that could overlap with businesses it hopes to acquire.

Entering markets already served by Delivery Hero brands could require Uber to spend money competing against the same restaurant, courier and customer networks that it may eventually own.

That could create duplicate operating structures and unnecessary promotional expenditure.

By concentrating on Denmark and Finland, Uber can continue expanding in markets where it has already launched while avoiding further commitments during the Delivery Hero negotiations.

Uber has not publicly said that the pause was caused by its takeover plans. The connection should therefore be treated as a strategic interpretation rather than a confirmed explanation.

Nevertheless, the timing makes the two developments difficult to examine separately.

Delivery Hero offers more than restaurant delivery

Delivery Hero has increasingly positioned itself as a broader local-commerce platform rather than a traditional takeaway business.

Its Everyday App strategy combines restaurant orders with groceries, convenience products, household goods, health and beauty items, pet products and other frequently purchased categories.

During the first quarter of 2026, Delivery Hero reported:

• Group gross merchandise value of approximately €12.5 billion
• Like-for-like GMV growth of 8.8%
• Total segment revenue of approximately €3.7 billion
• Like-for-like revenue growth of 17.8%

Quick commerce has become an increasingly important part of this strategy.

Delivery Hero reported quick-commerce GMV of approximately €7.5 billion in 2025. It also said customers who purchased both restaurant food and quick-commerce products accounted for slightly more than half of group GMV during the first quarter of 2026.

A takeover would consequently give Uber more than a larger meal-delivery network. It could strengthen the company’s position in grocery delivery, convenience commerce and the rapid delivery of everyday retail products.

The European delivery market is consolidating

Uber’s reported change in strategy reflects a broader consolidation trend in European delivery.

After years of rapid expansion, heavy promotional expenditure and competition for market share, delivery companies are increasingly prioritising profitability and operational efficiency.

Acquisitions provide one way to obtain new customers and delivery networks without starting from zero in every country.

Prosus completed its acquisition of Just Eat Takeaway in 2025 after receiving conditional approval from the European Commission. As part of the regulatory commitments, Prosus agreed to substantially reduce its significant holding in Delivery Hero.

Prosus subsequently sold Delivery Hero shares to Uber and other investors, helping Uber build its position in the German company.

Elsewhere in the market, DoorDash has also pursued international expansion through major acquisitions, including its agreement to acquire Deliveroo.

These transactions indicate that global delivery groups increasingly view acquisitions as a faster route to geographic scale.

A Delivery Hero takeover would face regulatory scrutiny

A full Uber acquisition of Delivery Hero would likely require extensive competition reviews across several jurisdictions.

Authorities would assess the companies’ positions in individual national markets rather than treating Europe or the global delivery sector as a single market.

Uber Eats competes directly with Delivery Hero-owned platforms in a number of countries. Regulators could investigate whether combining those operations would:

• Reduce consumer choice
• Increase restaurant commissions
• Weaken competition for couriers
• Increase delivery or service charges
• Give the combined company excessive market power

Uber has already encountered regulatory resistance to a Delivery Hero-related acquisition.

In December 2024, Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission blocked Uber’s proposed $950 million acquisition of Delivery Hero’s Foodpanda business in Taiwan. The regulator concluded that Uber Eats and Foodpanda would control approximately 90% of the local food-delivery platform market after the transaction.

Uber decided not to appeal and terminated the acquisition in March 2025. It was required to pay an approximately $250 million termination fee.

The Taiwan case does not determine how European regulators would assess a Delivery Hero takeover. However, it demonstrates the challenges Uber could face in markets where the two companies are among the leading competitors.

European regulators could demand divestments or other remedies before allowing a transaction to proceed.

Delivery Hero is undergoing a leadership transition

The potential takeover is also taking place during a period of strategic change at Delivery Hero.

The company announced in May 2026 that co-founder and CEO Niklas Östberg would step down after a successor had been appointed, and no later than 31 March 2027.

