Agenda

Tuesday

Wednesday

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Time

Session / Event

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Virtual Networking Breakfast/1:1 Meetings/The Lab

10:00 AM - 10:05 AM

Welcome To The 2020 Retail Innovation Conference!

10:05 AM - 10:50 AM

Opening Keynote

Keynote Title

Working

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11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Track Sessions

Contactless Payment Acceleration: Choosing The Right Options

If there was any question about the value of contactless payment prior to COVID-19, the answer is now loud and clear: contactless payment is the safest way for consumers to complete in-store transactions moving forward. Join this session to find out how to fast-forward the right plan and implementation to bring today’s contactless payment imperative to your customers as they return to in-store shopping.

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Keeping The Good, Avoiding The Bad & Ugly Of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has become a key digital touch point for acquiring and retaining customers, as long as it’s done right. To avoid joining the ranks of ‘epic influencer marketing fails,’ join this session to hear from the experts on how to create innovative, creative influencer campaigns that resonate with your target audience.

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Will Autonomous Vehicle Package Delivery Take Hold In Retail?

The desire for “touchless” technologies generated by COVID-19 is accelerating interest in a range of autonomous delivery vehicles, including drones, self-driving cars and robots designed to share sidewalks with pedestrians. This isn’t science fiction: retailers including Walmart, Kroger and CVS already have piloted autonomous delivery initiatives. Attendees will learn how to strategize for and implement autonomous activations.

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How Innovative Brands Co-Locate To Invigorate In-Store Shopping

Brick-and-mortar retail already was grappling with traffic and sales challenges prior to COVID-19. As the economy begins to recover, many stores will not; some have declared bankruptcy and others have closed permanently. One way for brands to re-energize retail is via creative partnerships that address consumers’ new preferences, while becoming more of a one-stop location to fulfill shopping needs.

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11:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Networking Break/1:1 Meetings/The Lab

12:15 PM - 12:45 PM

Track Sessions

Making Agility Work: Tools & Exercises That Power Faster Decision-Making

Following store shutdowns, retailers such as Walmart, Target and Costco moved swiftly. In fact, decisions that would typically take weeks or months were made in days in order to keep shoppers safe…and their businesses moving. How did these and other retailers tackle this once-daunting challenge for the industry? And moreover, what exercises and best practices did they apply that can scale far into the future? Join this session to acquire tactical tips and best practices that will help your teams be more agile as new customer needs, and industry realities, emerge.

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Investing In UX To Drive Online Conversion

One of the silver lining outcomes from the past year has been the energy and intensity invested in improving the online customer experience. Consumers are more motivated than ever to stay home and shop online, creating the ideal conditions for e-Tailers to fast-track, test and launch new experience-driven mobile apps, sites and engagement points across their platforms.

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Facial Recognition: Will The Benefits Outweigh The Challenges?

Facial recognition, primarily for loss prevention, was quickly gaining ground in 2019. Several retailers, including Target and Walmart, were testing the technology. At the same time, though, it was being challenged from a privacy and data security standpoint. With touchless retail imperatives now on the rise, the value of facial recognition is rising to the surface once again. Join us to assess the benefits vs. the challenges.

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The Perfect AR Storm Hits Retail In 2020

As retailers accelerate their retail innovation to help survive and thrive during and post-coronavirus, AR has risen to the top as a technology deployment that can boost digital commerce both online and in-store. This session will highlight case studies featuring forward-thinking brands using AR in two distinct ways: to improve the shop-from-home experience for consumers still hesitant to spend time in stores; and to entice consumers in-store with new digital excitement.

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12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Lunch/Lunch & Learn Sessions/The Lab

1:45 PM - 2:15 PM

Track Sessions

Transforming Failing Stores Into Business-Building Micro-Fulfillment Centers

With COVID-19 hastening store closures and boosting e-Commerce, retailers need to radically rethink their physical footprint to meet emerging customer needs. Closed or underperforming brick-and-mortar locations can now become “dark store” micro-fulfillment centers which position products closer to shoppers’ homes and provide more efficient picking, packing and shipping processes.

