The End of Online Discounts?

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New retail rules in Europe may spell the end of discount online luxury shopping. Rules recently approved in Brussels give companies such as Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Giorgio Armani the right to stop online retailers from selling their goods—unless the e-commerce site also has a brick-and-mortar store. “We don’t invest huge amounts of time building these brands only to have someone come along and basically free-ride off the investment we make,” a lobbyist for the luxury brands said. LVMH supports the new legislation, saying that it would ensure their goods are only sold on sites like Net-a-Porter, that "look the part." The new rules go into effect this summer. [Times UK]