Östberg will remain CEO during the transition and will continue leading Delivery Hero’s strategic review and associated merger and acquisition processes.

The leadership change followed pressure from shareholders seeking improvements in capital allocation, corporate strategy and Delivery Hero’s geographic portfolio.

This environment could make partnerships, asset sales or a broader transaction more likely. At the same time, Delivery Hero’s revenue growth and improving quick-commerce performance could strengthen shareholder arguments that Uber must offer a higher price.

Denmark and Finland remain important test markets

Uber has not stopped expanding its European food-delivery business completely.

Denmark and Finland remain central to the company’s current plans.

Uber says the strong early performance of those launches encouraged it to concentrate resources on building scale in the two countries instead of dividing its investment among seven simultaneous market entries.

This strategy could allow Uber to improve restaurant selection, courier coverage and customer retention before committing to another expansion phase.

The performance of Denmark and Finland could also demonstrate whether Uber remains capable of entering European delivery markets organically while pursuing acquisitions elsewhere.

From expansion to consolidation

Uber’s reported pause in five planned European markets represents more than a change to its launch calendar.

It may signal a broader shift in how the company intends to grow its delivery business.

Instead of building every local operation independently, Uber appears increasingly willing to use shareholdings and acquisitions to obtain international scale.

Delivery Hero offers an established network that would be difficult and expensive to recreate. It could also accelerate Uber’s expansion beyond restaurant delivery into groceries, convenience products and broader local e-commerce.

The transaction remains uncertain. There is no final takeover agreement, Delivery Hero shareholders may demand a higher price, and regulators could require significant remedies or block the acquisition in markets with substantial competitive overlap.

For now, Uber is concentrating on Denmark and Finland while reportedly placing five other European launches on hold.

Whether those markets have been permanently removed from Uber’s plans will depend on future strategic decisions and potentially on the outcome of the Delivery Hero takeover process.

What is already clear is that European delivery is entering a period in which consolidation may become more important than rapid organic expansion.

The post Uber Pauses Most of Its European Delivery Expansion as Delivery Hero Takeover Talks Continue appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

The European Union has introduced a new €3 customs duty on low-value e-commerce parcels imported from outside the EU, marking one of the most significant changes to cross-border online retail in recent years. The measure applies from 1 July 2026 to goods in consignments valued at up to €150, a category that has become central to the business models of global marketplaces, ultra-fast fashion platforms and direct-to-consumer sellers shipping into Europe.

For years, parcels under the €150 threshold benefited from customs duty relief. That system was originally designed for a very different trade environment, before the explosion of direct-to-consumer e-commerce and the rise of platforms shipping millions of small parcels into the EU every day. The European Commission now says the temporary €3 duty is intended to improve fairness, strengthen customs control and respond to the sharp rise in low-value imports.

The change will immediately affect non-EU sellers, marketplaces, logistics operators, customs intermediaries and consumers. Platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress are expected to feel the impact most directly because their European growth has relied heavily on low-cost, low-value parcel flows from outside the bloc.

What exactly changes from 1 July 2026?

From 1 July 2026, the EU applies a temporary fixed customs duty of €3 to low-value imports. According to the Council of the EU, the charge applies to goods entering the EU in small consignments worth less than €150, where non-EU sellers are registered in the EU’s Import One-Stop Shop, known as IOSS, for VAT purposes. The Council says this covers around 93% of e-commerce flows to the EU.

The European Commission describes the measure as temporary and transitional. It is expected to remain in place until 1 July 2028, when a more permanent customs framework is due to replace it as part of the wider EU Customs Reform.

In practical terms, the old duty-free treatment for many low-value parcels is ending. Instead of allowing goods worth up to €150 to enter without customs duty, the EU is introducing a flat charge that makes even very cheap imported products more expensive to ship into the bloc.

Why is the EU introducing the €3 parcel fee?

The measure is a direct response to the dramatic increase in small e-commerce parcels entering the EU. Reuters reports that low-value parcel volumes increased from 1.4 billion in 2022 to 5.8 billion in 2025, driven largely by online shopping and imports from China.

