New trends, challenges, and lessons from leaders of Slovak e-commerce
In case you missed the E-commerce Bridge Live in Poprad last week, we have prepared a short summary of the lectures that were presented on stage by several prominent names in Slovak e-commerce.
New strategies, innovative approaches, and advice for 2025 were revealed, which every e-commerce should know. Topics included successful stories of local brands, strong competition, trademarks, and of course, artificial intelligence.
How Zľavomat Avoided Groupon's Fate
Erik Richnák, CEO of Zľavomat, captivated the audience with a story about the fall of the once-stellar Groupon – a company that Google wanted to acquire for $6 billion in 2010. Groupon was an icon of discount portals, but after 2012, it began to lose value rapidly, with its market value plummeting by an incredible 99.4%.
Erik Richnák used this example to show how Zľavomat managed to maintain stable growth - by betting on quality and including only products and services with a rating above 80% in its offer. Thanks to this, it gained customer trust, achieved an average rating of 4.7 stars, and eliminated the skepticism that people often have towards significant discounts.
The Importance of Trademarks for a Strong Brand and the Untapped Potential of Pinterest
Ján Boldizsár from the law firm Boldisz Law Firm brought up topics that anyone building a brand in a new market should consider – trademarks and their impact on corporate assets. He nicely demonstrated with examples how a trademark can protect a brand from competition and clearly distinguish it, making it a valuable asset and a kind of "holy grail" for the long-term value of the company. However, it also has its limits, which need to be considered, such as geographical restrictions, time validity, and the obligation to officially register it. Andrej Sopka had an interesting and interactive presentation: participants of Ecommerce Bridge Live tried to distinguish which images were created by AI and which are real. His perspective on the potential of Pinterest, which is still underutilized in our region but offers great advertising opportunities, was also interesting.
Rapid Growth of GymBeam and Market Lessons
Dalibor Cicman, CEO of GymBeam, revealed the secrets of their rapid growth and disclosed how they managed to overcome competition by closely monitoring trends and quickly responding to market demand. As early as 2014, they carefully analyzed Google Trends and captured new trends – using peanut butter as an example. While a competing company sold it in Slovakia for 20 euros per kilo, GymBeam offered the same product for 12 euros and immediately attracted customers. He also highlighted the value of feedback and thorough data collection. This allowed them not only to understand market needs but also to respond promptly to them.
What Does Your E-commerce Really Need in 2025?
Andrej Kajan, CEO of ui42, utilized our 27 years of experience and revealed what e-shops should undertake to make 2025 successful for them. Based on more than 400 programmed websites (over 200 on their own CMS BUXUS), he emphasized how crucial it is to choose the right CMS that won't hold you back and will allow you to respond flexibly to market needs. He also recommends focusing on effective data-driven marketing, not being afraid to expand beyond the local market, and testing every step of the purchasing process for better CX and UX. Andrej also presented tips on how to significantly increase conversions and revenue on an e-shop through the integration of AI tools - from personalized product recommendations via our AI Recommender, through automated 24/7 customer support via chatbot, to AI translations that will facilitate your entry into new markets.
If you want to get more tips on AI tools and specific recommendations, fill out the form below, and we will be happy to advise you on how to take your e-shop to the next level.
