MerchantPro, a SaaS solutions platform for e-commerce, organized the second edition of the dotCommerce Digital Retail Forum on June 11, already a reference event in the e-commerce industry. dotCommerce brought together experts, opinion leaders, and professionals in online commerce to discuss the latest trends and successful strategies in this dynamic sector. The Digital Retail Forum 2024 took place at Terra Events in Bucharest, gathering nearly 500 participants.

"The concept of this series of events is precisely to bring together on the one hand, online stores interested in new business development strategies and, on the other hand, the solutions and companies that can facilitate the merchants' path to scaling. The high interest, with almost 500 participants, reflects the desire for networking and the need for efficient solutions for optimized scaling of an online business. From year to year, we see a clear trend towards diversifying marketing channels and optimizing strategies, which underlines the importance of these events for the healthy growth of the e-commerce sector," says Arthur Rădulescu, Founder & CEO of MerchantPro.

8 Dialog Sessions, 30 Speakers, and Nearly 500 Participants

The event was divided into several discussion panels covering various topics, from marketing and automation to business financing and new trends in e-commerce, offering participants networking opportunities and inspiration from industry leaders' experiences.

Just like the previous edition, throughout the event, participants had the opportunity to interact with representatives of online stores and other reputable online businesses while invited speakers debated the necessary solutions for the optimized scaling of an online business.

In the first panel, "Get the Essentials Right - The Foundation for Scaling," Robert Trandafir (Gun Media) emphasized the importance of budget distribution in online commerce. Google campaigns, especially shopping ones, continue to receive the largest budgets and generate the most conversions. Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram) remain in second place, while TikTok is starting to gain significant relevance, attracting growing budgets due to direct conversions in commerce.

Elena Gheorghe (PayU GPO Romania) highlighted the impact of the pandemic on online commerce, accelerating the adoption of online shopping. Although the abrupt growth has not maintained the same levels, the upward trend continues, with the food delivery sector leading. Card payments represent 35% of total transactions in Romanian e-commerce, and interest in alternative payment methods, such as BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later), is increasing.

Oana Antohe (eMAG Marketplace) discussed the marketplace market trends for 2024, focusing on sellers' expansion outside the borders through marketplace platforms. Cross-border sales have recorded significant increases, with rates of 60% in Hungary and 35% in Bulgaria, with eMAG facilitating product delivery to lockers at no additional cost to sellers.

Bogdan Iftemie (PayPO) reiterated the importance of BNPL solutions, which reduce cart abandonment rates and allow the increase of the average shopping cart value. Additionally, Adriana Manu (Fan Courier) spoke about locker delivery as an important differentiator in the courier market, offering flexibility and lower delivery costs.

The event continued with discussions on Branding & Loyalty Strategy, and among the main messages conveyed were:

- Raluca Radu (MTH Digital): "The e-commerce client of 2024 is more educated and has high expectations regarding the functionalities and experience offered by the online store."

- Alina Mitrica (the Marketer): "Customers expect loyalty options. Loyalty methods are essential and should be available both online and offline."

- Dan Stanica (tbi Bank): "Customers are still tense and analyze purchasing decisions more carefully. Alternative payment methods, such as 'buy now, pay later,' are becoming increasingly popular."

- Paul-Ioan Kasparovichi (GRF+): "The importance of cultural relevance is becoming the new reputation for online stores."

Iulian Stanciu (eMag): "We have a 6-8 year window of opportunity in which Romania will develop very well."

In the next panel, "Vision, Strategy, Focus," Iulian Stanciu, Executive President of eMAG, highlighted positive prospects for Romania, emphasizing the importance of PNRR funds, solid resources in energy, agriculture, and human capital. He also mentioned the need for digitalization and improving digital skills, as well as the challenges of global competition from Asian players. His perspective is positive regarding Romania's economic development, including in e-commerce.

"Romania has become an economic hub in the region and a technology hub; we have much stronger niche technology companies than the surrounding countries, and here we can develop to become competitive overall," said Iulian Stanciu on the dotCommerce stage, in dialogue with Arthur Rădulescu.

The event continued with the panel "The Loyalty Equation – Email Marketing and Automations in 2024," where experts discussed the importance of personalization in email marketing and automation. Rareș Bănescu (theMarketer) emphasized that using personalized recommendations significantly increases the chance of reaching the Primary tab in Gmail by over 72%.

