Big news! Amazon launches new platform, eBay joins hands with Facebook to combat fake reviews!

According to foreign media reports, Amazon plans to launch its own high-end fashion online platform in the first half of 2020.

Industry insiders said that for the fashion platform, Amazon will adopt a franchise model similar to that used by department stores and specialty retailers, where major brands can rent storefronts and pay a certain percentage of sales to operate their own stores within the platform.

On Amazon's fashion platform, brands will have full control over the appearance of their online space, the products they sell, and any discounts they offer. At the same time, they can also use Amazon's vast logistics network for fast delivery and enjoy Amazon's customer service. Currently, 12 fashion brands have partnered with Amazon, but Amazon has not yet revealed the specific names of these high-end brands.  

On January 10, Amazon, eBay and shipping companies will send data on small or low-value packages from abroad to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The move is reportedly part of a CBP pilot program. CBP announced Thursday that the Section 321 data pilot is a voluntary collaboration with online marketplaces and logistics providers to ensure the security of e-commerce supply chains. Last month, it expanded the scope of the pilot and extended it to August 2021.

Currently, the pilot program is limited to nine participants, including Amazon, eBay, DHL, FedEx and UPS. Through the pilot program, CBP will also conduct more efficient targeted screening of goods.

In related news, Amazon Global Selling recently stated that Amazon has updated the rules on restricted products.

Amazon Global Selling introduced the updated restricted product rules. In the United States, there are very strict standards for being recognized as degradable plastic products. Household plastic products must meet the following standards: ASTM D6400/ASTM D6868/ASTM D7081. Sellers also need to obtain certificates issued by the following relevant organizations before they can be recognized as degradable plastic products.

The EU has very strict regulations on laser consumer products exported to Europe, especially in terms of safety. Products that use lasers or laser systems in their product composition and are exposed to laser radiation during product operation must be evaluated in accordance with the classification and requirements of the EU's current laser standards EN60825-1 or IEC60825-1.

In Japan, according to PMDA, medical devices are divided into four levels according to their risk level, and their market access requirements are also regulated according to the level classification. In addition to the three major sites in the United States, Japan and Europe, some other sites also have their own special certification requirements for some unique categories.

Amazon recently announced that it will begin collecting value-added tax (VAT) in Switzerland, Norway and Armenia on remote services.

Due to the implementation of new tax laws in these countries, non-resident companies that provide remote services are required to start charging VAT on these services when providing these services to local residents or people who are not registered for VAT. Amazon is classified as a non-resident company and sales on Amazon are classified as remote services. Therefore, Amazon will collect VAT on remote services from residents of the above countries on January 1, 2020.

Unless the seller provides Amazon with their local VAT ID as evidence of their local VAT registration, Amazon will charge and remit VAT in accordance with regulations, and the amount will be borne by the seller.

eBay and Facebook have pledged to use new detection systems to combat the rampant spread of fake reviews on their platforms.

In June last year, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) asked eBay to review its platform to prevent and eliminate fake sales reviews. On Wednesday, the CMA also said that eBay and Facebook had signed a governance agreement on the flourishing of false and misleading reviews.

As a preliminary measure, Facebook deleted 188 pages and groups and disabled 24 accounts related to false reviews, and eBay permanently banned 140 seller accounts. eBay said it has zero tolerance for false and misleading reviews and will take relevant actions against sellers who violate its policies.