You can read about something, you can watch a video to learn more, but there is arguably nothing more impactful, when it comes to your professional development, than gathering with others in your industry to learn. To network, and just to commiserate and share and maybe even gossip. Events hosted by association and trade groups are great examples of this.
Conferences and events are a great combination of boondoggle, reward, and roll-up-your-sleeves work that every company should plan for and indulge in as often as the schedule and the budget allow.
So please, if you tell yourself you can’t, or don’t, or won’t attend conferences or trade shows for whatever reason, please reconsider and decide that these events are as reasonable an expense to the development of your company as, say, maintaining your website, training your employees, or even investing in equipment.
Below is just a small collection of events that are taking place in the USA committed to the idea of supporting and celebrating the industries in which you exist. Retail packaging, shopping, and consumer products, to name a few.
It is our hope that you find one (or one like it) that works within your time and financial constraints, and you commit to rubbing elbows with suppliers, innovators, and even competitors in your field(s). If you go or have gone, please feel free to drop us a comment about which one(s) you go to and what you learned and whether you feel they were worth your time.
Global Shop For 25+ years, Global Shop has served as the nation’s largest retail design industry trade show. Global Shop is the only annual event that combines store design, visual merchandising, retail technology and shopper marketing leaders under one roof.
CO-LOCATED WITH
IRCE – Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition (IRCE), the industry’s largest and most well-known e-commerce event, announced an agreement today to co-locate with GlobalShop, the largest annual event for shopper facing retail design, technology and in-store marketing, and RFID Journal LIVE! Retail, the only RFID event dedicated specifically to retail application. This new, enhanced event concept will operate under the name RetailX.
Shop.ORG Found on their website: “Shop.org is changing how retailers, vendors and anyone in the business of innovation come together to win for the consumer. At this event, you’ll explore every topic to optimize your business for right now, while the brightest, cutting-edge startups cover technology that will prepare your business for the future.”
Hosted by the National Retail Federation, Shop.org is leading the charge in revolutionizing retail, bringing together the most elite group of international business leaders to drive exceptional businesses that redesign the customer experience. With cutting-edge content, trailblazing discussions and superior networking opportunities, we’ll co-create the future of retail.
ETAIL According to their website “We launched eTail in 1999, and have been dedicated to supporting the growth of the retail industry ever since. What started off as 100 people in a room discussing where this sector is headed, has led to 2000 senior-level eCommerce executives being inspired whilst learning and developing their company as well as their careers.”
If you aren’t already attending some of these events, maybe it’s time to start. If you already do, we’d love to hear about what your experiences have been and what you like and don’t like about them. And, if you do decide to try one or more, please keep in touch with us and let us know what you think!
Sub Summit The largest conference exclusively dedicated to the $40 billion subscription box industry and those who make it happen
ShopTalk Shoptalk is the world’s largest retail and ecommerce conference. Our 8,000+ attendees tell us that Shoptalk is also the industry’s best event, describing their experience as amazing, educational, energizing, exciting, insightful, inspiring, productive and fun.
B2B ONLINE – B2B Online is where the top manufacturers and distributors meet, collaborate and learn about the newest innovative strategies to bring your customers the best online experience. Designed to build your business and your profit, we cut out the fluff and provide you with content from the companies who have and are reshaping their digital marketing strategy.
Retail Global – An event created for retailers by retailers
Retail Global was created out of a passion for the industry and the people that lead it.
Founder Phil Leahy successfully launched and built one of the largest eBay businesses retailing CDs & DVDs – achieving Australia’s #1 eBay seller for highest volume of sales in all seller categories for a number of years. He then decided to launch a conference to help others who were tackling marketplaces and cross-border.
We travel the globe, keeping our finger on the pulse of online retail trends and challenges. This has ensured we remain Australia’s most trusted eCommerce conference. Both our Retail Global Conferences are recognized as national annual events.
Heading into our 12th year, our No.1 goal is to ensure value to the online seller community so it continues to grow in the US and globally.
Education is the key to success, and we share our secrets without fear.
If you aren’t already attending some of these events, maybe it’s time to start. If you already do, we’d love to hear about what your experiences have been and what you like and don’t like about them. And, if you do decide to try one or more, please keep in touch with us and let us know what you think!
