A few conferences with 200+ major-notch speakers, two distinctive expos and a complete host of routines — from networking occasions to notion merchants to excursions of the Superb Mile’s retail offerings — will be packed into the a few times of the 2022 Retail Innovation Meeting and Expo. Much more than 4,000 executives are predicted to go to the occasion, which kicks off these days and will carry on via Thursday, May 12 at Chicago’s McCormick Position.
Even though this is the to start with year the Retail Innovation Convention and Expo (RICE) has taken area in this recent form, the celebration has a rich background that goes again almost a decade. Version 1. of the Retail Innovation Meeting started off as a collaborative, intimate occasion for New York Town-location retail executives, but it has expanded and advanced to meet up with the wants of the diversified and quickly modifying retail industry.
Now, the inaugural RICE represents an expanded collective of nicely-known functions and makes across ecommerce, omnichannel and retail outlet layout. In truth, the activities pulled alongside one another below the RICE umbrella will be acquainted to many — Net Retailer Meeting & Expo (IRCE), the Design:Retail Convention & Expo (DRCE) and the Retail Innovation Summit (RIS) — supplying anything for every type of retail government as they strive to navigate the future period of connected commerce.
“We are looking at linked commerce reach a total new level of option,” reported Adam O’Brien, Present Director of RICE. “‘Omnichannel’ is no longer a buzzword but table stakes, and there are so a lot of new methods for models to interact with consumers and drive retail product sales, together with social commerce and the metaverse. We made RICE to be a rich forum to dig into these new traits and options, as nicely as highlight the innovators and practitioners who can share priceless ideal techniques from their have encounters. With abundant representation of makes and groups across our agenda, we will have loads of opportunities for executives to increase their circle of knowledge and link.”
Attendees will have the opportunity to dive into the best subjects in retail with executives from an array of foremost organizations — Google, Goal, Coach, Clinique, Crate & Barrel, Amazon, American Eagle, AT&T, Brooklinen, eBay, Shutterfly, Vans, Walgreens, Tesla Motors, Foot Locker and Adore Me, to title just a few — when also connecting with extra than 230 corporations on the show floor to examine new approaches to push innovation.
Here’s a breakdown of every little thing on present this week in Chicago, which includes:
- 3 distinctive micro-conferences showcasing thoughtful assessment from leading consultants and analysts along with actual-world insights from marketplace friends
- Two customized expo encounters the place people can check-travel the most current alternatives, get influenced by keep ideas and dig into use situations at topically targeted pop-up phases and
- Enough networking opportunities and two awards occasions honoring retail’s greatest and brightest makes and expertise.
RICE is sponsored by Scalefast with further aid from premium sponsors Adobe, BigCommerce and Marketplacer, as very well as a host of other supporting organizations.
80+ Conference Periods Digging into the Hottest Subject areas in Retail
Obtain Now, Pay Later (BNPL), social commerce, following-gen keep design and style, livestreaming, sustainability, information privateness, personalization, hashish retail — you identify it, there’s a session (or many periods) checking out it at RICE.
The party capabilities a few distinctive micro-conferences — IRCE, Style:Retail and the Retail Innovation Summit. All-entry go holders can show up at any session in all 3 conferences, or attendees can pick out one meeting to focus on for a decrease selling price. (If you’ve only signed up for one particular meeting but anything else piques your fascination, in no way dread, passes can be upgraded on web-site.)
Completely the conferences will aspect more than 200 speakers throughout 16 tracks and 80+ total sessions. For assist zeroing in on the classes that will be most useful for you and your company, verify out the RICE site, which attributes teasers of the some of the major talks and “hit lists” of the key classes for different focus places.
“There’s never ever been a much more remarkable time for individuals in the field to collaborate, which is why we’ve pulled jointly a slate of speakers representing the entire landscape: omnichannel shops, disruptive DTC manufacturers, CPG companies and the most innovative tech platforms in commerce will all be getting the stage,” mentioned Alicia Esposito, VP of Information at RICE. “Our final objective is to create a dynamic, community-driven practical experience that reflects the new realities of the retail field, so that everybody in attendance will come away with thoughts about how to generate their company ahead.”
Regardless of move form, all attendees are invited to attend the event’s 4 keynote classes:
- Wednesday, May 11 at 8:40 a.m. — “Inside the Metaverse Motion: How to Embrace Convergence and Produce Transcendent Manufacturer Encounters,” with globally recognized metaverse/Internet 3. strategist Cathy Hackl and Estée Lauder’s Roxanne Barretto Lyer
- Wednesday, May perhaps 11 at 1:30 p.m. — “Creating a Contagious Brand: How to Travel Word-of-Mouth and Affect in an Generally-On World,” with worldwide finest-promoting creator Jonah Berger
- Thursday, May possibly 12 at 9 a.m. — “Love is a Verb: Rethinking Connection Developing in a ‘Digital Retail’ Planet,” with consumer behavioralist Ken Hughes and
- Thursday, Could 12 at 9:45 a.m. — “Expanding Development Horizons: Insights from Senior Retail Leaders,” showcasing a panel of considered leaders from Coresight Investigate, Tile, Centric Brands and Logitech.
Two Expos to Examine
The loaded assortment of the periods will be matched by the smorgasbord on the display floor, with two distinctive Expos united by innovation – Online Retailer and design and style:retail. The lively, neighborhood-driven area will be filled with the most up-to-date and finest tech from much more than 230 exhibitors, with engaging activations and ample chance for attendees to link and collaborate.
Amongst the on-site activations visitors can glimpse ahead to are:
- A Stay Shopping Studio featuring an interactive articles studio and professionals to assist you use it
- The BNPL Theatre, with classes digging into the newest developments in payment and the option to chat with prime players in the space
- The opportunity to check-push a tech-pushed retail outlet principle from hashish model Cookies
- Clicks to Bricks driven by Menasha, showcasing how to build a steady and persuasive omnichannel journey for today’s channel-agnostic shopper
- A goodMRKT principle retail outlet where website visitors can browse (and acquire) a curation of socially acutely aware products, with 1{194d821e0dc8d10be69d2d4a52551aeafc2dee4011c6c9faa8f16ae7103581f6} of sales benefitting PAVE World-wide to assist young retail expertise and
- Sustainability in motion with WestRock. Not only will the company’s booth be designed practically solely of fiber-primarily based materials, but government Dan Buckman will direct an Expo Corridor discussion on producing solution packaging safer, much more useful and a lot more sustainable.
Building Connections and Celebrating Excellence
Throughout it all there will be ample option to connect and have interaction with your counterparts in the course of a host of night occasions and receptions as very well as via the AI-driven party application.
RICE 2022 also will host two business awards packages honoring retail’s most ground breaking manufacturers and changemakers, including:
- The Retail TouchPoints and layout:retail 40 Below 40 Awards, spotlighting the top rated youthful industry experts in advertising and marketing, layout and IT and
- The Brand Expertise Awards, honoring the stores and manufacturers that are redefining the principles of interaction, engagement and loyalty.
If you have not registered nevertheless but are encountering FOMO, don’t stress — it is not much too late to sign up for the finest of the retail sector in Chicago. Sign up in this article these days.