In recent years, the Polish retail landscape has undergone rapid transformation. Mobile apps, loyalty programs, and digital marketplaces are no longer optional add-ons; they have become the backbone of nearly every major brand’s strategy. As consumption rises and customers become more digitally savvy and price-sensitive, Poland is emerging as a fascinating testing ground for omnichannel innovation.

To better understand what’s next, we sat down with Wojciech Szwajkiewicz, the CEO of Droids On Roids. He shared his perspective on how mobile technology is changing retail, how companies like Droids On Roids and Apadmi are adding value, and what excites him most about the future.

Digital reshaping the Polish market

What used to be a nice-to-have – like a mobile app or a loyalty program – has now become the backbone of nearly every retail brand strategy.

E-commerce in Poland has grown rapidly, from around 83 billion PLN in 2022 to a projected nearly 200 billion PLN by 2028. Yet unlike in other markets, this growth hasn’t come at the expense of physical retail. Instead, online and offline are thriving side by side.

You might also like: 5 Transformative Use Cases of Computer Vision in Retail

Polish consumers are highly omnichannel-oriented. A quarter of them plan to increase their online spending, yet they still love visiting physical stores. This presents a challenge for brands: rather than replacing stores with digital alternatives, they must enhance them with the right mobile features, such as personalized apps, loyalty programs, and mobile-first checkout experiences.

Retailers are leaning into gamified engagement, real-time promotions, and app-based purchasing. These aren’t gimmicks; they are critical to earning attention and loyalty in a crowded market.

Where mobile adds real value

Mobile is not just changing how companies sell – it’s changing how they operate.

Wojciech points out that this shift is not limited to customer-facing apps. Internal tools for employee engagement, communication, and productivity are also transitioning to a mobile-first approach.

Droids On Roids, in collaboration with Apadmi, is working across multiple sectors:

  • Fashion & retail: CCC’s mobile app, now with over 10 million downloads, has gone from being just a shopping channel to becoming the primary digital sales driver for the brand.
  • Health & beauty, food & beverage, electronics: Mobile helps brands connect directly with consumers, scale efficiently, and offer personalized experiences.

When done right, mobile becomes a competitive advantage – one that’s very hard to copy.

Looking ahead: Experience commerce

For years, we talked about e-commerce and in-store as separate worlds. But now those lines are blurring, and it’s mobile that ties them together.

The future of Polish retail lies in experience commerce, where every touchpoint – from browsing at home to checking prices in-store to purchasing through an app – feels like part of the same journey.

Mobile technology is central to this evolution. The smartphone is the one device that accompanies customers throughout their journey:

  • Browsing at home.
  • Comparing products in-store.
  • Scanning items on the shelf.
  • Receiving real-time, personalized offers.
  • Completing checkout seamlessly.

Behind the scenes, retailers are beginning to integrate mobile technology into their core operations. This includes logistics, tools for store staff, analytics, ecommerce app development services, and AI models powered by real-time customer behavior.

As Wojciech explains, the goal is not to replace physical stores but to perfect them – making every channel work toward the same outcome: a seamless, engaging customer experience.

Conclusion: Mobile is the glue between physical and digital retail

Poland’s retail landscape is no longer a story of online versus offline. It’s becoming a space where both worlds thrive, powered by consumers who expect choice, flexibility, and seamless experiences. 

Mobile technology doesn’t just enable transactions; it stitches together the entire journey. It connects shoppers with brands before they enter the store, personalizes their experience while they’re browsing, and continues to add value long after checkout. For businesses, it’s equally transformative – aligning operations, data, and customer engagement into one ecosystem.

That’s why mobile isn’t just another channel. As Wojciech put it:

Mobile is finally becoming the glue between the physical and the digital. It doesn’t replace the store – it perfects it.

And as Polish consumers continue to embrace this shift, retailers who put mobile tech at the heart of their strategy will define what experience commerce looks like in the years ahead.