Main Day 2- August 23rd, 2023
Achieving Sustainable, Profitable Growth in The New Era of Retail
7:35 am - 8:05 am Expo Open! Join For A Grab And Go Breakfast + Registration Open In The eTail Hallway
8:05 am - 8:10 am
Welcome Address
Kristin Schoenstein -
Portfolio Director,
eTail Boston 2023
8:10 am - 8:30 am
Keynote Fireside Chat: Balancing Innovation With Commercial Success
Brendan Witcher -
VP & Principal Analyst, Digital Business Strategy,
Forrester
Tara McRae -
CMO & CDO,
Clark’s
It is hard to strike the perfect balance of newness and innovation with driving commerciality. Tara McRae, CMDO of Clarks will discuss how this iconic and almost 200-year-old shoe brand tackles this tough balance.
8:30 am - 8:45 am
Chairperson’s Remarks
Chris Shaw -
VP, Product Marketing,
Manhattan Associates
8:45 am - 9:10 am
Keynote Panel Discussion: Answering The Demand For Convenience With Seamless Experiences
Chris Shaw -
VP, Product Marketing,
Manhattan Associates
Sada Kshirsagar -
Head of Product for B2B Pro E-Commerce, Loyalty, Director of Product,
The Home Depot
Jason Israel -
SVP, Business Development - Technology & Orthotics,
Aetrex, Inc.
Nick Panvini -
Director of Enterprise Sales, North America,
Algolia
- Understanding rising expectations around convenience and efficiency in the post pandemic environment
- Setting growth expectations around new programs that are focused on convenience both in store and online
- Measuring your programs effectively and evaluating whether you need to use new KPIs or metrics
- Thinking about the impact on different channels and how your attribution models may need to change
- Identifying how standard measurements may change for online v. offline when adding more ‘convenience’ focused initiatives such as BOPIS, curbside, ship to store, etc.
Sada Kshirsagar
Head of Product for B2B Pro E-Commerce, Loyalty, Director of ProductThe Home Depot
9:10 am - 9:30 am
Keynote Case Study: Empowering Customer Lifetime Value with AI: Unleashing the Power of Data
Irene Sibaja -
Director of Partner Relations,
Treasure Data
In this captivating keynote, discover how AI serves as a growth accelerator for enhancing Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV). While AI and ML hold the potential to accelerate sales, building a robust data foundation is the key to success. Learn how a customer data platform can provide you with a solid core of high-quality data, ensuring that your AI systems learn from the best information to drive remarkable results. Join us to unlock the full potential of AI-driven customer experiences and optimize your communication strategies for maximum CLTV impact.
9:30 am - 9:50 am
Keynote Fireside Chat: Selling On Amazon: Effective Marketplace Management Strategies
Kiri Masters -
Contributor, Host of the E-Commerce Braintrust Podcast,
Forbes
Dan Marques -
SVP, Global Digital Commerce,
Crocs
Join Dan Marques from Crocs, Inc. to learn about the company’s digital-first approach and unique marketplace strategies, including how to effectively sell product on Amazon.
Attendees will hear about:
- Macro Amazon & marketplace trends
- Amazon’s role in the digital commerce ecosystem
- Strategic considerations in go to market across 1P/2P/3P
- Investing in marketplace management
Grab some breakfast treats, a cup of coffee and meet with the solution providers who will help you grow your ecommerce business this year.
Innovation Theater In The EXPO:
Grab a seat and some popcorn in a cozy corner of our EXPO to learn about the latest innovations in ecommerce technology and solutions and how they are being leveraged by your peers and competitors.
9:50-10:00 Your checkout isn’t broken - It’s just wrong for 70% of your customers
Jay Myers, Co-founder, Bold Commerce
10:05-10:15: Drive new revenues from social with Social Storefronts
SimplicityDX bridges the gap between social and commerce to drive new revenue from social. Using AI to generate social storefronts, SimplicityDX transforms the landing experience for traffic landing from social by blending social and commerce content into a highly engaging storefront that cuts bounce rates by up to 50% and increases campaign revenues by up to 5x. Selected by Gartner Group as a Cool Vendor as one of the top five most innovative and impactful new vendors for digital commerce in 2023.
