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Google Shopping Is Coming to South-Eastern Europe.

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Market News / Google Shopping Expansion

Google Shopping Is Coming to South-Eastern Europe. What Ecommerce Teams Should Prepare Now.

A new wave of Shopping Ads markets is opening in EMEA. For brands selling cross-border, the opportunity is not only media access. It is a readiness test for product feeds, pricing, local language, delivery promises and customer operations.

Latest update: September 2026Focus: market entry, product feeds, localization, shipping

Google Shopping Ads are moving into additional South-Eastern and EMEA markets. The brands that benefit earliest will be the ones that prepare the commercial and operational layer before the auctions become crowded.

What is changing?

According to market rollout summaries published by commerce advertising providers, Google is adding Shopping Ads in 15 new EMEA markets. One timeline describes 14 markets launching in September 2026, with Slovenia and expanded local-language feed support following in March 2027. Shoparize, 15 new Google Shopping markets

For South-Eastern Europe, the most practical point is this: markets such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia are becoming more accessible through Google Shopping. A separate Bulgaria-focused update also reports that Google Shopping Ads are expected to start in Bulgaria in September 2026, initially with English feed support and Bulgarian-language support planned for March 2027. CSS Partner, Bulgaria launch update

The rollout is not just an ads update

For international ecommerce teams, access to a new ad channel is only one part of the story. Google Shopping performance depends heavily on product data quality, localized commercial logic and reliable fulfillment information. If the product feed says one thing and the checkout, warehouse or courier process says another, the campaign will not scale cleanly.

This is especially important in cross border ecommerce. A new market can look easy from a dashboard, but buyers still compare delivery time, currency, returns, trust signals, customer service language and product information before they purchase.

Key markets to watch

BulgariaSep 2026
CroatiaSep 2026
SerbiaSep 2026
Bosnia and HerzegovinaSep 2026
MontenegroSep 2026
SloveniaMar 2027

The September phase matters because early participation can give merchants time to collect market data before local-language feed support expands in 2027. The March phase matters because it shifts the work from “being present” to being properly localized.

Two deadlines, two types of preparation

September 2026

Launch readiness. Prepare product feeds in the supported launch language, confirm Merchant Center settings, verify pricing, and make sure shipping costs and delivery times are accurate for each market.

March 2027

Localization readiness. For markets moving from English-first support to local-language feeds, prepare native product titles, descriptions, attributes and category logic before local search demand opens further.

What ecommerce teams should fix before launch

  • 1
    Product feed qualityClean product titles, complete attributes, correct GTINs, strong images and market-specific categories matter more when a market is new and auction signals are still developing.
  • 2
    Local pricing and currency logicConverted prices are not the same as localized prices. Teams should review rounding, VAT, margins, promotions and local price expectations before launching.
  • 3
    Shipping promisesGoogle Shopping traffic can break trust quickly if delivery conditions are unclear. Ecommerce international shipping data should match the real courier setup, delivery time and checkout cost.
  • 4
    Returns and customer serviceNew traffic creates new questions. Brands should prepare local customer care scripts, returns information and escalation rules before orders start coming in.
  • 5
    Market-specific localizationMachine-translated product data may be enough to publish a feed, but it rarely builds buyer confidence. Native language review becomes more important as local-language feeds arrive.

The early advantage will not belong only to the first advertiser in the auction. It will belong to the first operator ready to sell locally.

Why Bulgaria deserves special attention

Bulgaria is one of the clearest South-Eastern European signals in the rollout. The Bulgaria-focused update points to strong ecommerce growth, mobile commerce momentum and the practical importance of delivery communication for cross-border sellers. CSS Partner, Bulgaria launch update

For brands already considering CEE or Balkan expansion, Bulgaria can be treated as a test market for the full operating model: feed localization, local delivery expectations, customer support, returns management and cross border logistics. The market entry question is not only “Can we run ads?” It is “Can we convert and serve the demand once it arrives?”

CrossBorder24 perspective

Google Shopping expansion gives ecommerce brands a new route into South-Eastern Europe, but advertising cannot replace operational readiness. Product feed localization, customer trust, shipping accuracy and after-sales support decide whether the traffic turns into profitable international ecommerce growth.

