PRESS RELEASE: Shopping on online marketplaces: beware of specific risks

4. 12. 2025

Prague, 4 December, 2025 — Online shopping is now a common way to purchase goods and services — but the boom in online marketplaces and shopping malls brings specific risks. CTU therefore reminds you what to look out for when using an online marketplace or shopping mall, and what the DSA regulation brings for you as a consumer in this regard.

Despite the advantages of online shopping — a large selection, convenience, often lower prices — there are risks, especially if you buy through an online marketplace (i.e. a platform that allows advertising/selling to third parties), not directly from an e-shop. First, it may not be obvious that it is an online marketplace—it looks like a classic e-shop. However, you conclude a contract with each individual seller, and this can complicate, for example, complaints or returns of goods, especially if it is a foreign online marketplace. Other problems may include counterfeit or dangerous/unsafe goods. The DSA regulation tries to combat these problems.

"Before buying on an online marketplace, it is crucial to find out who the actual seller is. It is them that you will be dealing with if you need to make a complaint or return goods. Marketplaces usually only act as intermediaries, and their own guarantees are merely a supplement to your legal rights. It is therefore worth carefully reviewing their terms and conditions. A low selling price on the marketplace could end up costing you quite a lot," Eduarda Hekšová, director of dTest, told CTU.

Obligations of marketplaces and consumer protection

Traders about whom the provider has not obtained sufficient information cannot offer their goods and services on online marketplaces (with the exception of small and micro-enterprises). Platforms operating online marketplaces must comply with the rules of the Digital Services Act (DSA) – for each product, it must be clearly stated who the seller is (name, postal address, telephone number, email), identification number if the entrepreneur is registered in one of the relevant registers, and the trader's self-certification that they undertake to sell only those products that comply with national or European law. Furthermore, the consumer must be informed that the seller is not an entrepreneur (this may mean the absence of certain rights, such as the right to withdraw within 14 days of purchase). Furthermore, the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) applies: every product sold to consumers in the EU must have a clearly identified entity responsible for its safety. This is particularly important in cases where the goods originate from non-European countries. The DSA Regulation also increases the safety of the range offered, as the online marketplace provider is obliged to continuously check on a random basis whether the products or services offered by traders have been identified as illegal.

✅ Recommendations for consumers

To prevent pre-Christmas shopping from becoming a nightmare, CTU recommends:

When making a purchase, verify who the real seller is — look for the name, address, ID number, and contact information before paying. The marketplace must always inform you that you are purchasing from a third party, and information about the seller must be clearly stated for a specific product.
If you are not satisfied with the product, or want to return or complain about the goods, contact the seller, not the platform. The platform is often just an intermediary.
Be careful of suspiciously low prices, especially if the goods come from abroad — they may be counterfeit, low-quality, or dangerous products.
For imported goods, consider the risk: check whether the product complies with EU requirements (certification, labeling, instructions in Czech/English, etc.).
If in doubt, keep all communication, order, payment and shipping documents - they may be useful in the event of a complaint or claim.

The above recommendations also respond to the findings of the Association of E-commerce (APEK). Based on its own findings, the Association warns in particular against massively promoted Asian marketplaces. According to APEK, through them, products with certain risks related to safety and quality appear on the market. For these reasons, the European Commission has initiated proceedings against some of these marketplaces (TEMU, AliExpress, etc.).

A few numbers for online shopping (not just on online marketplaces):

According to Eurostat data from early 2025, 86% of internet users in the Czech Republic have had online shopping experience at least once in the last year. This is above the EU average — 77% of internet users across the EU shopped online in 2024. The most frequently purchased categories include clothing, footwear and fashion accessories. However, the problem with online shopping can be fraud, counterfeiting or difficult communication, handling complaints and claims. In the Czech Republic, 7,500 fake e-shops were discovered in the first quarter of 2025 (with a peak before last year's Christmas), almost 1,200 percent more than a year ago. A problem that can greatly affect online marketplaces is counterfeiting. According to data from the European Commission, in 2024, authorities seized 112 million counterfeit or suspect products within the EU and at its borders, with an estimated value of 3.8 billion euros. Approximately one in three Czechs has encountered some kind of fraud while shopping online.

For more information about safe online shopping (not only) before Christmas, follow our social networks.

Tereza Meravá

CTU Spokesperson