EU policymakers argue that the previous system created an uneven playing field. European retailers are subject to EU product safety, VAT, environmental, labour and compliance rules, while many imported low-value parcels entered the market with limited customs friction and lower cost structures.

The European Commission has also linked the change to product safety and consumer protection. Cheap imported goods can include clothing, toys, electronics, cosmetics and other consumer products. These categories often require stronger oversight because unsafe or non-compliant goods can enter the market through fragmented parcel flows.

Why this matters for marketplaces

The new fee strikes at the heart of the cross-border marketplace model. Many global platforms have grown by connecting European consumers directly with overseas sellers, often shipping individual products from outside the EU into consumers’ homes.

A flat €3 duty may sound small, but it can be significant on a €5, €8 or €12 product. For low-margin categories such as fashion accessories, home goods, toys, gadgets and beauty items, the new charge could materially affect pricing.

Marketplaces now face several strategic choices. They can absorb part of the cost, pass it on to consumers, encourage larger basket sizes, consolidate shipments, or move more inventory into European warehouses. Each option changes the economics of cross-border selling.

The most likely long-term effect is a push toward more EU-based fulfilment. Sellers that store goods inside the EU may be better positioned to avoid some of the friction associated with direct parcel imports, while also improving delivery speed and customer experience.

Impact on consumers: cheap imports may become less cheap

For European consumers, the clearest impact will be price transparency and higher landed costs. The new duty means that some ultra-low-cost purchases from non-EU platforms may no longer feel as cheap once customs charges are included.

The biggest impact will likely be on small, single-item orders. A €3 duty on a €6 product represents a 50% increase before considering VAT, shipping, platform fees or any additional logistics costs. On larger orders, the relative impact is smaller, although mixed baskets may still become more complex depending on how items are classified.

Consumers may respond in several ways. Some will buy fewer low-value items. Others may consolidate purchases into larger orders. Some may shift toward EU-based retailers or marketplaces that offer clearer final pricing, faster delivery and easier returns.

Impact on logistics and customs operators

The new duty also creates operational pressure for logistics companies, postal operators and customs intermediaries. Low-value e-commerce already generates a high volume of customs declarations. Adding a fixed duty increases the importance of accurate product classification, data quality and automated customs processing.

For logistics providers, this could become both a burden and an opportunity. Operators with strong customs technology, IOSS handling, data validation and cross-border parcel infrastructure will be better positioned to support marketplaces and merchants.

The shift may also accelerate demand for European fulfilment networks. If more non-EU sellers decide to store inventory closer to consumers, logistics companies with warehousing, returns management and pan-European distribution capabilities may benefit.

A temporary measure before deeper EU Customs Reform

The €3 duty is not the final destination. It is part of a broader EU effort to reform customs rules for the e-commerce era. The European Commission says the temporary duty will remain in place until the wider reform is implemented, with a more permanent framework expected from 1 July 2028.

The future system is expected to rely more heavily on digital customs data, platform responsibility and a more centralized approach to enforcement. The EU wants to modernize customs for a market where trade no longer moves mainly through bulk shipments, but increasingly through millions of individual parcels.

This matters because the current change is not only about revenue. It is about control. The EU is trying to make customs fit a marketplace-driven e-commerce economy where sellers, platforms, logistics providers and consumers are often located in different jurisdictions.

What online sellers should do now

For non-EU sellers, the first step is to review pricing and landed-cost calculations. Products that were profitable under the old low-value parcel model may become less competitive once the €3 charge is included.

Sellers should also assess product classification, IOSS setup, VAT compliance, customs data quality and delivery terms. Any weakness in these areas can create delays, unexpected costs or poor customer experience.

For larger sellers, EU warehousing may become more attractive. Holding stock inside the bloc can reduce delivery times, simplify the customer journey and make pricing more predictable. However, it also brings new costs, including storage, inventory risk, returns handling and local compliance.