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The Post-COVID-19 Pop-Up Revolution

Pop-ups were surging in popularity pre-coronavirus and are expected to resurge in new ways as the economy reopens. New pop-ups will likely be more hands-off, featuring digital technology. And in these uncertain times, many retail brands will opt for the shorter-term, less expensive pop-up way to introduce a product or brand.

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The Evolved Leadership Team: New Roles & Skills That Will Shape The Future Of CX

While some effects of COVID-19 were short-term and limited to when stores were closed, others will have a long-standing impact on the retail industry. How will new business models impact the workforce? How will shrinking store counts and an increased emphasis on digital selling influence hiring and employee retention? For this session, we’ll reveal the roles and titles that will become critical in the new era of retail, and the skills that will need to be acquired in order for businesses to maintain their status in consumers’ minds (and their wallets).

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Using Data To Hyper-Personalize The Online Customer Journey

Understanding customer attributes and product preferences is the foundation for designing hyper-personalized customer journeys. That level of customization delivers an enhanced overall experience, and ultimately, increases brand loyalty. Learn how to leverage data to create digital storefronts that enable you to strategically retarget and grow your core market, and how to use your own data to improve your customers’ experiences.

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2:25 PM - 3:05 PM

Track Sessions

The Rise Of Robotics In Retail

Robots are already helping to fulfill orders in Amazon DCs and restock shelves at Walmart, but has COVID-19 accelerated the demand for different robotics capabilities, including store cleaning and customer service? This session will outline the capabilities, requirements and possibilities for robotic technology in 2020 and beyond.

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How AI Is Bridging The Digital Commerce Gap

Even when consumers return to shop in stores, they may not be too keen on trying on makeup or partaking in a high-touch cosmetic treatment. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can destress those situations with innovative solutions, such as an AI-powered Skin Advisor offered by Olay or facial recognition software from L’Occitane. Join this session to get up-to-speed on new ways to boost shoppers’ comfort while boosting sales.

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Converting Curbside Pickup Into A Competitive Differentiator

Retailers raced to add curbside pickup during COVID-19 lockdowns, but these services can become a profit center rather than just an emergency stopgap measure. Find out how to transform curbside services with mobile and digital tech to boost cross-selling and upselling, promote new products, reinforce brand identity and streamline queue management.

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Winning In The New Service Economy

Retailers and brands looking to the future know they need to offer more than just a product. So many are becoming service providers, designers and consultants or they are partnering with service providers that complement their business. Best Buy, for one, has opted to kick off its store re-opening with scheduled consultation appointments. Find out how creative marketers are distinguishing their businesses as part of the new service economy.

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3:05 PM - 3:50 PM

Networking break/1:1 meetings/The Lab

3:50 PM - 4:20 PM

Track Sessions

Improving Collaboration To Accelerate Innovation: A New Framework For Dispersed Teams

As we all sheltered in place, new ways of working emerged. Digital apps and tools helped streamline communication and collaboration, and businesses that saw success are completely rethinking their HR policies. With companies such as Facebook and Twitter saying workers are no longer required to go to their offices, retail players may be asking if their business is equipped to do the same. Join this session to break down work-from-home tools, tactics and best practices, and determine how to best set your dispersed teams up for success in the long term.

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Online Order Management In The Age Of COVID

When online retailers’ supply chains, order management and fulfilment systems are being tested by unexpected triple-digit order and revenue growth, managing the supply chain has emerged as a crucial cog to e-Commerce efficiency. Learn new tools and tactics that will prep any online brand for success during COVID and beyond.

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Checking In/Checking Out Without The Human Touch

Technology applications helping with both check-in and checkout are rising in importance for many tasks that traditionally have involved 1:1 human interactions. In addition to employee sign-in and customer self-checkout, retailers also are investing in appointment technologies that can help monitor the incoming and outgoing traffic in stores. Which technologies should you be investing in now? Find out in this session.

