Last week, Oliver Prothmann, founder of Choice in eCommerce, wrote a blog post explaining the impact of platform bans on eCommerce.  In recent years, a growing number of brands and manufacturers are restricting Internet trade, for example using contract terms to stop sellers from selling goods on Online-Shops and online marketplaces.  Platform bans not only disproportionately affect small and medium size businesses, but also consumers.  Brand owners and manufactures are using contracts to limit consumer access to goods.  As Prothmann explains, platform bans mean “less selection because brands only want new models on sell, less convenience because not each seller is able to run an app, less channels mean consumers cannot buy where they are used to buy, less availability because of less sellers, less information because of missing reviews and test reports. And all ends in higher prices.”

To learn more about the impact of platform bans on small businesses and consumers, please read Prothmann’s blog post.