E-commerce innovation market analysis

What technology trends are driving e-commerce in Poland?

The key e-commerce trends are artificial intelligence and hyper-personalisation, AI content creation, omnichannel, voice search, social commerce and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payments.

These are the most important trends, changes and innovations shaping online retail in Poland. They concern shopping itself as well as deliveries and payments.

Artificial intelligence and hyper-personalisation

Artificial intelligence leads innovation in e-commerce. It is changing how companies interact with consumers and helping them run their operations more efficiently. AI is increasingly used to personalise many aspects of online shopping. AI chatbots and virtual assistants keep getting better: they take a large share of the work off traditional call centres and keep customers engaged around the clock.

Content creation with AI

AI is also changing content creation itself: it can generate photos and even the products themselves. AI tools let companies create photorealistic product images quickly and cheaply, without traditional photo shoots. For example, H&M has explored creating digital twins of human models. Levi's introduced AI-generated models on its website to increase diversity, but the move was criticised by the public.

Omnichannel

An omnichannel strategy, which integrates different sales channels (offline and online), is becoming essential to success in e-commerce. Unlike the multichannel approach, where channels operate independently, omnichannel provides a consistent and continuous shopping experience regardless of how customers contact brands.

Voice search

The way consumers search for and interact with e-commerce platforms is also changing significantly. Voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant are now part of everyday life in many households. This fast-growing trend affects how consumers search for information and make purchasing decisions. E-commerce sellers should optimise their content for voice search, including key information such as the website address, location, contact details and opening hours. This helps a shop appear in search results, attract more traffic to its website and grow sales.

Social commerce

Selling on social platforms is a major shift in online retail. It changes how consumers discover, engage with and buy products. Social media are no longer just communication tools: they have become marketplaces where social interaction and shopping mix. Because people can buy directly on these platforms, the path to purchase is short and engaging. In 2024, global revenue generated through social media is estimated to have reached almost USD 700 bn, an increase of approx. 23% y/y.

#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt

Social commerce is much more than adding a "Buy now" button to your channel. Market analyses point to shoppertainment, real-time engagement, influencer recommendations and purchases driven by community interactions. Entertainment, social interaction and product discovery are no longer separate stages: they are becoming part of one purchasing process. TikTok and Instagram lead this change. TikTok in particular pioneered "shoppertainment", which combines shopping and entertainment: brands create short, engaging videos to present their products. Viral trends such as #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt show how strongly the platform influences consumer behaviour, as trending products see sharp increases in sales.

"Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL)

Deferred payments (BNPL) are a form of short-term consumer financing that allows customers to pay for purchases in instalments, often with no interest charged for shorter payment terms. Consumers, especially younger ones, are looking for alternatives to conventional credit cards and loans. They want more control over their budget and want to avoid high interest rates. According to research, interest in this solution has grown by 40% in recent years.