For teams preparing for the rollout, the smartest move is to connect marketing, logistics, customer care and localization before launch. That way, every market opens with a complete sales path instead of a disconnected campaign.

Sources

Planning South-Eastern Europe?

Turn new Shopping visibility into a local operating model.

CrossBorder24 helps ecommerce teams prepare market entry, localization, customer care, shipping and returns workflows before demand arrives.

Plan Your Expansion
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AI in Customer Service

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Customer Care & Sales / AI Operations

AI in Customer Service: Why Ecommerce Brands Need a Hybrid Support Model

AI can speed up ecommerce customer care, but trust still depends on clear escalation, native consultants and human judgment where the conversation really matters.

Latest update: July 2026Focus: AI customer service, native support, cross-border ecommerce

AI is becoming part of ecommerce customer service, but automation alone does not create trust. The stronger model combines AI efficiency with native human support.

Consumers are interested in AI, but trust is still fragile

AI shopping assistants are no longer a future concept. They already help consumers compare products, summarize information and navigate ecommerce choices. But consumer trust is still developing.

ECDB reports that 56 percent of Central European respondents are neutral or undecided about AI shopping assistants, while 22 percent view them positively and 21 percent negatively. That makes the market open, but cautious. ECDB, consumer trust in AI shopping assistants

The distinction is important: shoppers may welcome AI when it supports research and product discovery. The trust barrier becomes higher when AI becomes the only point of contact for payment questions, complaints, delivery issues or returns.

Bad automation can hurt revenue

For ecommerce teams, the risk is not AI itself. The risk is poor implementation. Polish business media recently reported that nearly 6 in 10 internet users had abandoned an online purchase because a chatbot or automated support system could not solve their problem. wGospodarce.pl

This is especially relevant for cross-border ecommerce. A customer buying from an international brand may already have questions about delivery, returns, language, trust, warranty or local expectations. If the support flow blocks human help, the brand can lose confidence quickly.

The AI Act makes transparency part of customer experience

AI in customer communication is also becoming more formalized. Daktela’s summary of the EU AI Act highlights a practical requirement for customer communication: when customers interact with AI, they should know it. Daktela, AI Act and customer communication

For most customer-service use cases, AI tools will often sit in lower-risk or limited-risk areas. That does not remove responsibility. Businesses using AI in chatbots, voicebots, email automation, conversation summaries or response suggestions should think about transparency, human oversight, monitoring and staff training.

Why cross-border ecommerce needs a hybrid support model

In international ecommerce, customer service is part of localization. The same question can require a different tone, level of reassurance or operational answer depending on the market.

A hybrid model uses AI for speed and structure, while native consultants remain responsible for complex cases, escalation, sensitive situations and commercial opportunities. It keeps the cost benefits of automation without removing the human layer that protects trust.

  1. 1
    AI handles structure and speedAI can classify incoming requests, detect intent, summarize previous conversations, prepare draft replies, route tickets and resolve simple repetitive cases such as order status or basic return instructions.
  2. 2
    Native consultants protect qualityLocal-language consultants remain available for complaints, complex delivery problems, return exceptions, product questions, B2B opportunities and conversations that require empathy or market knowledge.
  3. 3
    The system improves over timeAs more tickets are categorized and solved, the knowledge base becomes stronger. More routine contacts can be automated, while consultants spend more time on interactions that influence conversion and retention.

The best use of AI is often behind the scenes

Many brands think about AI mainly as a visible chatbot. That is only one layer. Some of the highest-value use cases happen inside the customer-care operation: summarizing long email threads, detecting urgency, preparing suggested answers and routing cases to the right market team.

This lets ecommerce teams scale faster response times without forcing every customer into fully automated support. The customer gets a clearer answer. The consultant gets better context. The brand gets a more consistent international support process.

What ecommerce teams should avoid

No escalation trap

Do not hide human support behind too many automated steps when the case is urgent, emotional or complex.

No generic language

Do not rely on machine translation alone where local tone, customer expectations and sales nuance matter.

No cost-only metric

Measure resolution, conversion, retention and customer trust, not only ticket deflection.

