Leveraging Technology to Enable Human Connections

Description:

Creating retail experiences that are welcoming, human, inspirational, and filled with value does not mean abandoning tech. Instead, the smartest retailers are using AI and other tech to actually boost those human connections. Whether it’s freeing up the real-life humans from boring tasks, letting staff and shoppers connect online, or giving the team a treasure trove of insights about what people want and what they’re selling, tech's in on the action. This session will feature three senior consumer brand and retailer leaders in a series of fireside chats about the technologies they are using to keep things human and keep shoppers happy.

Track Keynote: Personalizing Discounts and Promotions to Drive Sales and Loyalty

Description:

Optimizing pricing and promotions is one of the trickiest balancing acts in retail today. Few aspects of the business create such a direct link between customer satisfaction and the bottom line. Getting away from the world of constant markdowns that can erode your margins and incentivize shoppers to only shop the sale. But at the same time, budget—constrained customers appreciate a retailer that feels their stress. This Track Keynote features the Chief Merchant of one of the largest retailers in the U.S. He’ll share how his organization is leveraging technology to optimize prices and personalize promotions, both in-store and online.

Thinking Strategically About Pricing and Promotions

Description:

Discounts might seem like a quick win to boost sales and clear out inventory, but reality is challenging — constant markdowns can erode your margins and make your brand look like it’s always on sale. The smart move? Strategic promotions. Think conversion perks, loyalty bonuses, and affiliate links that build value instead of slashing it. In this session, you’ll hear senior leaders discuss how they’re using pricing and promotions tactically to keep customers coming back while keeping their brand’s rep intact.

Generative AI and the Next Generation of Search

Description:

From Google’s launch in 1998 through 2022, search has been, dare we say it, less than thrilling. For over 20 years, it’s been largely the same drill: type in some keywords gest a list of links, and generally find what you were looking for. Despite the launch of new search features, nothing significantly disrupted that fundamental experience...until now. LLMs and generative AI are enabling a reimagining of how we seek and find digital content. This session will feature three consumer brands diving into the implications of the next generation of search for companies that rely on it to help shoppers find them and their products.

Track Keynote: Getting into the Mindset of the Engaged Customer

Description:

Market research has long helped brands identify emerging trends and identify new opportunities. However, the modern world of retail has created new avenues for listening to engaged customers, and involving fans in aspects of product creation, merchandising, and marketing. This Track Keynote features the CEO of a leading activewear brand that leverages both high- and low- technology approaches to tapping into their customers' mindset. He'll share the approaches that have worked best as well as examples of ways the company has taken action based on these insights.

Shoptalk Retail Zeitgeist

Keynote: A Google Perspective on Customer-Centricity

Store Operations that Blend Engagement and Efficiency

Description:

Today’s shoppers are pros at juggling IRL and digital—they’re equally at home in both worlds. But they still expect an in-store experience that’s as smooth as they are. Even the slickest, most experiential physical store visit can go downhill fast with confusing layouts, unhelpful staff, or checkout headaches. In this session, an industry expect will share brand new capability benchmarking research on the topic, before two store execs discuss how they are optimizing operations to make stores easy to navigate, frustration-free, and full of delight for those savvy customers.

Operations' Role in Building and Maintaining Brands

Description:

Once upon a time, product and marketing teams defined brands. Today, though, ops and supply chain teams also play a critical role in making and keeping the promises that brands make to customers. With a nod to today’s era of collaborating cross-functionally, this session will feature three executives who will explore how ops and supply chain prowess help define and shape a brand, including making sure products make it from point A to point B when they need to, backing traceability and sustainability assurances, and more.

Restructuring Digital Teams for a World of Unified Commerce

Description:

For the past couple of decades, digital teams were mostly insulated from corporate restructuring. The most tech savvy employees in what’s typically been the fastest growing part of a retail business were seldom on the chopping block. But times have changed, and technologies like generative AI and retail trends like the rise of unified commerce are leading companies to rethink their digital teams and the skills those team members need. In this session, ecom veterans will share the emerging organizational best practices for strengthening digital talent and team structure.