Our focus is on the Connected Store of the Future conference in today’s preview of IRX 2016. It’s part of a series of previews focusing on event highlights, from the conferences to interviews with key retail speakers, and beyond at this year’s InternetRetailing Expo (IRX 2016) (April 27-8, at the NEC in Birmingham).
Connected store of the future
The digital store is moving centre stage in retail as it becomes clear that customers still want the touch-and-feel store experience, even as they order online for delivery at the most convenient point. The Connected Store of the Future conference will bring together experts from the field, both from the UK and from Europe, as they share their experiences, advice and learnings.
“The Connected Store of the Future is designed to illuminate the most ground-breaking technologies and strategies that are driving the digital store, so retailers can get smarter about the way to help shoppers feel connected in mutiple retail spaces and online places,” said conference director Lisa Ploude. “Delegates at the conference will hear from leading retailers who are successfully delivering a seamless online to physical store experience, boosting sales and enhancing customer experience.”
Carrefour’s Eric Fuchs, non-food online and multichannel director at Carrefour, opens the conference. In his keynote address, Fuchs considers how retailers are rethinking their internal organisation in the light of ecommerce in a store environment. He’ll be asking questions around the challenges that multichannel ecommerce teams must face, and how the most progressive retailers are adapting and testing their performance. Re-skilling teams for the digital today is at 10.35am.
Then Michael Durbridge, omnichannel director at B&Q takes to the stage with his consideration of what the omnichannel store of the future might look like, and how retailers can best put the customer at the centre of digital transformation. Omnichannel retail: digital transformation, customer first! is at 11.10am.
Will Lockie, programme head – multichannel, at Evans Cycles , then presents a case study on how the retailer is working to develop a culture that puts the customer at the heart of the shopping journey, whether they’re ordering or taking delivery of their goods. Arming the front line to meet shifting customer demands is at 11.45am.
Kash Ghedia, head of technology at Dixons Carphone , Bridget Lea, general manager, stores, at 02, and Phil D’Souza, head of merchandising, Topps Tiles, will discuss how technology is being used at the cutting edge to create inspirational in-store shopping experiences. They’ll be considering areas from beacon technology and digital signage to mobile and point of sale. The panel discussion on Future store – virtual changing rooms, beacons, augmented reality… what’s next? is at 1pm, and is followed by a presentation from the track sponsor, at 1.45pm.
Adam Warburton, head of mobile at Travelex, next discusses how retailers can make the most of mobile in their stores, and as a bridge between the in-store and the online. He will be taking a look at the role of apps and mobile optimised services while also considering ways of driving engagement using techniques such as in-store mapping, loyalty programmes and personalised services. Mobile first for the competitive edge is at 2.45pm.
Cathy McCabe, CIO at Jaeger , closes the conference with a consideration of how the creative retailer can use digital to create a unique customer experience, to bridge the gap between online and the store and to boost the bottom line. Bridging digital and physical technology to put the pow factor into in-store customer experience is at 3.20pm.
The Connected Store of the Future conference will take place on April 27 2016 at IRX 2016, at Birmingham’s NEC. Find out more about the conference here, and more about IRX 2016 here. Register to visit the show for free here.