European sellers should also watch the change closely. The new duty may reduce some of the price advantage held by non-EU competitors, but it does not remove competition from global marketplaces. Instead, it may shift competition toward logistics efficiency, local availability, brand trust and transparent pricing.

What marketplaces should do now

Marketplaces will need to make import costs visible and understandable. Hidden fees at delivery are bad for conversion, customer satisfaction and repeat purchasing. Clear checkout communication will be essential.

They will also need to support sellers with compliance tools, product data checks, customs classification guidance and fulfilment options. Platforms that can simplify the transition may retain sellers more successfully than those that leave merchants to manage the new rules alone.

The biggest marketplaces are likely to accelerate their European logistics investments. More local fulfilment, more seller onboarding inside the EU and more hybrid marketplace-retail models could become part of the next phase of European e-commerce competition.

The bigger picture: Europe is redefining cross-border e-commerce

The EU’s €3 fee is more than a customs update. It is a signal that Europe wants to reshape the economics of low-value cross-border e-commerce.

The old model rewarded speed, volume and ultra-low pricing. The new model will increasingly reward compliance, transparency, fulfilment quality and local market presence. That does not mean platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress will disappear from Europe. But it does mean their cost structure is changing.

For European retailers, the measure could offer some relief from direct low-cost import competition. For consumers, it may mean fewer extremely cheap imported products and more visible costs at checkout. For logistics companies, it creates new demand for customs expertise and EU-based fulfilment. For marketplaces, it forces a strategic rethink.

The low-value parcel era is not over, but it is becoming more regulated, more expensive and more complex. Cross-border e-commerce in Europe is entering a new phase: one where cheap access to the EU consumer market can no longer be taken for granted.

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London-based live commerce platform Tilt has raised $26 million in fresh funding, marking one of the most notable recent funding rounds in Europe’s e-commerce startup ecosystem. The investment comes as live shopping, social commerce and AI-powered seller tools move from experimental formats to serious strategic priorities for online retailers, marketplaces and recommerce platforms.

The round includes Vinted Ventures, the investment arm of second-hand marketplace Vinted, as a new investor, alongside existing backers TQ Ventures, Balderton Capital, Earlybird, Seedcamp and others. According to Tilt, the new capital brings the company’s total funding raised to over $50 million.

Founded in 2021 by former Revolut employees Abhi Thanendran and Neil Shah, Tilt is building a live auction app where sellers showcase products in real time and buyers can bid, interact and purchase through livestreams. The company positions itself as a European answer to the rise of entertainment-driven commerce, combining video, community, auctions and AI-powered discovery into one shopping experience.

Why Tilt’s funding matters for European e-commerce

For years, European e-commerce has been defined by search, static listings, price comparison and increasingly efficient checkout flows. Tilt’s model points in a different direction: one where online shopping becomes more interactive, social and content-led.

That shift is already visible across the wider market. TikTok Shop has been expanding across Europe, joining existing markets including France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the UK. TikTok has also reported that more than 100,000 European businesses had already joined TikTok Shop across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Ireland, with strong growth in daily gross merchandise value across those markets.

Tilt operates in the same broader movement, but with a more focused live auction and community-commerce model. Instead of simply adding shoppable videos to a social network, Tilt is building a dedicated marketplace around real-time selling. This makes the company especially relevant for fashion, sneakers, collectibles, second-hand items and categories where scarcity, trust, personal presentation and community can influence conversion.

From static listings to live interaction

Traditional e-commerce is built around product pages. Tilt is built around live interaction.

Sellers go live, show items on camera, answer questions and create a sense of urgency through auctions. Buyers do not only browse; they watch, interact, bid and return to sellers or communities they trust. This is why live commerce can create a very different type of retention from conventional marketplace shopping.

Tilt says it has grown 8x since its 2024 Series A. The company also reports that buyers spend over an hour a day on the app, that 70% return week-on-week, and that 70% of monthly GMV comes from repeat buyers. The platform is currently live across the UK, Italy, Spain and Poland.