Charles Nicholls, Chief Strategy Officer, simplicityDX
Are you a weekend warrior or an avid HGTV watcher? Do you love all things DIY and home improvement? Then this is the meet up for you! Head to Social Lounge in the back of the Expo to trade tips and talk about the latest projects you’re tackling!
10:20 am - 10:40 am
Keynote Fireside Chat: Aligning The Customer Experience And Your Brand Purpose
Jason Goldberg -
Host,
The Jason & Scot Show
Elizabeth Drori -
CMO,
Sperry
In order to stand out in today's highly competitive retail market, retailers must have a deeper understanding of their brand values as well as their customer’s needs and expectations. In this keynote fireside chat, hear how Sperry is delivering on its brand purpose in a way that resonates with their customers. Walk through the steps for doing this including:
- Defining a brand purpose platform that ties to your positioning
- Creating a culture that reinforces your brand’s values and educates employees
- Expressing your brand purpose in your advertising and storytelling
- Inviting the customer to participate in your purpose
- Measuring and continuously adapting and iterating
10:40 am - 11:00 am
Keynote: Unlocking Advertising Success: Leveraging Shopify's LTV Data for Effective Campaigns
Mitsunaga Kikuchi -
Founder & CEO,
Shirofune
Rocco Baldassarre -
Digital Marketing Expert,
Shirofune
Jonathan Saeidian -
CEO,
Brenton Way
Maximize Each Dollar Of Your Budget With Our Proprietary Lifetime ROAS Bidding Technology. In our presentation Shirofune will showcase a proprietary plug-&-play ecommerce platform to integrate data across multiple advertising platforms (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, TikTok Ads, Pinterest and Twitter) and create a real lifetime value attribution to scale up ecommerce businesses profitably.
11:00 am - 11:25 am
Keynote Panel Discussion: Embracing Internal Collaboration and Innovation To Better Address Business And Customer Needs
Chris Shaw -
VP, Product Marketing,
Manhattan Associates
Ben Mand -
CEO,
Harmless Harvest
Kiran Smith -
CMO,
Butcherbox
Courtney Graybill -
VP, Marketing Planning, Personalization, and Capabilities,
Kohl's
Jacob Zuppke -
CEO,
Whisker
Casey Zenner -
VP, Global Sales,
Kount
By fostering a culture of collaboration and better aligning cross-functional teams, retailers are tapping into the diverse expertise within their organization. Hear how this approach enables this group of retailers to stay ahead in today’s competitive market and deliver exceptional digital experiences that drive long-term customer engagement and loyalty.
Discuss ideas for:
- Aligning internal teams to create a more complete customer picture and determine how to prioritize digital projects
- Creating a culture of collaboration instead of working in siloes
- Fostering internal behaviors that promote creativity and innovation
- Selecting and testing new tech on an ongoing basis
- Gathering customer feedback at all touch points to inform decision making
- Working across teams to develop a roadmap for tech improvements
- Remaining forward thinking and staying on top of the latest ROI-driving ecommerce tech
11:25 am - 11:55 am
TROPICAL HOUSE PARTY Networking Break & Innovation Theater in the EXPO
Ben Rey -
Chief Revenue Officer,
Teikametrics
Carl Rysdon -
VP, Retail Industry,
Ricoh
This is your last chance to visit with all of the amazing solution providers at eTail Boston. Grab a coffee and a snack and make sure you have met with everyone on your list!
Sports Fanatics Meet-Up
Be a team player and join us in the Social Lounge in the EXPO to talk all things sports.
Innovation Theater In The EXPO:
Grab a seat and some popcorn in a cozy corner of our EXPO to learn about the latest innovations in ecommerce technology and solutions and how they are being leveraged by your peers and competitors.
11:25-11:35 Beyond ChatGPT: The Role of PREDICTIVE AI in Ad Optimization
The use of data AND AI to predict the winning levers to pull in online retail optimization is the future. Ben Rey, CRO of Teikametrics, will break down bidding, inventory, pricing, and other predictions brands must make correctly to succeed - and how AI will help accomplish big wins.