In the "Future of eCommerce – AI, Automation & New Trends" panel, Arthur Rădulescu (MerchantPro) highlighted efficient AI solutions, especially for personalization and content generation, also emphasizing the importance of automating repetitive tasks and quantifying long-term results. Ana Ionașcu (Microsoft) discussed the openness and agility of SMEs towards AI, noting that users expect to communicate in natural language with e-commerce sites, and Liviu Sima (ITG Group) talked about using AI to analyze market trends. He explained that AI allows detailed data analysis to draw relevant conclusions, optimizing merchandise management in warehouses.

Horia Grozea (Netopia) also highlighted the important role of AI in securing online transactions and preventing fraud. Sebastian Irimia (Dyver) discussed the use of AI in e-commerce, emphasizing the importance of automating the documentation and product listing processes. This technology can significantly reduce time-to-market and improve customer retention rates.

Under the umbrella "What We Can Learn from Google, Netflix, Amazon & Facebook," Vlad Marincaș (Aqurate) discussed the importance of personalization in e-commerce, inspired by tech giants like Google and Amazon, explaining how personalization models can improve user experience and increase conversion rates.

Further discussions moved into the area of business financing strategies. Oana Stoenescu (Libra Development IFN) discussed the evolution of financing in e-commerce, highlighting the financiers' adaptation to market needs. Alin Stanciu (Catalyst) emphasized the importance of social capital and profitability strategies in business financing. Mihaela Toader (MTC Network) stressed the necessity of good cash flow and inventory management to ensure long-term sustainability, while Ciprian Ghioc (TSG) talked about European financing opportunities and the importance of digitalization in financing projects.

"Beyond Cookies – The New Face of the Internet" brought together Eugen Potlog (Deep Dive), who discussed the impact of implementing Google Consent Mode and alternatives to third-party cookies, Mihai Vînătoru (DWF), who emphasized the importance of adapting to new regulations to maintain ad relevance, Cătălin Emilian (RTB House), who explained that third-party cookies are used for advertising retargeting, and over 75% of users who use Google Chrome in Romania will eventually no longer have third-party cookies, and Bianca Costache (Adobe Romania) presented Adobe Experience Cloud solutions for personalizing user experiences and creating lasting relationships.

dotCommerce Digital Forum 2024 Ends with a Panel Dedicated to Successful Founders in E-commerce and the Path to Scaling

Raluca Haulică (Alura) shared Alura's experience in increasing profitability and expanding into international markets and talked about the impact of the showroom on the brand and omnichannel sales. Loredana Goarnă (Napofarm) discussed the sustained growth of their business with the help of MerchantPro and the importance of automation for reducing operational costs. Ioan Dumitru (VagAuto) talked about focusing on customer consulting and using AI to improve their experience, while Nicolae Slav (dEpurtat) emphasized the success of expanding into multiple countries and the importance of the team in business development.

"The event was a success, and we are glad that we were able to share valuable knowledge about the use of AI and automations in e-commerce. We had the opportunity to discuss future trends and present innovations in the field. We will certainly continue to organize such events, bringing together industry experts to explore technological solutions that can transform businesses and facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices. The positive feedback we received motivates us to get even more involved in promoting digital development and innovation in e-commerce", added Arthur Rădulescu.

The dotCommerce Digital Forum was supported by the main partner TheMarketer, as well as by PayPo, Aqurate, tbi bank, Gun Media, MTH Digital, Mokka, Dr. SEO, leanpay, Planograma by IT Genetics, FAN Courier, AltExpress, Rosistem, EasySales, Netopia Payments.

Media partners of the event: Wall-Street.ro, Retail.ro, Start-up.ro, Spotmedia.ro, Digital-Business.ro.

About MerchantPro

MerchantPro is a project of ShopMania Net, addressing e-commerce entrepreneurs in Romania and Europe through competitive e-commerce functionalities, professional support services, and customized solutions tailored to specific development needs. 

The MerchantPro platform is used regionally and has over 15 years of market experience. In the last two years, MerchantPro has consolidated its presence in the domestic and international markets, with nearly 2000 active stores in Romania and a continuously growing number in Western and Southeast Europe.

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*This is a Press release.