Manchester Digital: Ecom 26

Building on last year’s momentum, the 2026 edition of Manchester Digital's Ecom will bring together retailers, brands, digital leaders, agencies and tech innovators to explore the ideas, tools and shifts shaping the future of commerce.

MD Ecom 26 is the largest senior ecommerce conference in the North West, bringing together leaders and decision-makers from retail, DTC, platforms and digital teams to explore how commerce is being reshaped in real time.

This is not a hype-led AI event. It’s a conversation about what’s actually changing, and what to do about it.

Why attend?

Ecommerce leaders are facing a fundamental shift:

• Customer journeys are fragmenting across AI, social, search and marketplaces
• Decision-making is becoming increasingly automated and agent-led
• Margins are under pressure, while expectations around speed, trust and experience continue to rise
• Teams are being asked to do more with less, without losing control

MD Ecom 26 is designed to help senior leaders make sense of this complexity — with practical insight, honest discussion and peer-led perspectives.

Who is this event for?

MD Ecom 26 is curated for senior professionals only, including:

• C-suite, Directors and Heads of Ecommerce
• Heads of Digital, Growth, Performance and Operations
• Senior Product, Platform and Technology leaders
• Ecommerce leaders from retail, DTC, marketplaces and platforms

We deliberately avoid sales-led content and junior-heavy audiences to keep conversations strategic, relevant and valuable.

Key themes for 2026

Agentic & Autonomous Commerce What happens when AI systems don’t just assist — but act?

AI-led buying & invisible checkout How decision-making, conversion and purchase are shifting out of traditional funnels.

Productivity, operations & efficiency Using technology to scale teams, platforms and processes without increasing complexity.

Trust, risk & resilience Fraud, compliance, accessibility and control as automation accelerates.

Social & off-site commerce What breaks when journeys move away from owned channels — and how to adapt.