Online Sales

I have an online store but only ship to domestic buyers. If I open up the service to international buyers, are there any regulations or laws I need to know about? Do you have any social media legal recommendations?

Expanding into international markets could be an excellent strategy for growth. Crossborder sales in Europe alone are expected to grow year-on-year in the online sphere. Outside Europe, China is an increasingly important market (particularly for luxury goods) and is popular with retailers. However, you will need to identify the markets appropriate to your products.

There are a number of rules that will apply if you sell online. These require you to be transparent about your business and easily contactable by consumers. They will dictate how you should manage product returns as well as what you can and cannot do with personal data and website cookies. They also give certain cancellation rights to consumers. Outside Europe, you will need to consider local laws, and excellent lawyers are easily identifiable through the web, or professional bodies.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can all be used creatively to exploit your business and .are increasingly used by retail brands to connect with their customers, increase awareness of their brand and products, run marketing competitions and build on brand loyalty.