E-commerce checklist, new market estimate and DSA updates

FINNISH DMA (ASML) NEWS IN BRIEF

ASML and Consumer Agency published a checklist for e-commerce 

 The Finnish Consumer Agency keeps receiving a lot of complaints related to e-commerce mainly caused by new players. ASML drafted a checklist containing the basic issues and obligations of distant selling and e-commerce and finalized and published it with Consumer Agency. Press release is available in English but the checklist only in Finnish.

 

Direct Selling Statistics 2008

The figures for 2008 have been completed. 2008 showed a slight increase of 5% over 2007.The report is in the attachment: 2008.DSAstatisticsFIN

Direct Selling Company of the Year: Avon Cosmetics Finland

Since its entry into Finland five years ago, Avon Cosmetics has show strong growth in both sales and staff. It is one of the most innovative companies in cosmetics and a strong contributor in social responsibility programmes.

The Following persons were awarded Direct Seller of the Year Awards:

Eija Saari-Salmela, Avon Cosmetics Finland
Anne Kalander, PartyLite
Maarit Miettinen, System 3000 / AMC
Marketta Hakkarainen, Oriflame

And Honorary Mention for Career in Direct Selling went to:
Göran Nordh, GNLD International

Images of the DSA Gala in March are here:

Mobile credit regulation still gathering clouds to distant selling credits

Ministry of Justice is about to close the draft legislation trying to reduce problems caused by mobile credits. Draft regulation extends its tentacles also to other forms of distant selling credits.

ASML has been negotiating with the Ministry several times and following issues has tackled

- strong identification obligations will not cover single-good-related credits in distant selling

- interest rate information obligation regarding every single product covering also all small credits has been changed in fact to “a bulk information” e.g. in fact box of a catalog informing the highest interest rates of most typical price categories.

Ministry has still kept the obligation

-  to use strong identification in pure distant selling credit offerings meaning that it wouldn’t be possible to open a new customer account or offer a new separate distant selling credit in future by using a common distant procedure via a signed and web completed form added with copy of passport etc.

ASML continues to work with the draft when it enters into Parliament.

Finns vote and surf with the mobile phone on a day to day basis

The text message remains the most common medium of mobile marketing. The Finnish Direct Marketing Association today published the latest Mobile Media Tracking study. According to the results, nearly 60% of Finns between 15 and 64 had received mobile marketing (i.e. SMS, MMS or a sent link). This shows strong growth in comparison to previous measurements.

Read more: What's New

Finnish e-commerce market amounts to 1.4 bn

A joint project of the Finnish DMA and Itella Corporation published the new, official statistics of the Finnish e-commerce and mail order market. The new figures cover all distance selling that includes physical transport inside Finland, whether originating from Finland or another country.

The statistics have been collected using different, complementing data sources. These include figures produced by the DMA and Itella, data from Statistics Finland, and research findings from TNS Gallup and Otantatutkimus.

Interestingly, the figures show that while e-commerce has grown rapidly over the last decade, the growth has not been exponential as others have estimated. According to reliable measures of the amount of logistics involved, e-com merce has tripled in the last decade. Growth from 2007 was 8%.

The new statistics will become the official figures for Finland that will be reported to EMOTA. The figures will updated semi-annually.

Online shopping is green

Online shopping is more environmentally friendly than driving to the shops, according to a new report from the Logistics Research Centre at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Their work is being undertaken as part of the UK-Government funded Green Logistics research programme:  www.greenlogistics.org.uk

The team found that, on average, having goods delivered to your home by parcel carrier generates significantly less carbon dioxide than making a special trip to the shops to buy the same item.  The research compared the carbon footprints of online and conventional shopping for small goods such as books, CDs, cameras and household items.  The work focused on the final stage in the delivery process, the so-called ‘last mile’, when goods are either delivered to the home or customers travel to the shops to collect them in person.  It was found that a typical van-based home delivery produced 181g CO2, compared with 4,274g CO2 for an average trip to the shops by car.  An average bus trip by a shopper produced 1,265gCO2.  In other words, when a customer drives to the shops and buys fewer than 24 small, non-food items per trip or travels by bus and buys fewer than 7 items, home delivery is more environmentally-friendly.  Download the free report here.

FEDMA and Holmen Paper are looking for Best Direct Marketer of the Year

Now is the time to nominate yourself or others for the new, unique, FEDMA & Holmen Paper Best Direct Marketer of the Year award, and, or the FEDMA & Holmen Best Direct Marketing Apprentice Award. Nomination is free and it will only take you a few minutes to get closer to win, simply by clicking here.
To have a closer look at the judging criteria, please click here. Make sure you don't miss this opportunity to get the recognition you deserve as a direct and interactive marketing professional!

eTail Europe 2009

eCommerce and Marketing Event for Retailers

June 8-10, 2009
Marriott Grosvenor Square, London
www.etaileurope.com

Background information related to the topics of News in Brief is available in Finnish, unless otherwise mentioned. For further information in various topics please send e-mail to info@asml.fi.

 

News in Brief is intended solely for the ASML member companies. If you want to be removed from the distribution list, please reply to this message with "cancel" in the subject field.  Address source: ASML Member List

Return to headlines