The Balkan E‑Commerce Boom: How Gen Z Is Powering Europe’s Fastest‑Moving Digital Market

At Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026, Carmen Cureu, Market Research Director at Geopost, presented one of the most data-driven sessions of the event, focused on how Gen Z is accelerating the growth of eCommerce across the Balkans and reshaping consumer expectations faster than many brands realize.

The presentation was based on Geopost’s long-running “E-shopper Barometer” research, covering:

• 30,000+ e-shoppers across Europe
• 8,000+ respondents from Balkan markets

The lecture explored how Gen Z is no longer a future audience, but already the primary growth engine behind the region’s eCommerce expansion. 

Gen Z Is Driving Structural eCommerce Growth

One of the core findings shared during the session was that:

70% of Gen Z shoppers in the Balkans buy online regularly.

This figure has grown significantly from:

• 55% in 2019
  to:
• 70% in 2026

According to Carmen, this demonstrates that:

• eCommerce growth in the Balkans is no longer temporary
• Gen Z behavior is structurally transforming the market
• the region is accelerating rather than “catching up” to Western Europe

The research also showed that Gen Z shopping behavior in the Balkans is already very similar to Western European markets. 

Gen Z Is Pragmatic, Not Impulsive

The presentation challenged several stereotypes about younger consumers.

Contrary to common assumptions, Gen Z shoppers are not primarily impulsive buyers.

Instead, they are:

• highly pragmatic
• value-oriented
• price-conscious
• control-driven

The most important factors for them are:

• good value for money
• price transparency
• flexibility
• convenience

At the same time, shopping still needs to feel:

• fun
• social
• technologically enabled

Community Matters More Than Catalogs

A major insight from the lecture was that Gen Z relies more on:

communities than catalogs.

Their purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by:

• social media
• creators
• peers
• online communities
• recommendations

rather than traditional product discovery mechanisms.

Brands therefore need to become:

• socially present
• culturally relevant
• digitally integrated into Gen Z environments

“Know Me, But Don’t Stalk Me”

Another important theme was the delicate balance between:

• personalization
  and
• privacy

Gen Z expects brands to:

• understand their preferences
• personalize experiences
• simplify shopping

But they also strongly reject overly intrusive tracking or aggressive targeting.

As Carmen summarized:

Gen Z wants brands to know them – but not stalk them.

Physical Retail Still Matters

Despite being highly digital, Gen Z still values physical experiences.

The lecture emphasized that stores are evolving into:

• experience hubs
• pickup points
• return centers
• social environments

rather than purely transactional spaces.

According to the session:
the future store should feel more like:

“a Wi-Fi enabled living room”

than a traditional retail outlet.

Physical retail remains important because it offers:

• human interaction
• product discovery
• events
• tactile experiences
  that digital channels alone cannot fully replace.

Gen Z Already Has Purchasing Power

Another myth challenged during the session was the idea that Gen Z lacks spending power.

The research showed:

• over 80% already have stable income sources
• 42% still live with parents

This combination gives many younger consumers:

• relatively strong disposable income
• fewer fixed financial responsibilities

making them highly active online shoppers.

AI Should Reduce Mental Load – Not Replace Humans

The lecture also explored Gen Z attitudes toward AI.

According to the findings:
Gen Z is open to AI support, but does not want AI to fully replace human decision-making.

Instead, they expect AI to:

• simplify shopping
• reduce mental effort
• improve convenience
• remove friction

Carmen explained that younger consumers still want to stay in control while allowing AI to assist the process.

Shopping Is Becoming More Frustrating

One surprising finding from the study was that:
only 57% of Gen Z shoppers in the Balkans consider online shopping easy.

This percentage has been declining over recent years.

The reason:
consumer expectations are evolving faster than many digital experiences.

Main friction points include:

• slow websites
• technical issues
• poor checkout experiences
• payment failures
• unavailable support

Website Speed and Reliability Are Now Growth Drivers

The lecture stressed that technical performance is no longer just a “hygiene factor.”

In the AI era:

• fast websites
• stable checkout
• frictionless UX
• technical reliability

have become:

direct growth levers.

Brands failing to deliver smooth digital experiences risk losing customers permanently.

Instant Support Is Critical

Nearly 8 out of 10 Gen Z shoppers expect:

immediate customer support.

Not in:

• hours
  or
• later today

but:

instantly.

Preferred support channels include:

• email
• phone
• chatbots
• social media messaging

The session highlighted that support increasingly needs to exist directly inside the platforms where users already spend time.

The Winning Formula: AI + Human Empathy

Carmen emphasized that the future customer experience is neither fully automated nor fully human.

Instead, successful brands will combine:

• AI-driven efficiency
  with
• human empathy

Gen Z expects:

• speed
• automation
• convenience
  but still values:
• emotional understanding
• real support
• human connection

Delivery Experience Is Becoming Part of Brand Identity

One of the strongest sections of the presentation focused on delivery and logistics.

Gen Z shoppers increasingly expect:

• control
• visibility
• flexibility

They want:

• multiple delivery options
• real-time parcel tracking
• the ability to modify delivery slots
• the ability to change delivery locations dynamically

Interestingly, speed itself is no longer the top priority.

Instead:

visibility and flexibility matter more than ultra-fast delivery.

Parcel Lockers Are Growing Rapidly

The lecture revealed that:

40% of Gen Z shoppers in the Balkans prefer parcel lockers.

This is significantly higher than in many Western European markets.

Reasons include:

• convenience
• flexibility
• independence
• privacy

Carmen humorously noted that because many Gen Z consumers still live with parents:
parcel lockers also provide:

“intimacy”

for purchases they may not want delivered directly home.

Delivery Providers Influence Brand Trust

A particularly important finding was that:

82% of Gen Z shoppers want to know at checkout who will deliver their parcel.

This means logistics providers are no longer invisible infrastructure.

Instead:
delivery experience directly impacts:

• trust
• perception
• brand loyalty
• customer satisfaction

According to Carmen:
brands should stop viewing carriers only as a cost center and instead treat them as:

part of their brand equity.

Key Takeaways from the Session

The lecture highlighted several major shifts shaping Balkan eCommerce:

Gen Z is already the primary growth driver of eCommerce in the Balkans
the region is accelerating rather than catching up to Western Europe
younger shoppers are pragmatic and value-oriented rather than purely impulsive
community influence matters more than traditional catalogs
personalization must exist without becoming intrusive
physical retail still plays an important experiential role
Gen Z already has strong purchasing power
AI should simplify shopping rather than replace customer control
technical performance is becoming a competitive advantage
instant customer support is increasingly expected
the future experience combines AI efficiency with human empathy
delivery flexibility matters more than extreme delivery speed
parcel lockers are becoming a preferred delivery channel
logistics providers now directly shape brand perception and trust

The overall conclusion of the session was that Gen Z is no longer an emerging audience for Balkan eCommerce – it is already defining how digital commerce, customer experience, logistics, and brand expectations evolve across the region today.