Underage entrepreneurs in e-commerce - what changes is the government preparing?

Minister of Development and Technology Waldemar Buda, at a press conference on Monday, May 8, announced work on a project to make it easier for minors to start businesses. The topic is particularly relevant in the context of the e-commerce industry, where more and more young people want to operate on their own.

The popularity of e-commerce, or selling one's own products online, is growing year by year. According to the Central Statistical Office (CSO), in 2022 alone as many as 64.6 percent of people aged 16-74 bought something online. As reported by Shoper (owner of Poland's most popular e-commerce platform) in its 2022 earnings report, the value of transactions made in online stores Shoper and additional sales channels (such as shopping platforms and price comparison sites) amounted to PLN 8.2 billion. There are more and more people willing to sell their products online - and young entrepreneurs are among them.

E-commerce and young entrepreneurs - what are the limitations due to age?

According to current regulations, minors, if they want to run their own online store, cannot do so through a self-employed business without the consent of their legal guardians. This is because minors have limited legal capacity. However, the government is working on a draft regulation that will allow young people to set up businesses without having to obtain parental consent for each activity. The draft stipulates that it will ultimately be up to the court to decide whether to grant permission for the business.

The project is receiving a lot of attention from young people, who are increasingly eager to start businesses. The Minister of Development and Technology said that the government wants to introduce new regulations as soon as possible to enable young people to start businesses more easily. The project is one of the government's priority projects and is expected to be enacted later in the current term.

In the e-commerce industry, young entrepreneurs are already selling, on the basis of unregistered activity (i.e. activity that can be carried out without registration in the KRS or CEIDGj). Underage sellers can use this form of business, as long as their monthly income does not exceed 50% of the minimum wage in effect for the year. If you run such a business, you also don't have to pay social or health insurance premiums, which is certainly beneficial for those who want to start their business adventure.

The Shoper platform already has online stores set up by minors on an unregistered business basis.

- We see that young people want to be active in e-commerce and are looking for their ways to achieve sales success online, which is certainly commendable. However, if this is the case, it is advisable to be cautious and keep in mind the limitations of age. The bill referred to by Minister Buda would certainly ease the entry of young entrepreneurs into the world of e-commerce, giving them the opportunity to run a full-fledged business," comments Artur Halik, Head of Sales at Shoper.

Bill for young entrepreneurs - changes in e-commerce industry

Planned changes to the business law, which will allow young entrepreneurs to run full-fledged businesses, could have a huge impact on the development of the e-commerce industry. Currently, if only on the TikTok platform, one can see plenty of business ideas for minors, but the operation of such businesses is limited to the unregistered.

- The new regulations will certainly encourage young people to get involved in business, develop their ideas and shape their professional future from an early age. They will have the opportunity to run a full-fledged business, which will allow them to be more creative and diversify their activities, as well as discover new ways of doing business in the digital age.says Artur Halik

About the company Shoper

Shoper is a leader in e-commerce solutions in Poland. The company provides the necessary infrastructure for e-commerce. In addition to software for running an online store, it also offers a range of services to support sales. These include online payments, digital advertising, logistics services and business financing. Brands such as Gym Glamour, WK Dzik, Irving and Doppelherz, among others, operate on the Shoper platform. Since July 2021, Shoper has been listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and has been part of the sWIG80 index since December 2021. Check out more information about the company at: www.shoper.pl