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LEGAL REGULATING ONLINE MARKETPLACES 96 RETAIL WORLD NOV, 2020 Digitalisation has, without a doubt, revolutionised the way goods and services are being offered to, and procured by, consumers in an increasingly online world. By Bird & Bird Partner Hamish Fraser and Senior Associate Emma Cameron. Since the advent of Covid-19, the need for an online presence and the ability to continue providing goods/services via other contactless, online revenue streams has become increasingly more prevalent, and paramount, for businesses adapting to a new reality and form of ‘business as usual’. One online business model that has continued to evolve and grow exponentially, while disrupting the more traditional means of buying goods/services from retailers (either in-store or via the retailer’s website), is the platform as a service (PaaS) used by online marketplaces, such as early adopters including eBay and Expedia, and more recently by the likes of Uber, Airbnb and Deliveroo.