Ioannis Kiskipelis is an award-winning eCommerce consultant and founder of UpCommerce – the first Skroutz Partner, as well as a Greek ambassador for the Balkan eCommerce Summit and active instructor/mentor. In this interview, he shares a practical playbook for Balkan brands entering Greece: how to approach Skroutz, when FBS makes sense, why locker delivery is rising, and which payment habits will drive conversions in 2026.
As a Brand Ambassador for the Balkan eCommerce Summit, how do you see your role in strengthening the community, and what value do you personally aim to bring in 2026?
This will be my 3rd year as an ambassador and I am really looking forward to it!
I am very glad to hear what you plan for this year and really excited to see how Balkan eCommerce summit evolves.
My role as an ambassador is dual. Firstly, to make the event popular among the Greek audience, and here I’m very glad to say that there is an increasing interest. More specifically, this year there will be a Greek team of ambassadors and we hope to have more Greek companies and attendees. The second aspect is to support Greek companies in expanding in the Balkan markets and companies from the region enter the Greek Market.
Always looking to expand my network, I will be there for anyone interested to discuss the Greek Market and also for anyone offering solutions in the region.
What’s new at UpCommerce this year that eCommerce operators in the region should know about?
UpCommerce is the first agency that became Skroutz Partner. We have helped more than 20 companies increase their Revenue and Profitability in the platform.
We have also consulted companies from the Balkan Region on how to enter the Greek market and supported them both on Skroutz and on their direct selling channels.
For brands entering Greece, what’s the most effective go-to-market playbook you’ve seen, especially around Skroutz?
Skroutz is the biggest Greek marketplace, recently expanded to Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus.
The first thing that merchants who are interested to join, must have in mind is that price is not the most crucial selling factor. Of course you have to be competitive, but you don’t need to be the cheapest in order to sell.
One of the most important factors is deliverability. In fact, 99% is required in order to be a pro seller.
Using Growth tools (like ads, deals, coins, price optimizer) is a must.
Speed is also a crucial factor, so for companies outside Greece the FBS (fulfilled by Skroutz) solution, is something they should look into.
For anyone interested in selling directly to Greece, last mile is a key factor. Locker delivery is increasing among the Greek market (Box Now is currently the leader). On top of that, clients prefer to have many delivery options. In terms of payment methods, cash on delivery is still here but decreasing, while “buy now pay later” solutions (Klarna and TBI) are increasing. Google Pay, Apple pay and Revolut pay also seem to gain more ground.
You wear multiple hats: consultant, founder, instructor, mentor. What’s one lesson you repeat to teams when performance stalls, and can you share a quick case where a small change unlocked meaningful revenue?
One of the most important things we discuss with our partners and I personally teach to my students is to keep calm, whether the performance stalls or goes super well. Panicking or being overjoyful can lead to wrong decisions. So knowing our numbers, understanding the market and staying calm is key in order to find the best solution.
A quick case study I can recall is when we chose a specific category of products that was considered “dead stock” (no sales for more than 60 days) and did a dedicated campaign from them.
Meet Ioannis at Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026
Thinking about entering the Greek market? Wondering how to make Skroutz work for your brand, or how to scale your existing presence?
Ioannis will be on-site, ready to share what’s actually working on the ground – from marketplace strategy and delivery options to payment trends and growth tools that drive real results.
Whether you’re a Balkan brand exploring Greece for the first time, a Greek company looking to expand regionally, or simply curious about cross-border opportunities – come find him. These conversations often turn into partnerships.
🎟️ Grab your ticket at balkanecommerce.com and be part of building stronger connections across the region.