French e-commerce is approaching 200 billion euros in revenue, driven by the growth of mobile and the adoption of artificial intelligence. Launching an online store in 2024 remains a concrete opportunity, but the European regulatory framework has significantly evolved in recent months. Several texts modify the obligations of online sellers, and their practical implications deserve particular attention.
European Regulation and Online Store: What Changes in Practice
Most e-commerce creation guides focus on choosing the platform or the site design. They overlook recent legal constraints that can block a launch or expose sellers to sanctions.
The Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on the General Product Safety has been applicable since December 13, 2024. For an online seller, this means that any product sold remotely targeting the European Union is now treated as being placed on the European market, with enhanced obligations regarding recalls and traceability. An e-commerce merchant importing products from outside the EU bears the same responsibility as a physical distributor.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) also concerns online stores, not just large platforms. Since February 17, 2024, an e-commerce site that publishes customer reviews or hosts user content falls under the scope of the DSA. Moderation and traceability requirements apply, with varying levels of obligation depending on the size of the business. Many resources published on info-commerce.fr detail these new constraints for small and medium e-commerce merchants.
The French reform of electronic invoicing (e-invoicing / e-reporting) adds an operational layer. The deployment progresses in phases, and an e-commerce merchant launching their activity must anticipate the compatibility of their invoicing tools with this new framework, or risk having to reconfigure everything a few months after the launch.
Choosing the Legal Status and Structuring the E-commerce Project
The legal status determines taxation, personal asset protection, and credibility with suppliers. In France, the micro-enterprise remains the most common entry point for a first project, but its revenue ceilings quickly limit the growth of a successful online store.
The SASU or EURL offer more flexibility to bring in a partner, raise funds, or separate personal and professional assets. The choice depends on the anticipated sales volume and the nature of the products.
- The micro-enterprise is suitable for market testing with a limited catalog and low margins, but non-recoverable VAT penalizes significant stock purchases.
- The SASU allows for dividend payments and flexible remuneration, with more demanding accounting.
- The EURL remains suitable for a solo entrepreneur who wants a protective legal framework without the complexity of a corporation.
The chosen status also influences obligations related to the DSA and the product safety regulation: a company registered in France bears different responsibilities than a sole trader dropshipping from a supplier outside the EU.
E-commerce Platform and Technical Infrastructure: Deciding Based on Your Product
Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop: comparisons abound. However, few of them address the question from the perspective of regulatory compliance and real scalability.
WooCommerce requires ongoing technical maintenance (updates, security, hosting). For an entrepreneur without technical skills, the actual cost often exceeds that of a hosted solution. Shopify simplifies the infrastructure but imposes its own constraints: transaction fees, limited customization without a developer, dependence on a proprietary ecosystem.
PrestaShop, very present in France, offers a good compromise for medium-sized catalogs. Field feedback varies on this point: some e-commerce merchants appreciate the flexibility of the modules, while others report compatibility issues during major updates.
The native integration of electronic invoicing and GDPR compliance varies from one platform to another. Checking compatibility with the e-invoicing reform before choosing avoids costly migration in the months following the launch.
Marketing Strategy at Launch: Focus Efforts on One Channel
Spreading your marketing budget across SEO, paid advertising, social media, and email marketing from the first month rarely produces results. One mastered acquisition channel is better than four superficially covered channels.
For a store with a visual catalog (fashion, decoration, food), advertising on social media allows for quick testing of market appetite. For technical or niche products, organic search and specialized content generate more qualified traffic over time, but initial results take several months.
Delivery logistics deserve as much attention as marketing. A high cart abandonment rate often stems from delivery fees or delays, not a lack of visibility. Negotiating carrier rates before launch, offering a realistic free delivery threshold, and clearly displaying delivery times on product pages are direct conversion levers.
Customer Retention from the First Orders
The cost of acquiring a new online customer increases each year with advertising competition. Implementing a simple loyalty program or a post-purchase email sequence from the launch allows for quicker profitability from each acquired customer.
Launching an online store in 2024 is not just about choosing a platform and publishing product listings. Recent European regulatory obligations, the choice of legal status, and the acquisition strategy form a triptych that determines the project’s viability over twelve months. Each niche reacts differently to these parameters, making field tests essential from the first weeks of activity.
