Following the 2020 Brexit referendum and the UK exiting the EU, a steady flow of changes have altered global e-commerce and its accessibility. Many mid-market merchants, who previously sold 10 to 15% in the EU, are having difficulties finding a way back in, and concerns about how best to reenter the market continue to weigh heavy on merchants’ shoulders.

Today, selling cross-border between the EU and the UK is somewhat “untapped.” Finding a way back in is a daunting process for a lot of merchants. Nonetheless, those prepared to draw up a carefully thought-out strategy (considering data privacy, duties, taxes, and transparency) will reap the rewards. As a whole, the European online e-commerce market is worth almost 300 billion euros, and is therefore worth pursuing.

In 2021, Sendcloud commissioned an extensive research paper on the E-Commerce Delivery Compass, interviewing 7,000 participants. Just under half (45%) reported purchasing from an international retailer in the last year. Consumers are clearly happy buying cross-border, but other factors remain unclear. A retailer based in Scotland cannot simply set up e-commerce in Italy, for example, and expect it to be straightforward. Each market has unique characteristics and considerations, and these must be taken into account for successful global e-commerce.

The whitepaper includes expert advice from a webinar held in the autumn of 2022. In it, Go Global Ecommerce’s Legal Advisor Veronica Comito, and Sendcloud’s Joe Newbold (Team Lead) and Rehab El Hadari (UK Senior Partner Manager) identified grey lines in selling cross-border between the EU and UK. Learn about the following:

– What data privacy regulations to take into account when selling cross-border
– What international duties and taxes to be aware of
– How to avoid losing customers due to tax calculations in the basket

Want to learn even more about how to sell online between the EU and the UK? Download the whitepaper now!