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The Estonian Ecommerce Association unites Estonian e-merchants and is steering the community for over 15 years.

Over 500 members.

Waves
ecom 2021 webinar

The Estonian E-Commerce Association is an umbrella organization that was established in 2008 and whose members work together to solve problems occurring in e-commerce and share their achievements.

The association unites Estonian e-commerce businesses and is the promoter and competence centre in its field. We assist our members, in case of need consumers and the public sector. We keep our finger on the pulse of Internet-based business and look to its well-being according to best practice, high quality standards and fair legislation. Today the Estonian E-Commerce Association has 521 active members from all over Estonia. Since 2016 the association has been a member of the European umbrella organisation Ecommerce Europe.

Our mission is supported by the following actions:

  • promoting e-commerce in Estonia
  • awarding the “Secure Shopping” trust mark
  • representing members’ interests in the civil service and law-making
  • conducting surveys for e-commerce businesses and consumers
  • organising an annual e-commerce conference and training
  • initiation and promoting of the “E-Monday” tradition
  • selection of the “E-Act” award winner and recognition of e-commerce achievements
  • organising free monthly morning seminars for members
  • helping to create contacts.

E-Monday!

One of our biggest initiatives is E-Monday – 24h shopping day on the first Monday in March, May, September and November! More than 200 different e-shops participate and will make the best selling day of the year- it means over 30 000 orders and 5 million EUR turnover. More than 70 000 unique e-shoppers visit the campaign page within 24 hours. We also run a large media campaign and visibility for consumers.

Do You want to participate in Estonian E-Monday campaign?

Find Estonian E-Monday registration page and more information here: www.e-smaspaev.ee

The Estonian E-Commerce Association is for you if you:

  • need advice and help on e-commerce matters
  • want to obtain the “Secure Shopping” trust mark
  • want to take part in FREE morning seminars 10 x per year
  • want to keep up to date with news in the field
  • want to take part in the association´s conference and training events at a 40% discount
  • want to communicate and exchange experience with other e-commerce businesses at different gatherings
  • want to take part in the E-Monday campaign for FREE
  • need advice on communicating with the civil service or institutions
  • are interested in achieving fair competition and a transparent business environment online and want to be part of a professional association.

All companies who have an e-store and/or a business interest in Estonia and to whom e-commerce is an important part of their business and whose activity is related to e-commerce can apply to join the Estonian E-Commerce Association.

We ask that you fill in a membership application.

Membership is decided by the management within 30 days of receiving an application.

The membership fee for simple members and individual members is 350 euros per year. The membership fee for supporting members is 700 euros per year. The joining fee is 50 euros. If the member has two or more domains that are added, the fee for each subsequent domain for simple members and individual members is 175 euros per year and for supporting members is 350 euros per year.

Estonian e-commerce in figures

  • There are over 8000 e-stores in Estonia
  • 98% of Estonians aged 16-74 use the Internet
  • More than 90% people of aged 16-74 have used e-commerce
  • The most popular types of goods bought online are: – travel and accommodation services; – concert, cinema and theatre tickets; – clothing and sports equipment
  • 85% of people using e-commerce bought their goods from Estonian sellers, 45% from the EU and 41% from other countries
  • In 2024 e-commerce turnover in Estonia was more than 4 billion euros
  • Proportion of e-commerce of total retail is 25%
  • we have about 1000 parcel machines and Omniva owns the biggest market share, more than 42% of all parcels (delivered in machines)

For starting online retailers

Online retail is a trading method where an entrepreneur offers goods or services in an online environment and the contracts between the seller and the customer are also entered into electronically without them being physically in the same place at the same time. In order to ensure ethical and lawful online trading, every starting online retailer must meet the following requirements.

1. The entrepreneur must disclose their real data to consumers, such as the company’s name, location, e-mail address and a telephone number that people can use to contact the company in case of problems.

2. Consumers must be provided with a clear and detailed description of the purchase process. Online stores must include information on the conditions of sale in a place easily accessible for consumers. We have developed sample conditions of sale which reflect the minimum legal requirements that online retailers are required to meet. The conditions of sale have been coordinated with the Consumer Protection Board and the Technical Regulatory Authority and can be used by everyone.