These figures matter because they suggest Tilt is not only acquiring occasional buyers. It is trying to build a repeat shopping habit around live discovery, seller personality and community engagement.

AI is becoming central to Tilt’s live commerce model

Tilt’s funding round is not just a live shopping story. It is also an AI e-commerce story.

The company has developed a set of AI tools designed to reduce friction for sellers and improve product discovery for buyers. These include Snap, a tool that can turn an item shown on camera into a listing within seconds; a real-time AI copilot that supports sellers with pricing and responses during livestreams; natural-language search across live sessions; and AI-generated clips that can repurpose livestream content for social media distribution.

This is strategically important. One of the challenges of live commerce is operational intensity. Sellers need to source products, present them, answer questions, price items, manage auctions, create content and maintain community engagement. AI can help reduce that workload and make live selling more scalable for smaller merchants.

For buyers, AI also helps solve a discovery problem. In a live shopping environment, inventory is fluid and time-sensitive. Traditional search is less effective when the best product may be inside a livestream happening right now. Tilt’s AI-powered matching and search tools are designed to connect users with relevant live sessions in real time.

Vinted Ventures’ participation signals a recommerce opportunity

The participation of Vinted Ventures is one of the most significant elements of the round. Vinted is one of Europe’s best-known second-hand marketplaces, and its venture arm’s investment in Tilt suggests that live commerce is increasingly relevant to the future of recommerce.

Second-hand and resale categories are particularly well suited to live selling. Items are often unique, condition varies, trust matters, and buyers may want to see products from different angles before purchasing. A livestream can make resale feel more transparent and more engaging than a static listing.

Tilt itself framed Vinted’s backing as a strategic signal. In the company’s announcement, CEO and co-founder Abhi Thanendran said that the next generation will not browse static listings in the same way, but will discover and buy through video, conversation and live interaction. Vinted’s Martijn van Heeswijk also highlighted Tilt’s differentiated experience in live selling, with potential in fashion and beyond.

For European recommerce, this could be an important development. If resale marketplaces increasingly move toward video-led discovery, the competitive landscape could shift from who has the largest catalogue to who can create the strongest buyer-seller interaction.

Europe is becoming a live commerce battleground

Live commerce has already become a major retail format in Asia. Tilt says the category is a $370 billion-plus industry in Asia, while Western markets are still at an earlier stage of adoption.

In Europe, the format is now becoming more competitive. TikTok Shop is expanding its European footprint. Whatnot has established itself as a major live auction player globally. At the same time, local platforms such as Tilt are trying to build a European model adapted to regional consumer behaviour, seller communities and recommerce habits.

The wider e-commerce context supports this shift. Eurostat data shows that in 2024, EU enterprises generated 19.49% of total turnover from e-sales, with websites and apps accounting for 8.39% and EDI-type sales accounting for 11.07%. Web sales remain the dominant e-sales method among enterprises, but the next layer of competition is increasingly about discovery, attention and conversion rather than simply having an online sales channel.

This is where live commerce becomes strategically relevant. As more businesses sell online, standing out through static listings becomes harder. Content-led and community-led formats offer a new way to reach buyers, especially younger audiences already accustomed to discovering products through short video and creator recommendations.

What Tilt will use the funding for

Tilt says the new funding will be used to accelerate its AI roadmap, expand its seller base across new markets and continue scaling the team. The company currently has a team of around 60 people.

The expansion strategy appears to focus on three areas.

First, Tilt needs to continue improving the seller experience. Live commerce only works at scale if sellers can list products quickly, manage livestreams efficiently and reach relevant audiences without excessive manual work.

Second, the company needs to expand geographically. Tilt is already active in the UK, Italy, Spain and Poland, but Europe remains fragmented by language, payment habits, delivery expectations and local marketplace preferences.

