Asociace pro elektronickou komerci (APEK)

What Asociace pro elektronickou komerci (APEK) does

Asociace pro elektronickou komerci (APEK), founded in 1998, is a Czech non-profit trade association headquartered in Prague that serves as the primary representative body for the country's e-commerce sector. APEK's membership comprises companies that collectively represent approximately 75% of Czech online retail turnover, spanning large e-shops, logistics, payment providers, financial institutions, and specialized service providers in IT, marketing, returns, and customer service.

APEK's core products center on the APEK Certifikovaný obchod (Certified Shop) trustmark — a compliance certification awarded since 1999 that audits e-shops against 64 legislative requirements and is integrated into the pan-European Ecommerce Europe Trustmark framework. The trustmark is displayed on Heureka and Zboží, the dominant Czech price comparison platforms. Complementary products include the annual Czech E-commerce Study (produced with Nielsen since 2010, covering 1,500+ customers), cross-border market studies for Hungary, Poland, Romania, Germany, and Austria (since 2019), more than 40 webinars and workshops per year, free legally vetted Terms and Conditions templates prepared with MKA Nosko, monthly legal newsletters, and a legislative monitoring service. APEK also operates the annual E-Business Forum conference.

APEK generates revenue through recurring annual membership fees (undisclosed pricing) and certification fees of 4,000 CZK per shop annually. The organization operates with a lean 7-person staff led by Executive Director Jan Vetyška and Legislative Policy Manager Martin Svoboda, and distributes services through its website, member portal (komunita.apek.cz), data portal (data.apek.cz), in-person events, and direct communications. As the recognized interlocutor between Czech e-commerce and regulatory bodies (ČOI, MPO) and the EU Commission, APEK combines compliance certification, market research, education, and government advocacy into a single membership platform.

Name

Asociace pro elektronickou komerci (APEK)

Legal name

Asociace pro elektronickou komerci (APEK)

Website

https://apek.cz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

APEK is a Czech non-profit trade association founded in 1998 that represents approximately 75% of Czech online retail turnover through 135+ member e-commerce companies. It delivers trustmark certification, market research, legal support, education, and government advocacy to Czech online retailers and ecosystem service providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: APEK generates revenue through annual membership fees from Czech e-commerce companies. Members represent approximately 75% of Czech online retail turnover, covering the entire e-commerce ecosystem from large e-shops to logistics, payment solutions, financial institutions, and specialized services.
2. Certification Services: APEK charges 4,000 CZK annually for certification services provided to members. The certification includes a comprehensive package of services for safe growth in e-commerce, including an internal audit of 64 legislative points, compliance protocols, and access to sample templates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

APEK is a Czech e-commerce industry association that provides its member companies with trustmark certification (APEK Certifikovaný obchod), market research studies (annual Czech E-commerce Study and cross-border studies), professional webinars and workshops, legal support including sample terms and conditions, legislative monitoring, and government advocacy. Members represent approximately 75% of Czech online retail turnover.

Product overview

APEK (Asociace pro elektronickou komerci) is a Czech e-commerce industry association offering a portfolio of membership-based services centered around its core APEK Certifikovaný obchod (Certified Shop Trustmark) program. The trustmark, awarded since 1999, verifies e-shops against 64 legislative compliance points combined with mystery shopping quality testing, and is part of the pan-European Ecommerce Europe Trustmark. Complementing the certification are market research products including the annual Czech E-commerce Study (prepared with Nielsen since 2010), cross-border market studies covering Hungary, Poland, Romania, Germany, and Austria, and a comprehensive educational program of over 40 webinars and workshops annually. Legal support services encompass a monthly legal newsletter, legislative overviews, sample documents including free terms and conditions, and a legislative monitoring system. The association also organizes the annual E-Business Forum conference and maintains partnerships with events such as Czech On-line Expo and E-commerce Berlin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• APEK Certifikovaný obchod: Trustmark certification for e-shops, part of the Ecommerce Europe Trustmark project
• E-Business Forum