Bottom line

AI is becoming a standard part of ecommerce customer service, but customer trust is not automatic. Shoppers are open to AI when it helps them find information, compare options or solve simple questions. They become frustrated when automation blocks them from getting a real answer.

For ecommerce brands expanding across Europe, the right question is no longer whether to use AI in customer care. The better question is where AI should support the process, and where native human consultants should stay in control.

Sources

Need scalable native customer care?

Combine AI efficiency with local human support.

CrossBorder24 helps ecommerce teams build multilingual customer-care workflows where automation improves speed and native consultants protect quality.

Plan Your Support Model
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EU PPWR Packaging Rules Start Applying in August 2026

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Regulatory Watch / Packaging Compliance

EU PPWR Packaging Rules Start Applying in August 2026. What Ecommerce Teams Need to Fix.

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is not only an environmental law. For cross border ecommerce, it changes packaging documentation, shipping-space discipline, food-contact materials, EPR responsibility and future labelling workflows.

Latest update: July 2026Focus: PPWR, EPR, ecommerce packaging, cross-border logistics

From 12 August 2026, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation becomes a practical operating issue for ecommerce teams placing packaged goods on the EU market.

What is PPWR?

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste, commonly called PPWR, entered into force on 11 February 2025 and will generally apply from 12 August 2026. The European Commission says the Regulation covers all packaging and packaging waste regardless of material or origin, and sets requirements for manufacturing, composition, reusability, recoverability, waste management and prevention. European Commission, Packaging Waste

For international ecommerce and cross border logistics teams, this is not a narrow packaging-manufacturer issue. Packaging compliance now sits closer to product data, supplier control, warehouse packing rules, courier flows, return labels and Extended Producer Responsibility in each EU market.

The operational changes ecommerce teams should prepare for

  1. 1
    Producer responsibility becomes harder to outsourceThe Commission guidance explains that the producer of packaging depends on the type of packaging, the Member State where it is made available, and whether the packaged product is made available for consumption there. For online sales, offering a product directly to an end user is considered making packaging available in that end user’s Member State. Commission PPWR guidance
  2. 2
    Documentation and conformity become part of packaging dataManufacturers are responsible for placing compliant packaging on the market. The Commission guidance states that the EU declaration of conformity must be drafted by the manufacturer based on supplier information and documentation, and that the manufacturer bears legal responsibility for packaging compliance. Commission PPWR guidance
  3. 3
    The end of shipping airFor grouped, transport and ecommerce packaging, Article 24 introduces a maximum empty-space ratio of 50 percent. The Commission guidance confirms that this applies to grouped, transport and ecommerce packaging and is to be complied with by the person using or filling that packaging. Commission PPWR guidance
  4. 4
    PFAS limits for food-contact packagingFrom 12 August 2026, food-contact packaging cannot be placed on the market if PFAS concentrations meet or exceed specified thresholds, including 25 ppb for any targeted PFAS, 250 ppb for the sum of targeted PFAS, and 50 ppm for PFAS measured through total fluorine. Commission PPWR guidance
  5. 5
    Single-use packaging restrictions are coming, but not all on day oneThe European Commission lists restrictions on certain single-use plastics, including individual portions or sachets of condiments and sauces, as part of the PPWR framework. The detailed guidance also confirms that several bans under Article 25 and Annex V apply from 1 January 2030, so teams should separate the August 2026 workstream from later phase-outs. European Commission, Packaging Waste
  6. 6
    Labelling is moving toward a harmonised EU systemThe Commission guidance says waste-sorting labels and reusable-packaging labels will be mandatory, with specifications to be established through implementing acts. For ecommerce, packaging information may need to be managed consistently across product pages, warehouse labels and market-specific customer communications. Commission PPWR guidance

Why this matters for ecommerce operations

The PPWR creates a direct connection between ecommerce compliance and day-to-day fulfillment. A cross border ecommerce team may need to know who is the producer in each market, what packaging material is used, whether documentation is available, whether a warehouse is overpacking, and whether return flows create additional packaging waste.

This is where international ecommerce teams often underestimate the change. PPWR does not stop at the legal department. It touches product onboarding, supplier documentation, packaging procurement, fulfillment SOPs, ecommerce international shipping, returns management and customer-facing recycling instructions.

