While technological progress profoundly shapes our everyday lives, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have also become a major source of online shopping fraud. To address this growing problem, the association eCommerce Croatia has launched the Safe Shop system, designed to help merchants gain and maintain customer trust.
More than 50% of online fraud today involves the use of AI, and over 99% of such frauds are never detected. This sets a clear and common goal for everyone engaged in online sales — to focus on preventing such occurrences through consumer awareness and education, emphasized Marcel Majsan, President of eCommerce Croatia, at the opening of the CRO Commerce Conference.
This was the seventh edition of the CRO Commerce Conference, organized by eCommerce Croatia, held on October 14, 2025, at Zagreb’s Mozaik Event Center. The event gathered over 600 professionals from the fields of eCommerce, digital marketing, logistics, and related industries. “Online fraud will continue to rise, whether it involves fake websites, phishing, hacked email accounts, or investment scams,” warned Majsan. He reminded the audience that many consumers only buy from well-known online stores because they fear data theft and therefore avoid using cards, opting for cash on delivery instead. “This slows down the development of the entire eCommerce ecosystem and raises the question of how smaller webshops can gain visibility and earn customer trust in such conditions. The answer is clear – let your customers speak for you. Use customer reviews in a simple and transparent way through the Safe Shop system, which we at eCommerce Croatia developed to address these very issues troubling our merchants,” Majsan said.
He also pointed out that the cart addition rate in Croatian eCommerce is twice as low as the global average, which clearly indicates a lack of trust. That’s precisely why eCommerce Croatia developed Safe Shop — a tool for safe online shopping on Croatian webshops. Merchants who meet the certification criteria can obtain a Trust Certificate, becoming officially recognized as a secure online store in the eyes of consumers. “The Safe Shop system also enables automatic collection of customer reviews, helping merchants focus on sales while maintaining transparent communication with their target audience,” Majsan added.
AI-Powered Growth Driving the eCommerce Engine
It’s no longer possible to talk about online commerce without mentioning artificial intelligence in the same sentence. Accordingly, many of the conference’s presentations, discussions, and workshops focused on AI tools and their application in eCommerce and marketing. The main sponsor of this year’s conference was Shipshape, the leading agency for advanced eCommerce solutions in Croatia, behind numerous major projects with both domestic and international clients.
“Pevex, Podravka, Makromikro, Optika Anda, and Oktal Pharma are just a few of our clients. The development of the eCommerce sector as part of the digital economy will certainly continue to be shaped by process automation supported by artificial intelligence. We discussed specific examples of this during our opening session at the conference,” said Ernest Antolović, Partner at Shipshape.
He added that, through their sponsorship, Shipshape aimed to actively support the industry’s development, encourage knowledge exchange among professionals, and strengthen collaboration between clients and eCommerce agencies. “We’re proud to share our years of experience with younger professionals and agencies in the market because, ultimately, our common goal is to deliver the best possible service to clients,” Antolović concluded.
Secure and Simple Payments Fuel the Future
In addition to AI-related topics in eCommerce and marketing, discussions across all three conference stages also covered logistics, payment systems, accounting, and legal updates. Ali Sallabi, Business Development Manager at Monri Payments, reflected on the company’s long-term partnership with eCommerce Croatia: “This year again, we are delighted to be one of the main partners of CRO Commerce — the leading eCommerce event in the region. For Monri, sponsoring this conference represents an opportunity to further strengthen collaboration with merchants and partners and to jointly promote the growth of digital payments in Croatia and beyond. We presented our key solutions that ensure secure and seamless payments, from advanced online payment gateway systems and POS devices to support for modern payment methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Click to Pay. Our goal is to provide a flawless user experience, regardless of the channel or device used by the customer,” Sallabi said.
As part of the conference program, Monri hosted a panel titled “Online Payments Made Easy: Collaboration Between Fintech and Financial Institutions”, moderated by Ana Piližota, Account Manager at Monri.
Sallabi emphasized that the company sees the future in solutions combining mobile applications that allow ordering and paying in a single step (the ‘order and pay’ concept), and in the growing use of digital wallets.
“Through continuous technological investment and partnerships, we help merchants offer their customers a payment experience that is fast, simple, and always aligned with their habits,” Sallabi concluded.
Networking and Collaboration Opportunities
The EXPO Zone was particularly lively, with over 30 exhibitors presenting their products and solutions throughout a full day of networking, collaboration, and idea exchange, offering participants opportunities for new business partnerships.
Among them was Dario Lučić, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for Slovenia and Croatia at DPD, which, like Monri, was a gold sponsor of the conference. “For us at DPD Croatia, sponsoring the CRO Commerce 2025 conference is both an honor and an opportunity to actively contribute to the development of the Croatian eCommerce ecosystem. As one of the leading logistics partners in the region and part of Geopost Group, the largest parcel delivery network in Europe, we recognize the importance of connecting merchants, logistics, and technology to create outstanding customer experiences,” Lučić said.
DPD presented the latest trends in eCommerce logistics and solutions shaping the future of delivery. The company emphasized that Croatia’s online market has matured — over 80% of citizens now shop online, and consumer focus is shifting from the lowest price toward value and quality of experience. In that context, Lučić noted that logistics and delivery flexibility have become key drivers of customer loyalty. “We also highlighted the importance of cross-border logistics, through which DPD helps Croatian merchants sell easily and safely across Europe via a network of more than 135,000 Pickup points. At the core of everything we do is our mission to provide fast, flexible, and sustainable delivery that builds trust and supports eCommerce growth,” said Lučić.
He added that as online shopping grows, the market focus is increasingly shifting toward personalized and sustainable delivery experiences. Consumers now want the freedom to choose where, when, and how to receive their packages. “That’s where DPD brings real value — through its Predict service and an extensive Pickup network, which allows parcel collection at over 1,600 locations in Croatia. As part of the Geopost Group, we also help Croatian merchants connect seamlessly with European markets and expand their businesses beyond borders. Our strategy is based on digitalization, innovation, and sustainability, and we believe the future of eCommerce lies in flexibility, transparency, and trust — values that DPD integrates into its operations every day,” Lučić concluded.
Education: A Key Investment for the Future
The keynote speaker at this year’s CRO Commerce conference was Ivan Bildi, founder of the Masterbox platform and AI enthusiast, who emphasized the growing importance of educating web merchants — not only to remain competitive but also to understand the broader dynamics shaping the industry. According to Bildi, AI is not just another tool — it’s a technology that is rewriting the rules in almost every aspect of business. “That’s why it’s crucial to start as soon as possible. Right now, while the industry is still in its early stages, tools are easy to use, and the learning curve is relatively gentle. In a year or two, when tools become more complex, integrations deeper, and market expectations higher, it will be much harder to catch up,” he said.
Besides this valuable contribution, the conference featured insights from numerous experts from Croatia and across the region, including Miroslav Varga (Escape), Marko Pačar (Granular Group), Ivan Radić (Apipet), and YouTube strategist Aleksandar Ašković.
The partners of the seventh CRO Commerce Conference (powered by Shipshape) included Monri, DPD, Lesnina,
VIVnetworks, Boxnow, euShipments, Marker, Seyfor, Plus hosting, Hero Factory, Selectbox, and many others.
As the eCommerce Association in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are especially proud to strengthen regional partnerships and connect with initiatives that share our mission — promoting growth, trust, and knowledge in online business.
See you next year in Zagreb at CRO Commerce!