Products and services

• APEK Certifikovaný obchod (Certified Shop Trustmark) A trustmark certification program for Czech e-shops that verifies compliance with 64 legislative requirements and includes mystery shopping quality testing. Part of the pan-European Ecommerce Europe Trustmark initiative. Available for 4,000 CZK annually for members.
• Czech E-commerce Study Annual market research study providing over 100 pages of e-commerce data and insights prepared in cooperation with Nielsen agency, based on responses from more than 1,500 customers.
• APEK Cross-border Market Studies Market studies on cross-border e-commerce covering Hungary, Poland, Romania, Germany, and Austria, providing practical manual-style guidance from basic market data to legal requirements and customer preferences.
• APEK Webinars and Workshops More than 40 professional webinars and seminars per year offered free to members, covering topics such as Google Analytics, PPC campaigns, AI copywriting, and e-commerce best practices.
• APEK Terms and Conditions Template Free downloadable terms and conditions document prepared in cooperation with law office MKA Nosko, available to both members and non-members on the APEK website.
• APEK Internal Audit (64-point audit) Detailed review of 64 key processes and legislative compliance points that may be subject to inspection by state authorities, part of the certification process.
• E-Business Forum Annual Conference Annual conference bringing together key players in the Czech e-commerce industry for networking and knowledge sharing.
• Legislative Monitor (Legislativní hlídač) Regular supply of information about new laws and regulatory changes affecting e-commerce operations, provided as part of the certification and membership package.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members represent approximately 75% of Czech online retail turnover
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• NielsencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEK cooperates with Nielsen agency to produce the annual Czech E-commerce Study. The study, prepared since 2010, is over 100 pages and includes responses from more than 1,500 customers, providing comprehensive data on Czech online shopping behavior.
• Law Office MKA NoskocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAPEK cooperates with law office MKA Nosko to provide free Terms and Conditions prepared for Czech online shops. These legally vetted documents are available for download on apek.cz for both members and non-members.
• Ecommerce EuropeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEK Certifikovaný obchod (Certified Shop) is included in the Ecommerce Europe Trustmark project. This provides certified Czech e-shops with an international trustmark that facilitates expansion and sales in European markets.
• HeurekacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAPEK certification logos are displayed directly on Heureka, the largest Czech price comparison platform. Certified shops receive the prestigious APEK certification logo displayed alongside their products, increasing consumer trust and conversion rates.
• ZbožícoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAPEK certification logos are displayed directly on Zboží, a major Czech price comparison site. Certified shops receive the APEK certification logo displayed on their listings, building consumer confidence and differentiation from non-certified competitors.
• Czech Trade Inspection (ČOI)coreOthersAPEK represents Czech e-commerce in communications with ČOI (Česká obchodní inspekce). The association maintains ongoing dialogue about inspection criteria, provides training to help members avoid fines (85% of ČOI inspections result in fines), and publishes ČOI interpretations of legislation.
• Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO)coreOthersAPEK works with the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade on matters affecting e-commerce regulation. The association provides industry input during policy development and communicates member concerns about new legislative proposals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• IMRG: UK membership organisation for online retail providing benchmarking data, industry events and policy advocacy — a comparable trade-body model to APEK with similar services in a different geography.
• Thuiswinkel.org: Dutch e-commerce trade association running the Thuiswinkel Waarborg trustmark, member services and policy advocacy; directly comparable to APEK in mission and certification-led model, but operating in the Netherlands.
• Fevad (Fédération du e-commerce et de la vente à distance): French e-commerce and distance-selling federation running a trustmark, observatory, lobbying and member programmes comparable to APEK, but serving the French market.
• IAB Polska: Polish IAB chapter representing digital and e-commerce businesses with research, certification and policy advocacy. A comparable industry-association model in a neighbouring Central-European market.
• Bundesverband E-Commerce und Versandhandel (bevh): Germany's leading e-commerce and mail-order trade association. Offers trustmarks, market research, legal/policy advocacy and member services directly analogous to APEK's offering, but at larger scale and in a different national market.

Others

• Heureka Group: Central-European price-comparison platform that displays the APEK Certified Shop trustmark. Acts as a distribution and trust channel for APEK's certification rather than a direct competitor, but a key ecosystem partner.
• Svaz obchodu a cestovního ruchu ČR (SOCR ČR): Czech trade association for commerce and tourism encompassing broader retail, including e-commerce. A comparable domestic association model with an overlapping advocacy mandate to APEK.

Direct peers

• Ecommerce Europe: Brussels-based pan-European e-commerce federation of which APEK is a member. Operates the Ecommerce Europe Trustmark project that incorporates APEK's certification; comparable in mission, governance and member services, but with broader geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/APEKcz
• Facebookfacebook.com/apekcz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asociace-pro-elektronickou-komerci-apek-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Asociace pro elektronickou komerci (APEK)