As the cross-border e-commerce peak season approaches, major platforms are implementing significant policy changes while offering new opportunities for sellers. Here's a comprehensive analysis of recent developments across leading marketplaces.
Amazon: Balancing Opportunities with Compliance Challenges
European Spring Sale Countdown
Amazon Global Selling has announced its European Spring Promotion across ten marketplaces, scheduled for March 10-16, 2026. Critical deadlines include:
- FBA inventory cutoff: February 27
- "Best Deal" promotion submission deadline: March 9
- Lightning Deal application deadline: March 6
Products must maintain a minimum 3.5-star rating with at least five reviews to participate. Amazon recommends maintaining 4-8 weeks of safety stock through its Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD) network to mitigate potential shipping disruptions.
Crackdown on Variant Abuse
Amazon is intensifying enforcement against improper parent-child product relationships, with non-compliant listings facing enforced separation or account suspension. Starting February 2026, the platform will restrict review sharing to variants with only color or size differences.
European Local Account Verification Expands
Amazon Europe is extending identity verification requirements beyond major markets to include Romania and Cyprus in early 2026. Sellers should prepare compliance documentation and audit banking information to address potential account holds.
Workforce Restructuring Focuses on AI
Amazon plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 16,000 employees, primarily affecting administrative roles, China-based seller support teams, and non-core AWS functions. This aligns with the company's strategic shift toward AI automation and operational efficiency.
AliExpress: Brand Globalization and Managed Services
AliExpress hosted a Brand Globalization Summit in Shenzhen on January 22, 2026, highlighting "Brand Globalization" and "Overseas Managed Services" as key growth strategies. The platform's managed service handles marketing, traffic, and logistics for participating sellers.
With European tax reforms accelerating, AliExpress is expanding warehouse networks and compliance certification services to facilitate cross-border trade.
Temu: Rapid Growth Meets Regulatory Scrutiny
Temu's global market share has surged to 24% within three years, matching Amazon's declining share. The platform advises sellers to maintain at least 25 days of inventory for hot-selling items ahead of Lunar New Year.
The company's Istanbul office underwent an unannounced inspection by Turkish authorities on January 21. Temu stated it's cooperating fully with the investigation while maintaining confidence in its compliance operations.
DHgate Enhances Buyer Flexibility
The marketplace introduced a new feature allowing buyers to modify product specifications within 30 minutes of purchase without seller approval, implemented in late January 2026.
TikTok Shop: Operational Overhaul and Expansion
US Data Security Restructuring
TikTok announced a new US operating model on January 23, establishing a data security joint venture separate from its commercial operations. Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX each hold 15% stakes, with ByteDance retaining 19.9%.
Logistics Policy Changes
TikTok Shop US will phase out merchant-fulfilled shipping by March 31, 2026, requiring all sellers to use either Fulfilled-by-TikTok (FBT) or the upgraded TikTok Shipping service.
European Market Expansion
The platform plans to launch in Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, and Serbia by mid-2026, expanding its European footprint to 11 countries. A new "US-to-Mexico" cross-border program will enable US warehouse fulfillment for Mexican orders starting April 2026.
eBay Implements Fee Adjustments
Effective February 12, 2026, eBay will increase final value fees across multiple markets. Notable changes include:
- UK/Germany: Fixed fee increase from £0.30/€0.35 to £0.40/€0.45 for orders above £10/€10
- Germany: High-tech category fee cap raised to €500, with excess fees increasing to 3%
- Poland: Fee increase from 1.35 to 1.90 zł for orders above 10 zł
EU Intellectual Property Trends
The EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) received 327,735 trademark and design applications in 2025, a 7.8% annual increase. Chinese applicants accounted for 16% of trademarks and nearly 30% of design filings, reflecting growing international brand protection efforts.