IRX 2017 Marketplaces Revolution Conference

Ahead of InternetRetailing Expo (2017) and sister event eDelivery Expo we’re running a series of previews and interviews looking ahead to the event. Today the focus is on the Marketplaces Revolution Conference.

Marketplaces are quickly becoming the shopping mall of the future; customers are increasingly using these one-stop-shops to meet a range of shopping needs and retailers are cashing in on new opportunities to grow their business through these online portals. How can smaller retailers cash in on new growth opportunities through online marketplaces? What do larger players need to know about using online marketplaces to increase sales whilst retaining brand integrity? Whether you are a big, small, traditional or new retailer, marketplaces are big business. This concerence asks what it takes to cash in on the next big selling opportunity?

David Lloyd, business development director at Alibaba Group , opens the conference with a keynote introduction to the Chinese market and how marketplaces can help retailers engage with shoppers in this region. Marketplaces as a gateway to the East is at 9.30am.

Lloyd kicks off a day in which the role of marketplaces in driving shoppers to the store (Marketplaces as a Route to Increased In-Store Traffic and Revenue, 10.30am) and in changing the way that clothes are sold online (Fashion Disrupted panel discussion 1.30pm) will both come under discussion.

Speakers will also consider issues from how smaller retailers can use marketplaces to boost their sales (Marketplaces as a Speedy and Lucrative Route to Market for Niche and Smaller Retailers, 2.30pm), and how exporters can gain entry to new marketplaces via marketplaces (Borderless Retail – how can retailers cash in on cross-border opportunities? 3.05pm).

The Marketplaces Revolution Conference, to be held on April 6, is part of the InternetRetailing Expo, which runs from April 5 to 6 at the NEC in Birmingham. To learn more IRX 2017, its sister conference eDelivery Expo and to register for free, visit www.internetretailingexpo.com and www.edeliveryexpo.com.

Attendees can also get a 25% discount on their train fare to the NEC when they book through the IRX or EDX visitor information website.