As AI changes the way consumers search for products and make purchases, Cafe24 is sharing 2027 growth strategies for online businesses. Cafe24 said on Thursday it will hold the e-commerce conference 'Expand 2027' on Dec. 10 at the COEX Grand Ballroom in Seoul's Gangnam district.

At the event, the company plans to present its 2027 outlook and growth strategies based on accumulated data and operational know-how. An Bora (안보라), a PM on Cafe24's commerce platform team, will look at shopping changes in which AI searches for products and helps purchases, under the session titled 'Commerce changed by AI, a turbulent 2026'. Kwak Hyung-seok (곽형석), head of an overall team, will present ways to improve operational efficiency and secure new sales opportunities by using AI in a session titled 'The future of commerce in 2027, new growth strategies'. Immanuel (임마누엘), head of the Intelligent Experience Design Team, plans to share characteristics of brands that drive customer choice in 'What makes selected brands different?'.

Sessions covering business areas such as shopping mall operations and marketing, creator commerce and global sales will also be held. Participants can review execution plans by stage of brand growth, from customer acquisition and purchase conversion to operational efficiency and expanding overseas sales channels. Ran Almog, country manager at Global-e, will share ways for domestic brands to start direct overseas sales through their own online stores, reduce operational burdens and expand markets, based on a partnership with Cafe24.

Cafe24 and partner companies will operate nine booths for consultations on operations, marketing, logistics and overseas sales. Cafe24 will provide guidance on operational efficiency, marketing strategies and customer service outsourcing through its 'Enterprise' service, which integrates and manages overall shopping mall operations. The 'Creator Marketing' booth will cover creator collaborations and how to use YouTube Shopping, while the 'Daily Delivery' booth will address fast delivery and logistics efficiency. The 'Global' booth will cover overseas expansion and localisation strategies.

The 'K-Manufacturing Innovation' booth will provide guidance on building manufacturers' own brands and how to use 'Cafe24 manufacturer matching', while the 'Alibaba.com Sourcing' booth will cover sales strategies to reduce inventory burdens. Global-e will offer one-on-one consultations on local currencies and payments, advance duty calculations, overseas shipping and returns, and settlements. TikTok Korea will provide tailored advertising consulting on acquiring new customers and overseas expansion strategies for 'TikTok Shop', while tax firm SaveTax will provide guidance on tax bookkeeping and tax-saving measures.

Cafe24 CEO Lee Jae-seok (이재석) said it will become even more important in 2027 to have the capability to identify and execute new growth opportunities as AI reshapes consumption patterns and selling environments. He said Cafe24 will support online businesses in making concrete growth strategies for next year and executing them, based on technological capabilities and field experience built up while leading the commerce market.