Inside The E-Commerce Collective | Impact of BREXIT on Digital Marketing | Infinity Nation

Our latest Ecommerce Collective event created a great amount
of discussion and dialogue. Whilst stores are re-opening, we are still in uncharted waters and there is a lot of uncertainty around decisions and future plans. Therefore, we shared experiences and continued to identify strategies to help one another with our concerns as well as celebrate our successes!

We always try to facilitate an open conversation with brands and share their wins from the last quarter. While the global pandemic has resulted in many challenges, it is vital that businesses have open channels of communication to work together and find new ways of reaching their customers and meeting their needs. Due to the confidential nature of these meetings, we can share the general themes without disclosing the details.

Growth Success Wins

• Abandon browse and basket emails
• Channel conversions
• A rise in online sales while store sales remain
  consistent.
• PPC usage
• Email journeys

Biggest concern for the leaders and marketers

• Brexit concerns especially surrounding the end of the
  transition period.

As one of the biggest discussion points revolved around
Brexit and the impacts of the end of the transition period on 31st December
2020, we will tell you more about the changes to digital marketing and the
impact on retailers.

Changes after the Transition Period

      Digital Marketing

Personal
Data – As of 1st January 2021, the transmission of personal data from
the EU to the UK is subject to the rules for data transfers to third countries,
as set out in the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

Data Protection – Although the UK’s own data protection standards will remain the same (the GDPR will come into domestic law), there will be changes to how personal data is transferred from the EU/EEA to the UK. If your business or organisation receives personal data from partners or suppliers in EU or EEA countries, you must act now to ensure you can still legally do so.

Domain Names – You’ll no longer be able to register or renew a “.eu” domain name if your organisation, business or undertaking is established in the UK. If you hold a “.eu” domain name you should check your eligibility, or you may transfer your internet presence to another top-level domain.

Ecommerce Directive – At the end of the transition period, the eCommerce Directive will no longer apply to the UK.

EU funding – Although the UK has left the EU, businesses will continue to get any EU funding they’ve already been awarded. This includes funding they are due to get after 31 December 2020.

      Retail Impact

Border checks will be placed with an external border between
UK and EU countries. This will impact imports and exports. However, moving
goods in and out of Northern Ireland and the UK will have minimum checks and
should take place as they do now. There are more retail specific rules that you
should read as the rules vary across different industries.

Rules of Origins – As of 1 January 2021, companies will have to demonstrate the originating status of goods traded for these to be entitled to preferential treatment under a possible future EU-UK agreement.

Certificates, authorisations,
markings or labelling – As of 1 January 2021, marketing authorisations issued by UK authorities will no longer be valid for placing products on the Union market. Similarly, markings or labelling of goods placed on the Union market, which refer to bodies or persons established in the United Kingdom, will no longer comply with Union labelling requirements.

UK registered companies – As of 1 January 2021, UK incorporated companies will be considered as third-country companies and will no longer be automatically recognised. Their recognition will become subject to national law for third-country incorporated companies. Branches in EU Member States of UK incorporated companies will be branches of third-country companies.

Grants – Businesses can apply for 3 grants to help their business complete customs declarations. They can apply to get funding for:

• training that helps a business to complete customs
  declarations and processes;
• hiring new staff to help their business complete customs
  declarations;
• IT improvements to help their business complete customs
  declarations more efficiently.

Conclusion

The greatest debate surrounded the preparation for what is to come in the next few months. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”.  It
is a vital time for everyone especially for eCommerce brands in the next few
months to organise themselves and create the necessary arrangements to tackle
the upcoming challenges.

Are you prepared for success?

Challenge us to support your business

Infinity Nation are holding a series of virtual meet ups for
senior e-commerce marketers over the next 4 weeks.

Find out more about the events and sign up here.

Alternatively, if you would like to have a 30 minute free
consultation on your digital strategy and discuss your specific challenges in a
1 to 1 session, get in touch and
we will be happy to help.