What can we learn from the first edition of eCommerce Business Innovations?

Three thematic blocks, twelve experts, and a solid dose of practical knowledge, inspiration, and business tips—that’s how the inaugural edition of eCommerce Business Innovations can be summed up in a nutshell. The conference took place as a side event to this year’s European Congress of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, attracting participants interested in the future of e-commerce.

E-commerce Discussions with Experts

The invitation to this new conference on Silesia’s business scene was extended to e-commerce owners and managers, entrepreneurs planning to expand their online sales, specialists responsible for development, marketing, sales, and strategy, as well as technology partners, agencies, and e-commerce service providers. In short: to everyone who is involved in the industry on a daily basis or is just looking to enter it.

The event’s goal was clear: in an era of rapid technological change and growing consumer awareness, to create a space for exchanging experiences with recognized experts and building valuable business relationships.

- We are building this new business community here in Silesia, but of course with an open door to all of Poland - emphasized Janusz Dramski, First Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice, during the conference’s opening ceremony.

Trends, Experiences, and the Need for a Revolution

Conference participants listened to brief yet extremely insightful presentations by twelve experts. In their 15-minute presentations, they shared the most valuable insights from their professional experience: knowledge, stories of successes and failures, and observations regarding the directions in which the e-commerce industry is evolving.

E-commerce Behind the Scenes

The conference also featured a bold look at the role of AI agents and the challenges associated with their implementation. What is trendy and seemingly useful often turned out, in the panelists’ experience, to be much more difficult to apply in practice. “Riding the wave of AI’s popularity, we wanted to automate many areas of communication, but it turned out that people still value human contact the most,” said Olaf Skibiński, Senior Manager of the Business Development & Sales Team at ON Lemon.

In the context of technologies shaping the future of e-commerce, Sławomir Spyra, Head of Communications at Merce.com S.A., highlighted the key role of mobile apps: – In mobile apps, the average conversion rate is 6.14%, while in smartphone browsers it barely exceeds 1%. The lack of a brand’s mobile app is currently one of the most common shopping problems.

Paweł Mikołajec, Branding Expert & Design Director at Ancy, emphasized the importance of visual identity - Through branding, we establish a selection criterion that helps convince consumers to choose our brand.

Logistics, Delivery, and Competitive Advantages

A significant portion of the conference focused on the delivery process—a factor that often determines a purchase even before it is finalized. As Cezary Falkiewicz, Cross-Border Sales & Network Manager at Globkurier, pointed out: 70% of customers in Europe abandon their shopping carts when international delivery takes more than 5 days. That is why, during eCommerce Business Innovations, we took such a deep dive into areas related to fast order delivery, effective returns management, and practices that allow companies to build a competitive advantage through logistics. We also devoted a great deal of attention to the challenges associated with customs clearance and shipping outside the European Union—areas that for many companies remain a barrier to scaling up sales.

What have we learned from eCommerce Business Innovations?

The first edition of eCommerce Business Innovations demonstrated just how great the need is to discuss the future of the industry and to share real-world experiences among entrepreneurs. The conclusions from the conference are clear: e-commerce is constantly accelerating, and today, competitive advantage is built not only on technology, but also on people, relationships, and efficient processes.