GDPR Explained - YouTube

If you run an ecommerce store, that means you’re already plenty busy.

SEO, social, design.

You don’t need another item for the to-do list.

So let me apologize right away for adding one.

It’s just that, well, GDPR is too important to ignore.

Hey everyone, and welcome to the Oberlo YouTube channel, where we dig into all things dropshipping

and ecommerce.

I’m David, and today we’re talking about GDPR.

You heard of GDPR?

If you haven’t, chances are you will soon.

In this video...

1.

We’ll go over what this GDPR thing actually is

2.

We’ll explain what it means for you and your store

3.

And finally we’ll wrap up looking at how you can capitalize on GDPR, so stick with

us til the end to see how GDPR can be your marketing tool.

Let’s do it.

So, first things first.

What is GDPR?

GDPR is short for General Data Protection Regulation.

It’s 88 pages and 50,000 words long, and we thought it’d be a good idea to just go

ahead and read through it so that there’s no confus--

--OK, apparently reading it wouldn’t make for good YouTube [discard papers], so let’s

just say that GDPR is Europe’s big new data protection regulation.

GDPR takes effect in May 2018 and it creates rules for how all European residents’ data

must be handled.

And in some very real ways, it reshapes what it means to do ecommerce in Europe.

Now, GDPR is not a tech document.

At all.

In fact, ecommerce is only discussed once.

And that’s in a footnote.

And call it “electronic commerce.”

GDPR is less of a digital playbook than a statement on fundamental rights.

That’s how you get stuff like, quote, “The processing of personal data should be designed

to serve mankind.”

But while you’re serving mankind, you also need to serve your customers.

So let’s get familiar with what GDPR means for you.

Regardless of where you are based -- US, Canada, Germany, Japan, wherever -- GDPR applies to

everyone who offers products or services to consumers in Europe.

OK then.

So if your ecommerce shop is available in Europe, you have to comply with GDPR.

Europe accounts for about 25% of global GDP, so it’s not a market you should ignore.

And that means can’t ignore GDPR, either.

Let’s look at 5 things that every store owner should know about GDPR.

1.

Consent is king.

Being GDPR compliant means you can’t assume what your users want.

For example, GDPR says, quote, “Silence, pre-ticked boxes or inactivity should not

constitute consent.”

That means you should avoid stuff like this:

2.

Only collect data that you need.

The heart of GDPR is protecting people’s data.

You can limit your exposure to new rules and regulations simply by not collecting data

that you don’t need.

If there is no business value in knowing, saaay, what company your customer works for,

then GDPR gives you an incentive to not even ask.

If you’re not going to use the information, then don’t ask for it.

And if you are going to use it, be really clear about what you’ll use it for.

For example, sometimes you’ll see checkout pages that ask for a shopper’s phone number.

Store owners need to ask themselves, “What am I going to use this person’s phone number

for?”

There are definitely legit reasons to ask for a phone number.

Could be for SMS campaigns, or as a safeguard against fraudulent orders.

Shopify’s fraud detection flags orders if the shipping address and IP address are in

different locations, and then uses the phone number to protect consumers and get confirmation.

That’s fine as far as GDPR goes.

Just make sure that you explain this stuff in your terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Which brings us to number 3:

3. Make everything really clear.

Regulators in charge of GDPR compliance love transparency.

You could put an “unsubscribe” link on your website next to “subscribe.”

You could link directly to your terms and conditions and privacy policy from your footer.

Putting all of this stuff out in the open is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself

from concerns about GDPR compliance.

4.

Don’t do sneaky stuff.

Speaking of out in the open -- don’t do sneaky stuff.

For ecommerce store owners, so much of GDPR boils down to simply not being sneaky.

If you are honest and transparent and implementing best practices, then you probably won’t

have regulators knocking on your door.

Which means…

5.

Keep selling in Europe!

The European Union is not trying to shut down online stores.

So, even if GDPR seems a bit old school, it’s not part of some coordinated effort to sink

ecommerce.

Which means you can and should sell in Europe!

Especially if you’re a dropshipper.

After all, European markets have a lot of English speakers to reach with ads, plus shipping

from Chinese suppliers to European markets is cheap and relatively fast.

If you want to learn more about dropshipping internationally, go here

Big time.

GDPR isn’t just rules and headaches.

It’s a huge opportunity: European customers will like you more if you are GDPR compliant.

Data privacy is kind of a big deal in Europe.

That’s why European companies from every sector use data protection and data privacy

as a selling point, and store owners can do the same.

Here, for example, is the homepage of the German supermarket chain Edeka.

When you arrive, you get a heads up that they use cookies, as well as a link to a “Privacy

Policy” page – that’s the blue word that says “Datenschutzhinweisen”.

This data privacy stuff is WAY bigger than the company logo.

It’s front and center and huge

Interested customers can also find a massive cookies section in the imprint, which also

links back to the data privacy section.

Topics surrounding GDPR compliance are planted all over the website.

Remember: Edeka isn’t a financial institution or a government body.

It’s a supermarket, and still, the website is littered with references to data privacy.

Simply put, data privacy and data protection are huge topics in Europe.

Sure, some countries require companies to give details about cookies and data protection.

But these websites don’t just give details.

They show it off.

It’s marketing!

European consumers want to feel comfortable about data privacy issues before  engaging

with a brand and making a purchase.

You can leverage these attitudes to grow your ecommerce business.

Let people know that you are GDPR compliant.

Make GDPR part of your Terms and Conditions page.

Put it in the footer of your emails.

Every little bit helps.

If you’re GDPR compliant and your competitor isn’t — or even if both of you are GDPR

compliant but you’re the only one who brags about it — then that might be a big selling

point in the European market.

Alright, that’s enough from us today.

What about you?

What are YOU doing to get ready for GDPR?

Let us know what GDPR compliance looks like from where you’re sitting.

We’re posting videos every week, so be sure to subscribe to the Oberlo channel to get

a heads up when we something new hits YouTube.

Thanks so much for watching, we’ll see you next week.

In the meantime: Learn often, market better, sell more.