What to audit before 12 August 2026

Packaging data

Map packaging formats, materials, suppliers, documentation owners and market-level EPR registrations.

Warehouse packing

Review carton selection, filler use, package dimensions and empty-space ratios for ecommerce orders.

Market rollout

Align compliance checks with local customer service, cross border logistics and international returns management.

Bottom line

PPWR is a packaging regulation, but the execution challenge is operational. Ecommerce teams selling across Europe should treat the August 2026 deadline as a packaging-data and fulfillment-readiness project, not only a sustainability update.

Sources

Need a packaging compliance operating layer?

Turn PPWR into a practical ecommerce workflow.

CrossBorder24 helps international ecommerce teams align packaging data, fulfillment, returns, customer care and local compliance workflows for European markets.

Plan Your Expansion
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The EU Withdrawal Button Is Now Mandatory

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Regulatory Watch / EU Ecommerce Compliance

The EU Withdrawal Button Is Now Mandatory. Is Your Store Ready?

From 19 June 2026, ecommerce stores selling to EU consumers need a clear online withdrawal function. This is not just a legal page update. It is a website, checkout, returns and customer-service workflow change.

Latest update: July 2026Focus: EU consumer rights, returns, packaging

EU Directive 2023/2673 changes the practical standard for consumer withdrawals online: withdrawing from a distance purchase must be as easy as concluding it.

What changed on 19 June 2026?

Directive (EU) 2023/2673 amended the EU Consumer Rights Directive and introduced a dedicated withdrawal function for distance contracts concluded through an online interface. The consolidated Consumer Rights Directive now states that where a trader allows distance contracts through a website or app, the trader must ensure that the consumer can withdraw by using a clearly labelled online function. EUR-Lex, Article 11a

For ecommerce teams, that means the classic setup is no longer enough: a return policy hidden in Terms & Conditions, a downloadable PDF, or a support inbox is not the same as a dedicated digital workflow. If your cross border ecommerce store sells B2C to EU consumers, the withdrawal path needs to be visible, usable and documented.

The five mandatory technical rules

The rule should be treated as an operations package. The legal text points to a function that is easy to find, continuously available during the withdrawal period, clearly visible, followed by a confirmation step, and acknowledged on a durable medium without undue delay. Directive (EU) 2023/2673, recital 37

  1. 1
    A clear, always-visible entry pointThe store should include an unambiguous button or link such as „Withdraw from contract here”. It should be easy to access during the full withdrawal period, not buried deep in legal text.
  2. 2
    No login wall for guest buyersIf a customer bought as a guest, they should not be forced to create an account simply to exercise the right of withdrawal. The function should work for both logged-in and guest checkouts.
  3. 3
    A simple data formThe form should collect only the information needed to identify the purchase: name, order reference, email and, where needed, the goods or service concerned. It should not turn into a complaint investigation before the withdrawal is logged.
  4. 4
    Two-step confirmationThe consumer should actively confirm the withdrawal after submitting the initial information. This protects against accidental clicks while keeping the workflow digital and immediate.
  5. 5
    Automatic, timestamped receiptOnce confirmed, the store should send an acknowledgement on a durable medium without undue delay. In practice, ecommerce teams should send an automatic email with a timestamp and order reference.

Who does this apply to?

The practical test is not where your company is headquartered. The relevant question is whether you sell to EU consumers through an online interface. This makes the rule important for international ecommerce brands, marketplaces and DTC stores selling cross-border into the EU.

Location

Non-EU sellers can still be affected when targeting or serving EU consumers.

B2C focus

Pure B2B sales remain outside the consumer withdrawal framework.

Product coverage

Physical goods, services and digital content can be covered, subject to standard consumer-rights exemptions.

The cost of getting this wrong

The most dangerous risk is operational, not just regulatory. Under the Consumer Rights Directive, where required withdrawal information is missing, the withdrawal period can expire as late as 12 months and 14 days after the original withdrawal period would have ended. EUR-Lex, Article 10

National consumer-protection authorities can also enforce the rule through domestic penalty systems. For serious cross-border consumer law infringements, EU consumer-protection enforcement rules require Member States to have effective penalties, with maximum fines that can reach at least 4 percent of annual turnover in the relevant Member State or Member States. Directive (EU) 2019/2161, penalties framework

Why this is also a returns and customer-service issue

The withdrawal function is not only a legal checkbox. It touches international returns management, order history, guest checkout, customer support scripts, refund triggers, warehouse workflows and cross border logistics. A store can add a button quickly, but compliance fails if the back-office process does not log, confirm and route the withdrawal correctly.