Third, Tilt needs to defend its position as larger players move into the same space. TikTok Shop has enormous distribution. Whatnot has significant funding and category experience. Traditional marketplaces could also add more livestreaming and auction features over time.

Why retailers and marketplaces should pay attention

Tilt’s raise is relevant beyond the startup itself. It reflects a broader direction of travel in e-commerce.

Retailers, brands and marketplaces are under pressure to reduce customer acquisition costs, increase retention and create more engaging shopping experiences. Live commerce offers a possible answer by combining product discovery, entertainment, community and conversion in the same environment.

For fashion and second-hand sellers, the opportunity is particularly clear. Products can be demonstrated in real time, condition can be shown more transparently, and scarcity can create urgency. For niche categories such as sneakers, collectibles or limited drops, live auctions can turn shopping into an event rather than a transaction.

However, the model also creates new operational requirements. Sellers need presentation skills, inventory discipline, fast fulfilment, clear returns policies and strong customer service. Platforms need trust and safety systems, payment infrastructure, moderation, buyer protection and logistics partnerships. In that sense, live commerce is not simply a marketing format. It is a full e-commerce operating model.

The bigger picture: AI, video and recommerce are converging

Tilt’s $26 million funding round sits at the intersection of three major e-commerce trends.

The first is AI automation. E-commerce companies are increasingly using AI to support product listing, discovery, search, content generation and customer interaction.

The second is video-led shopping. TikTok Shop’s expansion across Europe shows that major platforms believe content-driven commerce can become a mainstream sales channel.

The third is recommerce. Vinted Ventures’ participation highlights the relevance of live selling for second-hand and resale categories, where trust, uniqueness and product condition are especially important.

Together, these trends suggest that the future of online shopping in Europe may not be defined only by faster delivery or lower prices. It may also be defined by richer interaction, stronger communities and smarter discovery.

Conclusion: Tilt’s round is a signal for Europe’s next e-commerce phase

Tilt’s $26 million raise shows that investor interest in European e-commerce is moving beyond traditional marketplace models. The new capital, combined with Vinted Ventures’ participation, positions Tilt as one of the most closely watched European startups in live commerce.

The company still faces major challenges. Live shopping adoption in Europe remains less mature than in Asia, competition from TikTok Shop and Whatnot is intensifying, and scaling across Europe requires strong localization. But Tilt’s growth metrics, AI tooling and recommerce relevance make the company an important indicator of where the market may be heading.

For European e-commerce, the message is clear: the next wave of competition will not only be about who sells online. It will be about who can turn shopping into discovery, interaction and repeat engagement.

The post Tilt raises $26M as Europe’s live commerce race accelerates appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

For many online retailers, international expansion feels like a significant leap.
Launching in a new country often means investing in localisation, marketing, logistics, customer service and compliance before there's any certainty that demand exists. While the opportunities are substantial, so too are the risks.

That's one reason marketplaces continue to play an increasingly important role in cross-border eCommerce.

Across Europe, consumers are already accustomed to shopping through established marketplace platforms.

Whether it's Amazon in Germany, Bol in the Netherlands and Belgium, Allegro in Poland, ManoMano in France or Zalando across multiple markets, shoppers often begin their product search on marketplaces rather than brand websites.

For retailers looking to scale internationally, this creates a valuable opportunity: marketplaces provide access to existing audiences, built-in trust and a relatively low-risk way to test demand before committing to a full market entry strategy.

Why marketplaces continue to grow

The success of marketplaces comes down to convenience, as they give consumers a trusted place to compare products, prices and reviews.
Shoppers also benefit from familiar payment options, clear delivery expectations and established returns processes. For shoppers entering a transaction with an unfamiliar brand, the marketplace itself often acts as a trust signal.

For retailers, the appeal is equally obvious.

Rather than investing heavily in customer acquisition from day one, brands can tap into traffic that marketplaces have already spent years and millions of euros attracting, dramatically reducing the barriers to entering new territories.

