Season 1 of the series "Luxury, E-Commerce and Bricks" ends with a (temporary?) victory for the luxury goods industry (see previous episodes here and here).
There's nothing new under the sun. The European Commission, who seemed to want to overhaul the text concerning selective distribution regulations, finally decided to give up on the revamp and settled for small changes, keeping in line with the previous regulations!
The basic principle, which was making waves, remains unchanged concerning online sales: Manufacturers can require that their distributors have one or several bricks and mortar stores.
"It's a balanced text that protects consumer interests and allows us to develop our industry on the Internet," says Elisabeth Ponsolle des Portes, Delegate General of the Comité Colbert, an influential French economic committee.
Yes, it would be hard to imagine the members of the Comité Colbert overjoyed to see their products sold on PriceMinister or eBay!
Because at the Comité Colbert, everything is luxury, calm and voluptuousness?
And as any medal comes with its share of concessions, merchant sites did get some "guarantees" relating to markets closed to traditional and online price-discounters, among other things. With these guarantees, "once authorized, distributors must be free to sell on their own websites
as well as in shops or other physical outlets". So, is all the pressure off concerning prices and quantities sold once the precious right to sell the brand/product is granted?
Against all expectations, eBay said that the decision "reflects the realities of the 21st century by placing online and offline
sales on an equal footing".
Now things are a bit clearer, but not necessarily on a global scale for certain more widely distributed brands and products. Unless this hit pilot series is picked up for a second season called "Breaking down the brick wall"?