{"id":46880,"date":"2025-04-17T13:34:51","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T11:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/?p=46880"},"modified":"2025-05-02T13:37:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T11:37:10","slug":"balkan-ecommerce-summit-2025-unveils-new-business-club-and-expands-opportunities-for-online-retailers-in-the-balkans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/balkan-ecommerce-summit-2025-unveils-new-business-club-and-expands-opportunities-for-online-retailers-in-the-balkans\/","title":{"rendered":"Balkan eCommerce Summit 2025 Unveils New Business Club and Expands Opportunities for Online Retailers in the Balkans"},"content":{"rendered":"

50% of Bulgarians and 55% of Romanians aged 16\u201374 are expected to have shopped online in 2024
\n70% of Europeans already purchase from foreign websites<\/p>\n

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On April 15, 2025, a formal press conference titled “Key Opportunities for Online Retailers and the Launch of the Balkan Business Club”<\/strong>\u00a0was held at the Bulgarian Telegraph\u00a0Agency (BTA) in Sofia. The event was organized by Dr. Nikola Ilchev<\/u><\/a>, founder of the Balkan eCommerce Summit<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, one of the region\u2019s most significant gatherings dedicated to digital commerce.<\/p>\n

The event brought together leading experts, institutional representatives, major international companies, and media to discuss the primary opportunities, challenges, and future prospects for e-commerce in the region. A highlight of the conference was the introduction of the Balkan Business Club<\/u><\/strong><\/a>\u2014a new initiative aimed at uniting businesses across the Balkans into a powerful network through events, a digital platform, and direct connections to accelerate cross-border partnerships.<\/p>\n

Dr. Nikola Ilchev also presented the upcoming 2025 edition of the Balkan eCommerce Summit<\/strong>, which will take place on April 29\u201330 at Arena Sofia<\/strong>. He emphasized the Summit\u2019s role as a bridge for businesses across the region and shared key trends and insights from the previous edition, along with a preview of the international speakers set to appear in 2025.<\/p>\n

Mr. Mariyan Stoyanov from the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (<\/strong>BSMEPA<\/u><\/strong><\/a>)<\/strong>\u00a0highlighted the valuable opportunities that international forums like the Balkan eCommerce Summit create for small and medium-sized enterprises. He introduced the new program, \u201cSuccessful Together: Grow Your Business Online,\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0designed to support micro and small companies in building online stores, participating in international trade missions, and accessing digitalization training.<\/p>\n

Ms. Milena Ramcheva<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, CEO of the fulfillment center Metrica<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, shared that 70% of Europeans now shop from foreign websites<\/strong>, and cross-border e-commerce in Central and Eastern Europe is growing by over 15% annually<\/strong>, expected to reach \u20ac24 billion by 2025<\/strong>. According to her, the key to success in the region lies in delivering a localized customer experience<\/strong>, built on fast shipping, local language customer service, and personalized offers.<\/p>\n

Ms. Miroslava Staneva<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, Brand Marketing Manager at eMAG Bulgaria<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, presented compelling data on the growth of e-commerce in the region. According to the European E-commerce Report 2024<\/strong>, 50% of Bulgarians and 55% of Romanians aged 16\u201374<\/strong>\u00a0are expected to have shopped online in 2024. Online retail penetration is now at 8.3% in Bulgaria<\/strong>, 10% in Romania<\/strong>, and 8.5% in Hungary<\/strong>. Participants at the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2025<\/strong>\u00a0will have the opportunity to explore the innovations driving this growth\u2014ranging from the eMAG Marketplace ecosystem<\/strong>\u00a0with over 56,000 merchants<\/strong>\u00a0and 1.4 million Genius subscribers<\/strong>, to Fulfillment by eMAG<\/strong>\u00a0and AI-powered solutions<\/strong>\u00a0that support cross-border commerce and enhance the customer journey.<\/p>\n

Ms. Tsveta Bratanova<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, Executive Director of GS1 Bulgaria<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, highlighted the benefits of GS1 global standards for e-commerce participants. These include streamlined catalogs<\/strong>, simplified product listings<\/strong>, increased traffic<\/strong>\u00a0(with 40% more clicks and 20% higher conversions), and an enhanced customer experience<\/strong>, among others. She also emphasized the upcoming introduction of the Digital Product Passport<\/strong>, which will become mandatory for industrial batteries starting in 2027<\/strong>. GS1 is actively supporting businesses to ensure a smooth transition in compliance with the new EU regulations.<\/p>\n

The most anticipated moment of the event was the official launch of the Balkan Business Club<\/strong>, presented by Dr. Nikola Ilchev<\/strong>\u2014a new regional initiative aimed at:<\/p>\n