Marketplaces also provide valuable data. Sales performance, customer feedback and regional demand patterns can help retailers understand where opportunities exist before making larger operational investments.

In effect, marketplaces allow brands to conduct market research while generating revenue at the same time.

Looking into Europe’s marketplace setup
One of the biggest mistakes retailers make when expanding into Europe is assuming that marketplace success begins and ends with Amazon.

While Amazon remains dominant in several major markets, Europe's eCommerce landscape is far more diverse.

In Germany, platforms such as Otto, Kaufland and Zalando play important roles alongside Amazon. In the Netherlands, Bol remains a major force. Poland is heavily influenced by Allegro, while France has strong domestic players including Cdiscount and ManoMano.

This fragmentation creates both challenges and opportunities.
Retailers that understand local marketplace preferences can often access highly engaged customer bases with less competition than they might face on larger global platforms.

However, it also means that a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works.

Success often requires tailoring product listings and customer experiences to individual markets rather than simply replicating a domestic marketplace strategy abroad.

Why marketplaces are ideal for testing demand

For ecommerce brands considering European expansion, marketplaces can serve as an effective first step.
Rather than launching dedicated websites in multiple countries immediately, businesses can use marketplaces to validate demand and identify their strongest opportunities.

Questions that marketplaces can help answer include:

Which products resonate most strongly with local consumers?

Which countries generate the highest conversion rates?

What price points are customers willing to accept?

How does customer feedback differ between markets?

These insights become invaluable when planning longer-term investment.

Many successful international retailers initially entered European markets through marketplaces before expanding into direct-to-consumer channels once demand had been established. This staged approach can significantly reduce expansion risk.

Operational readiness still matters
While marketplaces make customer acquisition easier, they do not remove operational complexity.

Consumers purchasing through marketplaces expect the same standards they would receive from local retailers.

Delivery speed, stock availability, communication and returns all influence seller ratings and customer satisfaction.
Poor operational performance can quickly undermine marketplace growth.

As brands scale across multiple countries and platforms, inventory visibility becomes increasingly important. Effective ecommerce channel integrations help ensure inventory, orders and fulfilment data remain synchronised across marketplaces, reducing the risk of delayed dispatches or inaccurate availability information that can negatively impact marketplace performance and seller rankings.

Returns management also deserves particular attention.

Cross-border returns management is often one of the biggest friction points in international eCommerce. Consumers expect straightforward processes regardless of where a retailer is based, and marketplaces increasingly reward sellers who can provide a positive post-purchase experience.

For many brands, operational scalability becomes the determining factor between marketplace success and marketplace stagnation.

Localisation remains an advantage
Even when selling through marketplaces, localisation can significantly influence performance.

European consumers may share a single market in regulatory terms, but purchasing behaviours often vary considerably from country to country.

Product descriptions, imagery, customer service, payment preferences and delivery expectations should reflect local market norms wherever possible.
Language is particularly important.
Consumers are generally more likely to purchase when product information is presented clearly in their native language. While marketplaces provide access to international audiences, they do not eliminate the need for local relevance.

The retailers achieving the strongest marketplace performance are typically those that combine marketplace reach with local market understanding.

Marketplaces as part of a wider expansion strategy

Marketplaces should not necessarily be viewed as an end destination. For many retailers, they represent one component of a broader international growth strategy.

Over time, brands can use the knowledge gained through marketplaces to inform wider investments in localised websites, marketing campaigns, distribution networks and customer engagement initiatives.

In this sense, marketplaces function as both a sales channel and a market entry tool.

As cross-border eCommerce continues to mature, retailers that use marketplaces strategically will often find themselves in a stronger position to scale sustainably across Europe.

The opportunity is no longer simply about selling internationally, but understanding where demand exists, building trust with local consumers and creating the operational foundations for long-term growth.

fulfilmentcrowd helps ambitious retailers scale across the UK, Europe, the US and Australia with tech-enabled fulfilment solutions, seamless integrations and a worldwide warehouse network designed to support fast, reliable global growth.

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