🏷️ Amazon tightens FBA barcode rules
Starting March 31, 2026, non Brand Registry sellers must use Amazon barcodes for all FBA shipments, even if products already carry manufacturer barcodes. Brand Registry owners can continue using manufacturer barcodes without additional labeling.
For resellers, this means mandatory stickering, higher prep costs and greater risk of inbound defects. Incorrect or missing labels may result in fees or performance impacts.
🤖 Agentic commerce is redefining multi channel strategy
Agentic commerce is rapidly reshaping multi channel selling. In a recent Talk Commerce episode, ChannelEngine founder and CEO Jorrit Steinz explained how brands now operate across dozens of marketplaces while AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot are becoming transactional shopping interfaces.
With ChatGPT’s Agentic Commerce Protocol, payments flow directly to a merchant’s own Stripe, Adyen or PayPal account instead of through a marketplace. Structured product feeds power this ecosystem, making enriched data and Q and A content critical for AI discoverability.
Jorrit Steinz
💷 UK shoppers embrace high ticket buying on TikTok Shop
UK consumers are increasingly purchasing premium products on TikTok Shop. In January, items above £100 generated 41% of total UK revenue, far above the 2.8% global average, according to Rithum.
Instead of focusing on discounts, shoppers are buying higher consideration products in categories like home and garden and fashion. Researchers see this as clear maturation of social commerce.
🌍 Global giants rule Europe’s ecommerce top 10
Amazon remains Europe’s dominant ecommerce player with nearly 232 billion dollars in GMV in 2025, almost matching the combined total of the next nine players, according to ECDB. US, Chinese and Russian platforms dominate the ranking.
From July 1, Chinese marketplaces such as AliExpress, Temu and Shein will face a 3 euro customs fee on small parcels entering Europe, adding pressure to cross border pricing strategies.
🚀 Amazon speeds ahead in Germany and the UK
Amazon generated 45.9 billion dollars in Germany and 43.2 billion dollars in the UK in 2025, with double digit growth in both markets. Europe continues to be a strategic growth engine for the company.
However, scrutiny is rising. In Germany, where Amazon accounts for 60% of online sales, regulators ordered the company to limit pricing influence over sellers and repay 59 million euros.
Marketplace managers face both growth opportunities and increasing compliance complexity in Europe’s largest Amazon market.
⚖️ German regulator curbs Amazon’s pricing power
Germany’s competition authority has banned Amazon from influencing third party seller prices on Amazon.de and ordered repayment of 59 million euros in economic benefits.
Previously, higher priced offers risked losing Buy Box visibility or being removed. Going forward, Amazon may only intervene in exceptional cases such as price gouging. In a market where Amazon accounts for 60% of online sales, this decision could significantly impact pricing strategies and Buy Box dynamics.
📦 EU Sees 26% Surge in Low Cost Parcel Imports
The EU imported 5.8 billion low value parcels last year, up 26%. Most shipments came from China via platforms such as AliExpress, Shein and Temu.
Customs authorities are struggling to keep up, and the EU is tightening rules. A 3 euro fee per product will apply from July, with additional handling measures under development. As Chinese platforms expand European warehouses and aim for more local shipping, cost advantages from cross border trade are narrowing.
📊 US ecommerce to hit 1.8 trillion dollars by 2030
US ecommerce sales are forecast to reach 1.8 trillion dollars by 2030, representing 29% of total retail, according to Forrester. Physical stores will still account for 71% of sales.
Growth is driven by Gen Z, logistics improvements and agentic commerce, while in store retail remains central to brand experience.
Jordi Vermeer🤖 AI moves from chat to checkout but governance lags behind
AI agents are rapidly evolving from discovery tools into transactional interfaces. OpenAI has launched Instant Checkout in ChatGPT, powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol, enabling secure access to merchant catalogs and direct payments via Stripe and PayPal. With integrations expanding into categories like grocery, AI is quickly becoming a new entry point to commerce.
At the same time, governance frameworks are struggling to keep up. The 2025 AI Agent Index found limited transparency around monitoring, safety testing and disclosure. Many agents do not clearly identify themselves when interacting with external systems, raising concerns around accountability, fraud detection and control as AI moves closer to checkout.
🇺🇸 Retailers recalibrate as tariffs reshape margins in 2026
Retailers are adjusting to ongoing tariff pressures. While some companies report stable pricing, brands like e.l.f. Beauty and Under Armour cite margin impacts tied to current tariff levels.
At the same time, resale platforms such as ThredUp report customer growth as higher prices push consumers toward secondhand options. Tariffs continue to influence pricing, margins and channel shifts, making supply chain strategy a key focus for 2026.
🔎 Product trust is marketplaces’ biggest conversion barrier
According to ChannelEngine and Sapio Research, 43% of shoppers avoid buying certain marketplace products because they struggle to assess quality.
Marketplaces are now the primary research channel for 51% of consumers in the US, UK and Canada, while checkout friction has significantly declined. For marketplace managers, the priority shifts to richer product pages, stronger imagery and verified reviews. Product trust remains the real conversion driver.
