In this episode, Marek Chądzyński talks with Marek Kolano, Director of Data Driven Solutions at the Polish branch of Mastercard Europe.

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the methods of combating it – namely, the introduction of lockdowns – naturally prompted businesses to seek new sales channels. Primarily online, which in turn led to the dynamic development of e-commerce, even in sectors where it was previously weakly present.

"The pandemic crisis was, in a sense, an opportunity for e-commerce; some people even noticed that something like this existed at all. But on the other hand, e-commerce didn't get anything for free and today it faces various challenges. Both behavioral, consumer, and operational," says Marek Kolano.

After the lifting of restrictions in some areas, the development of online commerce has stalled. This is partly due, according to the interviewee, to the reluctance of customers who never intended to use this channel in the first place, and partly to the poor preparation of some industries.

"One could say that some customers used e-commerce against their will. Therefore, their migration from traditional stores was not permanent," says Marek Kolano, adding that such users need to be treated specially, with greater emphasis on education, highlighting the benefits of buying online, as well as the security of such transactions.

The expert believes, however, that not every business is capable of successfully moving online. Who this concerns – you will find out from this conversation.

In this episode, the interlocutor of Marek Chądzyński is Paweł Borys, President of the Polish Development Fund (PFR). Our editor asked Paweł Borys whether the rising number of infections would necessitate further financial shields.

"I think it is still a threat to health at the moment, but no longer to the economy," replied the PFR President.

When asked about what he believes are the main reasons for the current halt in the post-pandemic economic recovery, Paweł Borys pointed to unprecedented economic fluctuations that supply chains are unable to cope with.

"If in the automotive industry, for example, semiconductors now need to be waited for three times longer, and production operates on a just-in-time system, meaning that thanks to precise logistics, product delivery is synchronized with the order, this causes us to face a creeping supply crisis," explains Paweł Borys.

The PFR President also spoke about whether we are threatened by stagflation, i.e., rising prices simultaneously with a slowdown in economic growth. According to Paweł Borys, although this phenomenon occurred in the West in the 1970s due to rising energy raw material prices – i.e., under similar conditions to those prevailing today – it is not currently a threat to our economy.