Ben Rey, Chief Revenue Officer, Teikametrics
11:40-11:50: Inspiring Customers and Using Technology to Remove Friction
Carl Rysdon, VP, Retail Industry, Ricoh
11:55 am - 12:20 pm
Keynote Fireside Chat: Prioritizing Diversity and Inclusion For Your Retail Organization
Katishi Maake -
Retail Reporter,
Morning Brew
Todd Corley -
SVP, Inclusion, Sustainability & Community,
Carhartt
Creating a more inclusive workplace will not only improve your internal culture and build stronger connections with customers, but it will also drive your business forward. In this thought-provoking interview, hear how one retailer is championing DE&I and walk away with valuable takeaways including ideas around:
- Talking through culture, diversity and inclusion challenges in the retail space
- Understanding the internal cultural changes that must take place to become more inclusive
- Ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion related initiatives are at the forefront
- Creating a safe environment where all voices are welcome, heard and respected
- Overcoming barriers to change and getting buy in across the organization
- Communicating your efforts effectively externally
- Using metrics to track progress toward your DE&I goals and communicating your progress internally and externally
12:20 pm - 12:50 pm
Keynote Panel Discussion: Investor Perspectives On Retail Trends In 2023 and Beyond
Gabrielle Fonrouge -
Retail Reporter,
CNBC
Scott Savitz -
Founder, Managing Partner,
Data Point Capital
Diego Grove -
Portfolio Manager,
Farellones Capital
Lee McCabe -
Operating Partner,
AEA Investors
- Examining investments in retail this year, and also the trend towards retail starting their own venture firms
- Assisting with online growth strategies and working through the various challenges that can arise
- Chasing the dream: what it takes to become retail’s next unicorn
- Identifying key growth opportunities in today’s ecommerce market
Join monday.com and fellow retailers for a discussion on unlocking greater efficiencies within your team. During this roundtable lunch, we'll discuss 6 operational challenges that marketing and creative leaders face, including:
- Bridging silos across departments
- Balancing workload across your teams
- Accelerating design and creative processes
- Streamlining any range review process with ease
- Managing new product development workflows
- Centralizing operational and supply chain management
12:50 pm - 1:50 pm
Meet and Greet Lunch For All Attendees
TRACK A: Marketplaces, Partnerships & Global Growth Strategies
1:55 pm - 2:05 pm Chairperson’s Opening RemarksTRACK A: Marketplaces, Partnerships & Global Growth Strategies
2:05 pm - 2:25 pm
C-Level Case Study: Comfortable Today, Boring Tomorrow: How Harmless Harvest is Taking Brand Risks...Responsibly
There’s no denying that risk-taking, reaction-provoking marketing campaigns stand out, but what happens if you don’t meet the mark - how do you find the balance between authentic, funny and bold while still being respectful? Using Harmless Harvest as a case study, Ben will explain how marketers can take risks to create bold brands, diving into specific campaigns that were “responsibly irreverent” that made Harmless Harvest stand out from their competition.
TRACK A: Marketplaces, Partnerships & Global Growth Strategies
2:25 pm - 2:45 pm
Please Visit Track C
TRACK A: Marketplaces, Partnerships & Global Growth Strategies
2:45 pm - 3:15 pm
Panel Discussion: Marketplace Management: Making The Most Of Your Partnerships
Laura Smith -
Director, eCommerce Marketplaces & Analytics,
Sweetwater
David Burrows -
President & Co-Founder,
Hivessence
Josh Clarkson -
Director, Digital Commerce,
Russell Stover Chocolates
Andrew Greenberg -
Head of eCommerce & Growth,
Get Joy & Co.
