A lack of transparency in the suspension of business accounts, the transfer of commercial risk to sellers, limited appeal options and unequal competitive conditions compared with businesses from outside the European Union are among the most frequently reported problems faced by entrepreneurs using online sales platforms. In response to numerous signals from the SME sector, Agnieszka Majewska, Poland’s Commissioner for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, has asked Andrzej Domański, Minister of Finance and Economy, to analyse how online marketplace platforms operate and assess whether their practices may amount to an abuse of market power.
The Office of the SME Commissioner has received reports from entrepreneurs describing recurring difficulties in their relationships with major online platforms that intermediate in the sale of goods and services. The concerns include unclear rules for suspending accounts and removing listings, arbitrary handling of disputes with consumers, limited effectiveness of appeal procedures, and the transfer of responsibility for logistics services and buyer-protection programmes onto businesses.
“Digital sales platforms have become one of the most important channels for conducting business. This makes it all the more important to ensure transparent, predictable and fair rules of cooperation. Entrepreneurs must be able to understand the reasons behind decisions affecting their businesses and to effectively assert their rights,” says Agnieszka Majewska, Commissioner for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
In her letter to Minister Andrzej Domański, the Commissioner stresses that the reported problems are not isolated incidents. In the view of many business owners, a number of current practices may disrupt the contractual balance between major platforms and micro, small and medium-sized companies, which often have little or no real influence over the terms of cooperation.
Concerns have also been raised about appeal mechanisms and cases in which accounts are suspended without a clear indication of the specific violation involved or without an effective opportunity to challenge the decision. For many entrepreneurs, this means losing their primary sales channel, resulting in measurable financial and reputational damage.
“The state should create conditions that support entrepreneurship in the digital economy as well. When thousands of companies operate through online platforms, it is necessary to monitor whether market relationships remain fair, proportionate and consistent with competition rules. We want the voices of entrepreneurs to be heard and any barriers to growth to be thoroughly examined,” Majewska says.
The Commissioner has asked the Minister of Finance and Economy whether similar reports have also reached the ministry and what action is being taken in response to the problems raised by entrepreneurs. She also pointed to the need to analyse the current regulatory framework and consider possible legislative changes regarding the operation of online sales platforms on the Polish market.