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How Voice Tech Will Transform The Shopping Journey Post COVID-19

Even though our daily activities have significantly slowed down during the coronavirus crisis, consumers are still impatient when it comes to shopping. Faced with the challenge of social distancing, many people are avoiding stores even though they have reopened. But with more advanced voice assistant technology in place, the unknowns of how much time it will take to get into a store, pick up an order or complete a return can be eliminated. Uncover the steps to joining the voice tech revolution in this session.

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4:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Closing Keynote

How To Connect With And Market To New Consumer Personas

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5:15 PM - 6:15 PM

Virtual Happy Hour/Small Group Meet-Ups

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Time

Session / Event

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Virtual Networking Breakfast/1:1 Meetings/The Lab

10:00 AM - 10:05 AM

Welcome And Intros

10:05 AM - 11:00 AM

Opening Keynote

A Top-Down Approach To Diversity: How To Open Opportunities (And Close The Wage Gap)

Consumers, investors and shareholders are paying closer attention to the makeup of organizations and are placing the onus on business leaders to prioritize diversity. This requires a holistic, top-down approach in which HR and leadership focus on building their talent pipeline and nurturing high-quality talent to move up within the organization. Find out how you can implement this top-down approach and build a diverse workforce and cultivate a culture that supports and empowers a diverse employee population.

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11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Track Sessions

Successfully Managing Returns In The Post-COVID-19 Era

Returns have always presented challenges to retailers, and these have only grown bigger due to the pandemic’s e-Commerce explosion. This session will offer real-world best practices, both for retailers that handle returns processes in-house and those that outsource to third-party service providers. Additionally, innovative techniques that can transform a return into a new selling opportunity will be explored, along with tips on safely re-integrating returned merchandise into sellable inventory.

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Tools To Deliver On Location-Based Marketing Innovation

Relevancy and timeliness are must-haves for brands looking to attract and retain shoppers moving forward. Location-based technologies and strategies can go a long way to achieving those goals. Hear from the experts in this session to find out how to innovate and make the most out of location-focused initiatives.

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Inside The Mind Of The Post-COVID Shopper: Using New Behaviors & Preferences To Build Your New Business Strategy

Will e-Commerce continue to dominate or will shoppers clamor to get out and about? Will digital services replace the touch-and-feel experience of the store? Will consumers continue to minimize spending in non-essential categories and continue to hoard in others? Join this session to see which behaviors will stick and which will eventually fizzle out. Then, learn how your team can use these insights to refine your brand promise and business strategies over time.

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10 Ways to Maximize The Amazon Opportunity Post-COVID

Thinking of taking your brand to Amazon but not sure where to start? Already selling on the marketplace, but unsure of how to optimize search, sales and advertising? In this session, we’ll brush up on the latest Amazon rules and regulations and position your brand for selling success on the world’s largest e-Commerce marketplace.

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11:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Networking Break/1:1 Meetings/The Lab

12:15 PM - 12:45 PM

Track Sessions

New Tech Promoting Health & Safety In The Retail Store

Temperature monitoring, social distancing, hand sanitizing, digital signage…the list of new applications and technologies that can help keep employees and customers safe in stores is growing every day. Learn about priorities and options in this session.

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Personalizing The In-Store Experience With Interactive Digital Signage

Let’s “face” it: digital interactions don’t need masks to avoid spreading illness. That’s why retailers are accelerating digital signage implementations that can deliver more personalized, entertaining and safe in-store experiences. Hear from some retail innovators implementing compelling digital experiences for a new breed of shoppers.

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How To Turn The ‘BOPIS Boost’ Into Long-Term Revenue

BOPIS already was on the rise before COVID-19 forced non-essential retailers to close their doors; adoption rose from 29% in 2019 to 37% in 2020, according to the 2020 RTP Last Mile Survey. This session will reveal the steps retailers need to take to increase customer satisfaction with BOPIS while streamlining processes and controlling costs, including: optimizing shopper communications; enhancing payment procedures; clearly identifying which products are available for in-store pickup; and ensuring orders are ready when promised.

