CRO Commerce 2026 Heads to Zagreb With Black Friday, AI and E-commerce Growth in Focus

The eighth edition of CRO Commerce will bring together online store owners and directors alongside specialists in digital marketing, payments, logistics, and technology. Attendance is limited to 500 participants, with the organisers putting a strong emphasis on networking and knowledge sharing.

The programme will run across three stages and include presentations, panel discussions and practical case studies. Participants will also have access to an EXPO zone, while the day will conclude with an informal networking party.

Black Friday 2026 Takes Centre Stage

With the conference taking place just weeks before one of the biggest sales periods of the year, Black Friday will naturally be one of the central topics.

The panel “How to Prepare for Black Friday 2026” will bring together Dijana Kladar, Dario Begonja, Goran Blagus, Marko Pačar, Robert Petković, Aron Stanić and Dino Oreški.

Rather than focusing solely on advertising campaigns, the discussion will cover the wider operational challenge of Black Friday – including online store optimisation, logistics, inventory management, customer experience and performance analysis.

The aim is to give retailers recommendations they can still put into practice ahead of this year’s peak shopping period.

Where Does AI Leave the Human Advantage?

Artificial intelligence will be another major theme in Zagreb, particularly as AI tools become increasingly accessible across e-commerce and software development.

The discussion will look beyond automation itself and consider what businesses will need to compete when technology becomes easier and cheaper to build.

Ernest Antolović, Partner at Shipshape, argues that the differentiating factor will increasingly shift away from technology alone.

“If tomorrow you can build an application faster and at a lower cost than today, technology itself will no longer be what sets you apart from the competition.”

Instead, he expects customer understanding, processes, data and the ability to translate them into business value to become increasingly important.

The conference will also explore how companies can make effective use of AI without losing creativity, strategic thinking or the quality of their customer relationships.

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What Is an E-commerce Business Actually Worth?

CRO Commerce 2026 will also tackle a topic that receives considerably less attention than growth: selling an e-commerce business.

Selling an online store does not necessarily mean that something has gone wrong. In many cases, attracting a buyer can be evidence that an entrepreneur has built a profitable, scalable and valuable business.

Keynote speaker Andrija Čolak, entrepreneur and business broker with extensive experience in e-commerce, will examine how buyers assess online businesses and what ultimately determines their value.

His session will cover the figures and indicators that have the greatest influence on valuation, what potential buyers look for and the mistakes owners commonly make when preparing to sell.

Čolak will also discuss the role of a business broker in connecting buyers and sellers and helping structure the transaction.

“A good e-commerce business is not simply one that generates good profits today, but one that is sufficiently strong and scalable to attract potential buyers.”

More Opportunities to Meet Speakers and Partners

Networking remains an important part of the event, and this year CRO Commerce is introducing the Zoyya meeting app, allowing attendees to schedule meetings with speakers more easily.

The EXPO AWARDS programme will also return, with one participant receiving an interactive display worth €3,000 courtesy of Hisense.

Partners supporting this year’s conference include Manago AI, Fastserver.hr, Monri, Sirvis, SalesSnap, Box Now, Meraxes, Lesnina, Marker, euShipments.com Croatia and Hisense, among others. Shipshape returns as the conference’s main partner for the second consecutive year.

The conference will be opened by Marcel Majsan, President of e-commerce Hrvatska, before the programme moves across its three stages.

20% Discount for Ecommerce Bridge Readers

CRO Commerce 2026 takes place in person in Zagreb on 13 October 2026. Tickets cost €250 and include lunch as well as cocktails at the after-conference party.

Ecommerce Bridge readers can receive 20% off the ticket price by using the discount code ecommbridge20 when purchasing their ticket through the official CRO Commerce conference website.

With Black Friday approaching, AI reshaping the technology landscape and online retailers looking for new ways to grow – or even successfully exit – CRO Commerce 2026 aims to bring those conversations together in one place.