Ecommerce News Briefs 10/18/11: EU Online Sales Law Changes, Holiday Shopping Outlook

It may be hard to believe, but October is halfway over, which means that Halloween is drawing ever closer and with it, Thanksgiving and the official start of the 2011 holiday shopping season. With this in mind, in this week’s Miva Merchant ecommerce news briefs, we’ll learn more about new online selling laws set to take effect in Europe, and take a look at the projected 2011 online holiday shopping outlook.

Consumers’ Rights Directive Will Have Impact On European, Global Sales

Recently, the EU Council of Ministers approved the Consumers’ Rights Directive, designed to create uniform online selling laws throughout Europe. Over the course of the next two years, all EU countries will be required to incorporate the directive into their online trading regulations. 

CRD regulations include surcharge limits for telephone sales hotlines and online credit card payments, as well as a 14-day “cooling off period,” designed to give consumers 14 days to return their online purchases for a full, no-questions asked refund.

While the ultimate goal of the CRD is to resolve online shopping, shipping, and related issues and trigger economic growth as a result, not all online retailers in the EU believe that the new directive will be able to do so effectively. 

“We’d now like to see an EU-wide dispute resolution service put in place to protect individuals making cross-border purchases, as well as a mechanism to enable collective redress,” Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which? Retailer, told Eway recently.

The CRD decision comes following a week of talks in Paris between a group of 20 European finance ministers and bank representatives in an effort to stave off a pending debt crisis that analysts warn could threaten the world economy.

National Retail Federation Predicts Sales Increase This Holiday Season

The National Retail Federation released a report that projects a positive outlook for retailers this year. According to the report, holiday sales are expected to increase 2.8% this year, leading to an overall increase of $465.6 billion as compared to last year.

The report also suggests that consumers will be particularly interested in special promotions, sales, and discounts online. Some of the most popular and most-sought after advantages of online shopping include free shipping, a wider selection, and the ability to comparison shop between stores.

What types of promotions, discounts, and special offers will you be offering in your ecommerce store this holiday season?