As IRX 2013 approaches, we’re taking an in-depth look at each of the six conferences. Today the focus is on the International and Cross-border Conference, to be held in the Enterprise Theatre on March 21.
Retailers looking for growth in an economic climate that sees the UK retail market at best holding steady, increasingly have their sights on international markets.
They’re looking to other English-speaking markets around the world, at cross-border opportunities in other parts of the European Union, and still further afield, to China and emerging markets for the chance to increase their sales. And UK retailers, with their early maturity in online retailing, are well-placed to take advantage of those opportunities.
But with opportunities come risks and there’s much to learn for retailers and etailers approaching those new frontiers. The IRX 2013 International and Cross-border Conference aims to inspire and inform traders considering where to move next.
Ian Jindal, editor-in-chief of Internet Retailing, said: “Is now the moment for UK retailers to go for it and try to sell into more international markets? Whatever the troubles in the European economy, there are other factors at work here – and chief among them is the strength and capability of many of our major retailers.
“As online-only and omnichannel retailing matures, many feel that there is a window of opportunity for UK retailers to bring all that they know to bear in new country markets, if they can only find the courage (and the finances) to pull it off. For those that want to try, the International and Cross-border conference aims to provide some inspiring ideas plus lots of useful pointers.”
Our opening speaker in the conference is Dan Mahoney, head of operations at daily sales website Zulily UK. Speaking at 10.30am in the morning keynote slot, he’ll be telling the story of how Zulily launched and grew in the UK market from its US roots. He’ll also contrast the experience with his previous role as international manager for ecommerce and multichannel at Monsoon and Accessorize in the session, International growth: inbound and outbound.
Jan Mehmet, global ecommerce director at FitFlop follows at 11am with Giant steps: how to stride into new markets, the FitFlop way. In its five years of trading, FitFlop has expanded quickly around the world. Mehmet will discuss the challenges, benefits and learnings that the brand has taken from its moves into international markets.
A panel discussion, Europe or the world? follows at 11.30am, where retailers and analysts will discuss what opportunities can be found in different territories.
The afternoon session opens at 1pm with a keynote address from Praful Morar, vice president, global retail, at WorldPay. In The payments challenge, he and a Worldpay customer will take a look at the ten biggest challenges around payments – and how they can best be managed.
Jonathan Gorges, head of online marketing acquisition at PriceMinister.com, will debate the art of gaining new customers in new markets in his 1.30pm session, Customer acquisition strategies cross-border.
Alejandro Sajez, head of ecommerce and digital marketing at ebook etailer ‘txtr, will speak on The power of worlds – selling across language and culture in his 2pm presentation.
To find out more about the International and Cross-border Conference, click here.
And click here to find out more about IRX, what it has to offer, and to register to attend for free.
IRX 2013 will be held at the NEC in Birmingham on March 20 and 21. Follow our series of regular previews to find out about the highlights.
