eCommerce/Digital/Mobile

We all know the big names, but what about the unique marketplaces that are finding their niche? Making up nearly half of all e-commerce, marketplaces are expanding the customer base for established retailers and start-up brands alike. It can be confusing--some marketplaces are retail-owned, some conduct commerce on their site--while others don't, fees vary as can data-sharing arrangements. Regardless, retailers and brands of all sizes are broadening their business opportunities by partnering or starting their own marketplaces. Listen in to learn if there's a good fit for your business.

If you care about measuring returns from your ads, you’ve been locked out of TV advertising for a long time. With the rise of streaming television, however, that’s all changed. Connected TV’s targeting and measurement unlocks performance marketing on television—and we’re going to share key tips and insights to help you make the most of this opportunity. We’ll cover the goals and benchmarks that are critical to what it means to succeed on Connected TV, and why you need to integrate it into your marketing strategy ASAP.

Online retailers have been chasing the ultimate goal of one-to-one marketing by developing individually-personalized messages for each customer--with amazing clickthrough rates...or so the dream goes! But AI is now pushing personalized marketing nirvana closer to reality. Delve into the complexities finding out how AI is helping marketers optimize their data to glean insights about each individual, how it's being used to personalize marketing communications and to improve message delivery along the entire customer journey getting closer to true one-to-one engagement. 

Hear how these essential and non-essential retailers successfully adapted and survived the retail challenges of 2020 as they share lessons learned from the pandemic and  clear examples of pivoting to meet customer needs. Fast forward to the opportunities and adaptations that followed: revelations uncovered in the form of new products and processes, talent challenges and new ways to view adversity--as well as their new trajectory and how they intend to prepare for the next wave of change. 

TikTok has seen a meteoric rise, this growth comes largely from a Gen Z audience, at a time when other social media apps have stagnated user growth. As businesses explore opportunities to capitalise on the TikTok phenomenon, this session will provide practical insight on the profile and preferences of TikTok users and how best to tailor campaigns to engage and convert this audience. 

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, package delivery giant UPS is leaning in on the wildly important areas of its business, embracing digital transformation and a historic surge in e-commerce to redefine the legacy company — and logistics solutions for retailers. Under the leadership of UPS CEO Carol B. Tomé, and the implementation of her “Better, Not Bigger” strategy, UPS is flexing its Global Smart Logistics Network to meet the needs of customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the world.

Following an unprecedented year for the retail industry, Kohl's CEO Michelle Gass has outlined a bold strategic vision that will position the company for long-term growth. Balancing intuition with data, she has made innovative and courageous moves that leverage Kohl’s strong off-mall omni-platform, while partnering with the likes of Amazon and soon Sephora, to add a younger demographic to the retailer's core customer base.

The global retail industry faces a profitability paradox: despite increasing investments to satisfy customers, returns on these investments continue to diminish over time, impacting profits along the way. However, growth areas for retail remain bountiful with the right business-growth strategies that put a relentless focus on the customer. In this impactful session, hear Deloitte's insights from recent consumer industry research on investments leading organizations are making to shore-up profitability and long-term growth.

Following a year that delivered unprecedented shocks to the retail industry, Macy's, Inc. battled through store closures and reopened to deliver great wins for its customers and transformed into a digitally led omnichannel retailer. Guided by its Polaris strategy, Macy’s today is hyper-focused on its digital, supply chain and technology platforms to deliver the most relevant and engaging shopping experiences. This session with Chairman and CEO Jeff Gennette examines how Macy’s digital growth has led the company to take bolder actions to drive its business forward into the future.

 Leaning into its flourishing multi-banner ecommerce channel, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. separates itself from competitors by scaling its business and grabbing market share along the way. Looking at the year ahead and the long-term future, the home specialty retailer will focus on its three primary differentiators – its in-house design, its digital-first channel strategy, and its values – to fuel the company's strong growth and profitability. In this fireside chat, Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

Join MaryLeigh Bliss of YPulse and Ken Wincko of Barnes & Noble College as they compare notes on Gen Z.  In this candid conversation, these experts will share research on themes ranging from what Gen Z is buying (and what they are not) to how this demographic is interacting with social media. They will dive into Gen Z’s outlook on higher education, and how living through the pandemic may shape their future views. With Gen Z poised to take over the economy in the next decade, expect these thought leaders to provide merchandisers and marketers with some takeaways they can put into action.

It fits, it works, it’s the right color--that’s what matters to customers. They don’t want to return merchandise any more than retailers want to accept returned goods. Augmented reality is taking  guesswork out of the purchasing process and these retailers are here to share their experiences. Each is at a different stage with AR, but both have insights that could make a case for moving into the world of AR. Customers want a strong level of certainty when making a purchase. Can you provide it? 

More details on this session coming soon!

The Covid-19 outbreak accelerated retail digital transformation and unleashed the power of social selling, live-shopping, crowd-selling, and subscriptions as well as transformed the role of the store and sales associates. Retail organizations have diversified channels, tools and ways to acquire, activate and engage customers. Stores and store associates endeavor to engage customers along their journeys. Learn how innovative retailers have been deploying new technologies, tools and approaches for customer relationship and engagement. 

The next big thing in the healthcare ecosystem will be a customer-centric model of care. Everyday healthcare is evolving from more traditional medical office settings to retail, home and virtual-based options. The goal: to provide a better and more targeted experience for consumers that leverages daily life activities with home and virtual care services. 

More and more brands are evolving their consumer ecosystem with sophisticated direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies that are disrupting traditional retail channels. Companies are looking to D2C to diversify their distribution channels, better position their products, and more closely connect with consumer, and thereby providing an effective ecosystem feedback loop to optimize their business.

 Amidst the disruptions caused by Covid-19, e-commerce technologies not only became an immediate lifeline for many businesses to stay afloat, but also helped brands to accelerate their digital transformation. Among those brands was luxury fashion company Diane von Furstenberg (DVF), which has made a strong digital pivot during the pandemic. DVF has engaged Chinese consumers via Alibaba’s livestreaming tool, Taobao Live, and was one of the first brands to move its fashion show online during Shanghai Fashion Week.