For international ecommerce teams, the safest implementation is to connect the withdrawal function with returns management, customer service and fulfillment. That way the shopper receives a compliant receipt, the team receives a structured case, and the warehouse or courier process has the information needed to act.

Second change to watch: Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste entered into force on 11 February 2025, with most rules applying from 12 August 2026. The European Commission describes the new framework as a single set of EU rules that covers the full packaging life cycle. European Commission, Packaging Waste

For ecommerce sellers, the immediate operational angle is packaging design, packaging data, supplier documentation and extended producer responsibility. The Commission highlights objectives including reducing packaging waste, promoting high-quality recycling and making packaging placed on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030. EUR-Lex summary, Packaging and Packaging Waste from 2026

The practical conclusion: if you are updating the store for the withdrawal button, use the same project window to review packaging compliance, return labels, shipping flows and fulfillment data. EU ecommerce compliance is becoming more operational, more technical and more visible to customers.

Action checklist for ecommerce teams

  • Map every place where a customer can access order details: account, guest lookup, confirmation email and footer.
  • Add a visible withdrawal function with a clear label and a second confirmation step.
  • Make sure guest checkout users can submit a withdrawal without account creation.
  • Send an automatic email receipt with timestamp, order reference and submitted details.
  • Connect the request to customer support, refunds, warehouse and international returns management.
  • Review PPWR packaging obligations before August 2026, especially for cross-border ecommerce operations.

Bottom line

The EU withdrawal button is a small interface element with large operational consequences. For ecommerce stores selling into the EU, the safest approach is not to treat it as a legal-page update. Treat it as a compliance workflow connecting checkout, customer support, returns, logistics and packaging readiness.

Sources

Need an EU compliance operating layer?

Turn regulatory changes into a working ecommerce process.

CrossBorder24 helps international ecommerce teams align localization, customer service, returns, fulfillment and compliance workflows for European markets.

Plan Your Expansion
case-study-horeca-featured

How Full Localization Tripled B2B HoReCa Revenue to EUR 100k in One Month

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Case Study / HoReCa B2B Expansion

How Full Localization Tripled B2B HoReCa Revenue to EUR 100k in One Month

A European HoReCa furniture manufacturer scaled across Romania and Hungary through native sales, local infrastructure, curated targeting, and premium offline outreach.

Book Your Free Expansion Strategy Session
3xB2B sales value increase
EUR 100kNet revenue in April 2026
88Targeted businesses onboarded
3Markets in the validated model

The Cross-Border Trap

Foreign buyers become local buyers when the sales mindset changes.

Many B2B companies translate their offer, launch ads, list products on marketplaces, and expect foreign buyers to behave like domestic customers. In competitive European markets, growth starts when a domestic sales mindset is replaced with native trust, local sales presence, and operational credibility.

  • Competitive Romanian and Hungarian HoReCa markets
  • Need for high-volume B2B buyers, not generic traffic
  • Limited impact from standard export tactics
  • Demand for local trust, local follow-up, and local logistics

The Strategy

From standard export to a native market footprint.

CrossBorder24 built a complete localized infrastructure around the client, combining operational outsourcing, curated B2B targeting, native sales calls, and premium physical mailings.

1

Total Infrastructure Outsourcing

Native customer service teams, local physical business addresses, optimized regional couriers, and dedicated B2B sales support.

2

Precision B2B Targeting

A focused database of large event hotels, conference centers, and catering supply rental companies replaced broad, low-intent outreach.

3

Physical Mail in a Digital Age

Premium printed catalogs and private letters were sent directly to local general managers and purchasing directors.

Local Execution

Native sales turned market entry into measurable pipeline.

Rather than relying solely on eMAG, marketplaces, or paid advertising, CrossBorder24 initiated direct native outreach. In the first two weeks alone, a Romanian sales representative built calling and tracking systems, then onboarded 88 targeted businesses as the April growth timeline accelerated.

