EU Representative for E-commerce
Complete GDPR Article 27 guide for e-commerce businesses outside the EU. EU Representative for online stores from €490/yr.
Key Takeaways for E-commerce
- Every e-commerce transaction with an EU customer triggers GDPR — names, addresses, payment data
- Article 27 requires a designated EU Representative for non-EU sellers
- Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon EU — the platform doesn’t exempt you
- €490/year — 15-minute setup
Does GDPR Apply to Non-EU E-commerce?
Yes. If you sell products or services to customers in the EU from outside the EU, GDPR applies to your business. Every customer order involves personal data processing: name, shipping address, email, phone number, payment information. Under Article 3(2), offering goods to EU residents brings you under GDPR jurisdiction, and Article 27 requires you to appoint an EU Representative.
A common misconception is that marketplace platforms handle compliance. They don’t. Whether you sell on Amazon EU, Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, or your own store — you are the data controller for EU customer data, and the GDPR obligation rests with you.
EU Shield services: GDPR Article 27 EU Representative · GPSR Responsible Person for product sellers — each €490/year flat, all 27 EU states.
The Marketplace Myth
“I sell through Amazon EU, aren’t they responsible?” — No. Amazon is a data processor; you are the data controller. The platform provides infrastructure, but you determine what data is collected, how it’s used, and who it’s shared with. The legal obligation to appoint an EU Representative under Article 27 is yours, not Amazon’s.
E-commerce Data Under GDPR
- Order data: Customer name, shipping address, email, phone — explicit personal data
- Payment data: Credit card details (if stored), billing address, purchase history — financial personal data
- Marketing data: Email list subscriptions, abandoned cart emails, retargeting pixels — both B2C and B2B contact data
- Customer service: Support tickets, returns, exchanges — ongoing personal data processing
- Reviews & feedback: Names, photos, verified purchase data — all personal data
Platform-Specific Guidance
Shopify stores: If you’re a US/Canadian/Australian/etc. Shopify merchant with EU customers, add your EU Representative to your Privacy Policy under the required section. Shopify’s GDPR features (data deletion, cookie banner) help but don’t replace Article 27.
Amazon EU sellers: FBA or FBM, you process EU customer data directly. Amazon requires sellers to comply with applicable laws — GDPR is one of them.
WooCommerce / custom stores: Full responsibility. You need everything: EU Representative, Privacy Policy update, cookie consent, data processing records.
Ready to get compliant?
€490/year. 15-minute setup. Active next business day.