3. Upon receiving an order, the online retailer must confirm it immediately (by means of automatic order confirmations, invoices or other such documents).

4. The online retailer must inform consumers of sales prices and unit prices. Sales price is the final price for a product unit or a quantity of goods. Unit price is the cost of goods per one kilogram, litre, metre, square metre or cubic metre.

5. Goods must be complemented with detailed product information in Estonian. If the consumer makes a wrong decision due to insufficient product information, they have the right to withdraw from the contract without incurring costs and demand compensation from the entrepreneur.

6. The consumer must be presented with the total price of goods, inclusive of tax and all additional freight, postal or other delivery costs if the consumer has to cover these costs (if the postal costs depend on the size of the order, then they must be presented no later than in the shopping cart; if not, then the consumer must be made aware of the postal costs beforehand).

7. The consumer must understand the arrangements for payment, delivery and execution of an order and the time by which the goods are delivered, the service is provided or other acts are performed (invoice due date, delivery period or the term for fulfilling contractual obligations in case of services).

8. Where a right of withdrawal exists, the conditions, time limit and procedures for exercising that right as well as a standard form of application for withdrawal must be presented in accordance with the corresponding regulation of the Minister of Justice.

Note. Where a right of withdrawal is not prescribed according to subsection 53 (4) of the Law of Obligations Act, the consumer must be given information that they have no right of withdrawal or, if the consumer may lose the right of withdrawal, information about the circumstances under which the right of withdrawal will be lost.

9. Information on who shall bear the costs of returning the goods if the consumer withdraws from the contract. The consumer is required to bear the costs of returning the goods only if the entrepreneur informed them of such an obligation prior to signing the contract. If the entrepreneur fails to present the consumer with these details before entering into the contract, the entrepreneur is required to bear said costs.

10. If the consumer bears the costs of returning the goods after they withdraw from the contract, the online retailer must return to the consumer the cost of delivery of the goods borne by the consumer at the time of placing the order (if such a cost was included in the order). If the consumer does not withdraw from the contract in full, the postal cost borne by the consumer at the time of placing the order must be returned proportionally to the number of goods in the order. For example, if the order included two products and the postal cost for delivery was €2.50, then the consumer must be reimbursed for €1.25 with regard to the postal cost.

11. If the online retailer grants an additional warranty against defects (e.g. a warranty from the manufacturer) in addition to the legal remedies provided by law, they must describe the existence and terms thereof.

12. The consumer must be presented with information on their right to raise claims and the procedure for exercising that right, including possible time limitations.

13. The company must describe their procedure for settling complaints (e.g. information on the contact details or reception times of a designated employee who deals with complaints or a specific e-mail address where clients can send their complaints).

14. The consumer must be presented information regarding reasons for processing personal data, the composition of processed personal data, and the procedures and methods used for processing personal data, allowing personal data to be shared with third parties and direct marketing.

15. The online retailer provides information on the possibilities of the consumer to have recourse to a body settling extra-judicial complaints and disputes and the terms and conditions of recourse. In Estonia, the Consumer Disputes Committee operating at the Consumer Protection Board and the Technical Regulatory Authority functions as the body settling extra-judicial complaints; the Committee is competent to resolve disputes which arise from contracts between consumers and entrepreneurs that the contracting parties are unable to agree over, provided that the goods or services under question amount to €20 or more. The examination of a complaint by the committee is free of charge for the parties.

16. If the entrepreneur is also the importer or packages the goods in plastic, cardboard or any other packaging material for consumers, they must join a recovery organisation, submit reports on the weight of packaging and pay excise duty on packaging.

17. Agreements derogating from law to the detriment of the consumer are not permitted and considered to be null and void. Current legislation in the Republic of Estonia that online retailers must observe and follow according to their field:

18. The Consumer Protection Board and the Technical Regulatory Authority have prepared detailed instructions for online retailers:

19. The Estonian Data Protection Inspectorate has prepared in-depth guidelines on establishing a safe online store and practical instructions for personal data processors:

20. Upon operating in the field online food retail, you need to inform the Agriculture and Food Board of your activities. The instructions can be found here:

21. Additionally, there important regulations of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding the field of entrepreneurs:

Contacts

For further information, feel free to contact us.

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