QATestLab was thrilled to attend Shoptalk Europe 2025 in Barcelona — and the event went beyond expectations. Impeccable organization and an open, dialogue-first format set the tone, but it was the mix of structured meetings and unexpected, creative moments that made it truly stand out. What else we brought home? Read below. 

Event Peculiarities

Shoptalk Europe stands out for its unique meetup format, where retailers participate in scheduled meetings, creating a rare opportunity for business-focused conversations. The event also strongly emphasizes informal networking, with creative activities like games, sports, and lounge zones designed to spark authentic connections. Some companies took a fun and creative approach — from comic book-style photo zones to interactive booths that actively engaged the crowd. 

Another highlight was the rooftop networking format at side events, adding a relaxed and memorable twist to professional meetups. We attended two side events — one hosted by SEMrush, a marketing agency, and another by ZeoTap, which was directly connected to Shoptalk. Both offered a more relaxed setting for meaningful conversations and were a great addition to the main conference. 

Retail Trends and AI Overload

As a recent rule, AI dominated the floor, from customer engagement and personalized search to chat and voice bots or omnichannel solutions. The sheer number of similar AI features with minor variations was striking. While this reflects a booming market, it also raises a key insight: standing out through execution, not just functionality. 

One noticeable gap? Lack of focus on accessibility. Despite being a vital aspect of user experience and compliance, it was barely visible in booths or sessions — a missed opportunity for many. With the European Accessibility Act approaching, the topic should be among the major headlines. 

Business Pain Points and Retail Priorities

Across the board, exhibitors and attendees circled around the same core challenges:

• Scaling digital platforms.
• Driving hyper-personalized experiences.
• Maintaining consistent engagement across channels.
• Cutting operational costs without losing quality.

This validates the direction we're already heading in: delivering smart, cost-effective QA solutions that support efficiency and scalability across every stage of the e-commerce and retail products' lifecycle.

Where’s QA?

Although quality assurance wasn’t front and center, conversations with industry peers confirmed a growing demand for automation and smart testing practices. Particularly relevant were discussions around AI complexity, testing of voice/chatbots, and ensuring quality across omnichannel retail platforms. These echo what we’ve seen across our own client base — a shift toward scalable, integrated QA that keeps pace with rapid innovation.

“Retailers are pushing boundaries with AI, but we’re here to make sure those boundaries are stable,” said Valeria, QATestLab’s representative. “Reliable performance, accessibility, and seamless integration — these are things QA helps deliver.”

What We’re Taking Home

From this event, we’re doubling down on enhancing our AI-testing expertise and strengthening QA for chatbots, AI agents and omnichannel integrations. That’s what we’re currently working on. 

Above all, Shoptalk reminded us: retailers are the heart of this ecosystem, and our services must align with their evolving challenges. And we’re ready to face them.

Summing up

We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to the Shoptalk Europe 2025 organizers for hosting such an inspiring and well-executed event. It was an unforgettable experience — full of insights and fresh perspectives.

For us, it wasn’t just about showcasing what we do — it was about listening, learning, and understanding where the industry is heading. The insights we gathered will directly influence how we continue to shape our QA services for the evolving needs of retail and e-commerce tech.

And this is just one stop on our journey. More events are ahead, and we’d love to meet you there. Follow us on social media to stay in the loop and catch our team live at upcoming industry meetups.