Daily Links: August 17, 2023

1. E-Commerce Platforms Should Prep for EU VAT & Customs Changes: The European Commission recently put forward important proposals that will change the customs and value-added tax landscape. The proposals to reform the EU Customs Union will be implemented step-by-step starting in 2028. – Read More on Bloomberg

2. Foreign luxury goods makers boost partnerships with e-commerce firms to increase sales. Since Korea started moving toward an endemic phase earlier this year, sales of luxury goods at department stores and flagship boutiques have continued to decline as people spend their money elsewhere. – Read More on Korea Times

3. Google required to remove ads that violate trademarks, Indian court rules. The Delhi High Court has ruled that Google’s Ads program falls under the purview of the country’s Trademarks Act and the company must remove ads that infringe upon trademarks in a major decision that may redefine online advertising’s legal landscape. – Read More on TechCrunch

4. Watchmakers say they’re going green to appeal to Gen Z customers. In a 2022 study of the Swiss watch industry, Deloitte found that one in three millennial and generation Z respondents considered it important to own a watch, and that these groups also place value on a timepiece’s sustainability credentials. – Read More on SCMP

5. McDonald’s, Domino’s Launch Merch Collections, Will You Bite? One of the driving forces behind the popularity of quick-service-restaurants’ fashion collections is their limited-edition nature. Just like exclusive drops from luxury fashion houses, these limited-time offerings create a sense of urgency and exclusivity. – Read More on PYMNTS

6. Target, Much Like Bud Light, Is Stung by Culture Wars. For Target, the sales decline surrounding its Pride collection conflict comes as it faces already-weak demand. Earlier this year Target said sales had slowed as shoppers shifted spending away from pandemic-era favorites like patio décor and most discretionary items as prices for food rose in the midst of high inflation. – Read More on the WSJ