- Selecting the right marketplace(s) for your brand based on features, budget and your ecomm goals
- Determining the top metrics to track on online marketplaces
- Analyzing the benefits from exposure to SEO to logistical resources
- Weighing in on the drawbacks of marketplaces from lower profitability to produce restrictions and determining if it makes business sense
TRACK B: Designing Effective UX & CX Strategies
1:55 pm - 2:05 pm Chairperson’s Opening RemarksTRACK B: Designing Effective UX & CX Strategies
2:05 pm - 2:25 pm
Case Study: Personalization Strategies To Maximize Site Engagement
The power of personalization to optimize UX cannot be overstated. By leveraging customer data and using AI and other tools, retailers can design a more relevant, tailored site experience that drives engagement and sales. Talk through various strategies including tips for:
- Using customer data to personalize product recommendations
- Leveraging dynamic content to personalize the site experience and landing pages
- Providing social proof and building trust through User-generated content like product ratings and reviews
- Capturing customer feedback and insights to continuously improve UX and discover when it makes sense to personalize
TRACK B: Designing Effective UX & CX Strategies
2:25 pm - 2:45 pm Please visit Track CTRACK B: Designing Effective UX & CX Strategies
2:45 pm - 3:15 pm
LIGHTNING ROUND: Gathering & Interpreting Key Customer Insights To Improve Experiences and Increase Revenue
Lisa Taylor -
Contributing Writer,
RetailWire
Leslie Griffin -
Senior Director, Digital Analytics,
Peapod Digital Labs
David Henry -
COO & Co-Founder,
Card Isle
Scott Fennell -
Sr Manager, Omnichannel Performance and Analytics,
Groupe Dynamite
Shannon Sasaluxanon -
Senior Manager, Global Brand Development & Marketing,
Hasbro
To stay ahead of changing customer behavior and preferences and ensure that your brand is exceeding expectations, consistently capturing feedback is critical. This group of panelists will talk through how they are using key insights to remain relevant and customer-centric. Discuss ideas around:
- Creating online surveys or feedback forms to capture customer insights relating to their shopping experience, product preferences, etc.
- Ensuring that you continuously analyze customer reviews and ratings to understand where to make improvements and address gaps in your offerings
- Gathering qualitative research through customer interviews or focus groups to better understand key pain points
- Staying active on social media and online communities to identify trends, emerging customer needs, and popular preferences.
- Sourcing the best feedback/survey tools and frequently measuring the effectiveness of your efforts
TRACK C: Social Commerce, Technology & Digital Disruption
1:55 pm - 2:05 pm
Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Charles Nicholls -
Chief Strategy Officer,
SimplicityDX
Consumers are changing the way they shop, with 66% of customers using social for shopping at least once per week. This presents a huge opportunity for brands, but disrupts the existing ecommerce sales funnel. Charles Nicholls, who has been researching online buyer behavior for more than 20 years, shares the latest research on how consumers buy online, how they use social, what makes them hesitate, and how they want to buy.
TRACK C: Social Commerce, Technology & Digital Disruption
2:05 pm - 2:25 pm
Case Study: Fast Tracking Your Technology Roadmap
- Understanding the ins and outs of tech project management and timelines
- Looking at the key issues with execution and why tech projects experience delays
- Examining tech vendors who can assist with project workloads and move them forward in the queue
- Determining which jobs you may be able to outsource instead of depending solely on internal teams
TRACK C: Social Commerce, Technology & Digital Disruption
2:25 pm - 2:45 pm
Case Study: Disrupt Your Way to Great: The 3 Areas to Focus on Today for a Better eCommerce Experience Tomorrow
Eric Lessard -
Product Marketing Director,
Salesforce
Alex Bucher -
VP, Product Management,
Salesforce
Rich Pereira -
SVP, Strategic Initiatives,
ReserveBar
Who has the time to focus on every new trend when technology is changing faster than ever? In this session learn how focusing on the 3 key areas of headless commerce, Social channels, and Generative AI experiences can help win with customers now and in the future. Get insights and best practices on the technologies that will help you grow revenue, reduce operational costs, and drive the overall lifetime value of your customer.
TRACK C: Social Commerce, Technology & Digital Disruption
2:45 pm - 3:15 pm
Fireside Chat: Navigating The Ever Evolving Payments Landscape
Charles Nicholls -
Chief Strategy Officer,
SimplicityDX
Brad Power -
Senior Director Digital Product & User Experience,
Kendra Scott
Staying on top of the latest in payment options is critical for meeting your consumer’s demand for more convenience, flexibility, and security at check out. Offering a range of payment options will drive continued loyalty, but understanding the vast array of options can be a daunting task. Join this panel discussion and walk away with a better understanding of the latest payment options.