The client gave local market experts freedom to lead strategic initiatives, while the pay-by-result model aligned CrossBorder24 incentives directly with revenue growth.

The breakthrough came from acting local: local address, local voice, local follow-up, and local commercial discipline.

CrossBorder24 expansion team

Exceptional Milestones

Targeted digital marketing, direct native sales, and premium catalog distribution unlocked rapid B2B growth.

EUR 100kCombined net revenue across Romania and Hungary in April 2026
3xIncrease in total B2B sales value
88Targeted businesses onboarded
BGValidated model now duplicated for Bulgaria

Why It Worked

International B2B scale needs more than translated content.

CrossBorder24 replaced fragmented export activity with a local operating layer designed to build trust, accelerate conversations, and close higher-value opportunities.

Native conversations instead of generic export outreach
Curated B2B targeting instead of broad advertising
Local infrastructure instead of distant fulfillment signals
Premium printed catalogs used as a trust-building asset
Direct calling and tracking systems for measurable execution
Performance model aligned with the client revenue outcome

SEO Insight

B2B sales outsourcing and ecommerce localization created a local buying experience.

The project succeeded because CrossBorder24 did not treat Romania and Hungary as simple export destinations. The client received a local operating layer designed for cross-border ecommerce growth, B2B sales outsourcing, native communication, customer support and practical market execution.

B2B sales outsourcing for CEE market entry

Instead of hiring separate in-house sales teams, the manufacturer used CrossBorder24 as a performance-driven B2B sales outsourcing partner. Native sales representatives contacted high-value HoReCa buyers, handled follow-up, tracked conversations and turned market entry into a measurable sales pipeline.

Ecommerce localization beyond translated content

The local strategy covered much more than language. Ecommerce localization included Romanian and Hungarian buyer expectations, regional sales habits, local addresses, native customer service and communication that made the brand feel present in the market.

Cross-border logistics and fulfillment signals

For B2B buyers, reliable delivery and post-purchase clarity are part of the sales argument. Optimized regional couriers, local business details and ecommerce fulfillment Europe readiness helped reduce risk for hotels, event venues and catering supply rental companies.

Multilingual customer support for high-value buyers

Native customer service made conversations faster and more credible. Decision-makers could ask practical questions in their own language, while CrossBorder24 kept sales, service and operational follow-up connected across the expansion process.

Organic Growth Angle

Why this case study matters for international ecommerce services.

Companies searching for international ecommerce services often compare agencies, logistics partners, marketplaces and local sales options separately. This project shows why cross-border ecommerce growth is strongest when sales, localization, customer support and logistics are planned as one operating model.

The client did not need more generic traffic. They needed qualified B2B buyers, native trust and local execution. By combining curated targeting with physical catalogs, direct calling and local infrastructure, CrossBorder24 helped the brand convert expansion activity into revenue instead of isolated marketing tasks.

This cross border ecommerce model can be adapted for other European markets where buyer confidence depends on local presence, fast communication, regional delivery options, cross border logistics and a clear commercial process.

FAQ

Questions companies ask before cross-border ecommerce expansion.

How does B2B sales outsourcing support cross-border ecommerce growth?

B2B sales outsourcing gives international ecommerce brands a local sales process without building a full in-house team in every market. In this case study, CrossBorder24 combined native outreach, calling systems, local follow-up and sales tracking to convert targeted HoReCa buyers in Romania and Hungary.

What is ecommerce localization beyond translation?

Ecommerce localization goes beyond translated content. It includes local customer service, market-specific buyer communication, local addresses, courier setup, commercial follow-up and trust signals that make foreign buyers feel they are working with a local partner.

Why are local customer support and logistics important in CEE expansion?

Local customer support and cross-border logistics reduce friction for buyers who need fast answers, reliable delivery and clear post-purchase communication. For B2B buyers, these signals can matter as much as product pricing.

Ready for CEE expansion?

Unlock international B2B scale without the overhead.

Do not let operational boundaries limit your market share. Contact CrossBorder24 today to receive a customized expansion roadmap for the CEE region.

Marcin Pondo
Book Your Free Expansion Strategy Session