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Personalization 2021: Effectively Communicating Consumer Values

A few years ago (or even months) personalization may have revolved around making sure to retarget shoppers with products they are likely to be interested in or using their first name when welcoming them back to a site. But now is a time to rethink the definition of personalization. Shoppers are looking to connect more closely with brands sharing their social, political and charitable values. Find out how to be creative and think outside the box when it comes to reconnecting with customers.

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12:45 PM - 2:00 PM

Lunch/Lunch & Learn Sessions/The Lab

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Track Sessions

Are You A Retail Rebel? What Executives Can Do To Challenge The Status Quo, Every Day

Now more than ever, risk takers reap the rewards. Historically, retail leadership has been extremely risk-averse, fearful of making the wrong decisions and having to answer to investors and shareholders. But now, leaders and the entire retail workforce have an opportunity to reimagine customer experiences and, more importantly, how their business operates. Not sure how to make the leap and become a retail rebel? This session will break down exactly what that means and how you can encourage risk taking in your everyday work.

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Headless Commerce — What Is It and Why Do I Need It?

When it comes to customer experience, even the most beautiful and engaging of online sites can fall short if the backend is clunky and slow. Headless commerce enables the separation of the front and back ends of your site, allowing API flexibility to any front end you choose: digital storefront, voice, mobile, auto and more.

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How Live Streaming Invigorated Shopping In China

Businesses in China have accelerated the implementation of live streaming as a new commerce tool since the pandemic took hold, and it has delivered: Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) generated from online shopping website Taobao’s live streaming activities was 250 billion Chinese Yuan in 2019. U.S. retailers are taking a queue from China and jumping on the live stream bandwagon. Trip.com, for example, saw $8.4 million in revenue selling travel packages through five-hour live stream sessions. Join this session to learn how to boost revenue with live stream tools.

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Managing Friction In The Digital Checkout Experience

Average cart abandonment for e-Commerce hovers around 69%. Businesses can consider this business-as-usual for selling online or figure out ways to combat it. Simple tools like offering shipping flexibility, multiple payment options and guest checkouts can help. This session will examine the best “outs” for checking out.

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2:40 PM - 3:10 PM

Track Sessions

Why Sustainability Is Now A Last Mile ‘Must-Have’

From minimizing packaging to using electric vehicles, the last mile offers numerous ways to enhance sustainability. The next step will be to get customers involved, for example by alerting them that waiting a few extra days for their order will reduce waste and carbon emissions, and by showing them the effects of their decisions with innovative, user-friendly tools.

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What Will Retail Store Events Look Like In 2021?

Events and entertainment have been go-to strategies to attract consumers to stores and brands. They may look different moving forward post-pandemic, but events will still be important ways to entice consumers out of their home and into the store. Be sure the events align with your brand values and consumer desires. Join this session to find out how retail brands are innovating event strategies moving forward.

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Pivot To Win It: How Large Brands & DTCs Took Big Risks To Come Out On Top

During the initial wave of COVID-19, big-name brands pivoted their businesses. While some bolstered their e-Commerce strategies, venturing into digital services and experiences, others created new products and offerings to meet immediate customer needs. This session will spotlight the approach several brands took, and outline how these immediate shifts ultimately impacted more long-term strategies.

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Headless Commerce — What Is It and Why Do I Need It?

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3:10 PM - 3:55 PM

Networking Break/1:1 Meetings/The Lab

4:05 PM - 4:50 PM

Closing Keynote

Resilience & Empathy: Qualities That Shaped Great Retail Leaders And Inspired Innovation

Throughout the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, retail leaders responded and guided their teams through overwhelming uncertainty. Their approaches (both the good and the bad) have set a standard for the qualities that make up every great retail leader. Join this session to learn how you can embrace empathy, honesty, community and more to cultivate a culture of resilience and positive change.

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