MD Ecom 26

Our annual ecommerce conference brings together the retailers, brands, agencies & tech leaders driving this exciting sector.

About this Event

MD Ecom 26

Agentic, Autonomous & Everywhere

26 March 2026 | Manchester | Sister (Bruntwood SciTech)

Building on last year’s momentum, the 2026 edition 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.

What makes MD Ecom different?

• Senior-only audience — no sales floor, no recruitment pitches
• Curated speakers from leading retailers, platforms and tech organisations
• Panels and discussions shaped around real challenges, not product demos
• Meaningful networking with people who actually make decisions
• Hosted by Manchester Digital, the industry body for digital and ecommerce in the North West

Confirmed speakers & brands (with more to be announced)

Speakers and contributors include leaders from organisations such as:

• Regatta
• The Very Group
• THG
• White Stores
• Protein Works
• EGO
• Bet365
• Nexa
• PushON

(Full agenda and additional speakers to be announced.)

Venue

Sister, Manchester

A flagship Bruntwood SciTech space in the heart of the city — designed for collaboration, conversation and modern tech events.

Tickets

Tickets are limited to maintain audience quality and seniority.

If you’re responsible for growth, performance, platforms or profitability in ecommerce, MD Ecom 26 is your room.

📅 Date: Thursday 26th March 2026

🕒 Time: 10:00am-5pm (registration & refreshments from 09:30am)

📍 Location: Manchester City Centre

💷 Price: Manchester Digital members - Free (4 x tickets per company) via a special code please check your emails/newsletters or speak to your Community Manager to access.

Super Early Bird - £30 (until 31st December 2025)

Early Bird - £40 (until 31st January 2026)

General Admission - £50

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At Manchester Digital, we believe in creating an inclusive and diverse community where everyone feels welcome and valued. We are committed to ensuring that all our event attendees have a safe, enjoyable experience that meets their needs.

We invite all attendees to contact us if they have any dietary requirements, accessibility needs, or neurodiversity requirements, or if they require accommodations to respect their cultural or religious needs during their visit. We believe that by working together, we can create an environment that is welcoming to all and allows everyone to fully participate in our events.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to hear from you and to work with you to ensure that our events are accessible and inclusive for everyone.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Manchester Digital