TRACK D: Retailer Only Connections
2:05 pm - 3:15 pm
C-Suite Retreat
Rebecca Zarate -
CMO,
RedBubble
Lynn Power -
CEO & Co-Founder,
Masami
Elizabeth Koshy -
CEO/Founder,
Empress Naturals
Join us for a closed-door boardroom style session to talk through some of the key issues and trends you are facing at your organization. (For SVP and above retailers). Please contact Kristin.schoenstein@wbresearch.com if you are interested in participating.
3:15 pm - 3:45 pm
Networking and Refreshment Break
Before expanding your business into markets globally, it’s important to thoroughly do your research around the local market you plan to enter. Hear how one retailer is expanding globally and steps they take to ensure ecommerce success in different countries.
- Evaluating consumer behavior, and cultural norms to understand the demand for your products and identify any potential challenges
- Developing strong partnerships with local suppliers, vendors, and other partners to help you navigate local regulations, cultural nuances, and market dynamics
- Adapting your products and marketing strategies to meet local preferences
- Investing in technology and e-commerce platforms to help improve the customer experience
- Staying agile and adapting quickly to cultural changes and responding to feedback from customers and partners
- Analyzing data on customer behavior, conducting user research and surveys to inform the design of your shopping experience
- Knowing your audience and creating relevant and compelling content
- Providing adequate customer support through chat, video, FAQ’s, etc.
- Testing continuously to ensure ease of navigation and a frictionless UX
With so many tools and platforms to choose from, identifying ROI for any campaign is essential; that’s especially true for social campaigns related to retail sales. In this panel, a group of panelists will walk through their methods for measuring the ROI of their social campaigns.
Review ideas for:
- Defining a clear set of goals for your social campaigns that align with your unique business objectives
- Determining your social budget and whether it should be a larger part of your marketing spend
- Understanding how your social efforts compare with the competition
- Finding new ways to measure engagement across your social channels
In an era marked by rapid digital disruption, we will explore the power of the 'Jobs to Be Done' framework, a transformative lens reshaping how we understand and innovate in social commerce. We delve into real-world case studies where JTBD has been instrumental in navigating disruption, and helping companies thrive.
Takeaways:
- Insight into the 'Jobs to Be Done' framework and how it fosters innovation.
- A deep understanding of the role and impact of JTBD in shaping the future of social commerce.
- Practical lessons from successful implementations of the JTBD framework.
- Key strategies to apply the JTBD framework in your own business to drive growth and avoid disruption.
- Empowering knowledge that will allow you to transform challenges into opportunities in an era of digital disruption.
4:55 pm - 5:35 pm
Retailer Hang Outs – Pick A Table, Bring Your Challenges, Get Solutions (And A Cocktail!)
Carolyn Vaccaro -
Director of Analytics & Performance Marketing,
Windsor Fashions
Rachel Kwon -
Head of Marketing,
Larson Jewelers
Lynn Power -
CEO & Co-Founder,
Masami
David Henry -
COO & Co-Founder,
Card Isle
Table 1. Changes in Search and How Organic and Paid Search Can Work Together
Host: Carolyn Vacarro, Sr. Manager, Performance Marketing, Windsor Stores
Table 2: Finding Your Omnichannel Strategy By Looking At Your Customer User Journey
Host: Rachel Kwon, Digital Marketing Manager, Larson Jewelers
Table 3. How Partnerships Can Help Acquire New Customers & Accelerate Your Growth
Host: Lynn Power, CEO, Masami
Table 4: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities with Generative AI
Host: David Henry COO & Co-Founder, Card Isle
Table 5: Navigating DE&I efforts at your retail organization
Table 6: eCommerce Pricing and Discounting Strategies
Table 7: Gathering Key Consumer Insights Through Mobile App Analytics
Table 8: Rethinking Returns: Determining Where You May Be Falling Short
Table 9: You Made The GA4 Migration...Now What? Tackling Key Challenges
