What’s New At Shoptalk

Announcing the Shoptalk 2023 Agenda

The Shoptalk Content team is incredibly excited to unveil the Preliminary Agenda for Shoptalk 2023, taking place March 26-29, 2023 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. 

We think intensively about the narrative behind each of our events, to ensure our no pay-to-play agenda covers the most timely, business critical challenges and opportunities facing brands and retailers today, as well as the new technologies and business models they need to learn about to succeed in the future.

Our 275+ senior-level speakers will share their expertise on the topics our audience wants and expects to see on the Shoptalk agenda, spanning the latest in marketing and ecommerce to physical stores, merchandising and the supply chain. Fresh spins on these themes include:

• Next-Generation Retail Media Offerings
• Ecommerce Customer Experience Improvements that Move the Needle
• Providing Inspiration and Ease: Balancing Store Design Imperatives
• Optimizing Between DTC and Wholesale Strategies
• Building Resilience Into Global Supply Chains

But we’re also shaking things up in 2023 with the introduction of all-new topics and approaches to learning.

RETAIL’S HOTTEST TOPICS

What’s really going on with the economy? By March it will be clearer how the economy is doing. While inflation is indisputably affecting consumer and business decisions for the first time in a generation, other macroeconomic forces like the labor market, where the unemployment rate has returned to pre-pandemic lows despite a wave of corporate layoffs, are far more ambiguous. Shoptalk 2023 will feature a track titled “Thriving in a Challenging Economy” showcasing experts who will go beyond the boom-or-bust hype to explain what’s driving today’s unclear and often conflicting signals, and executives who will share how they are adapting their tactics and strategies for the current moment.

Deconstructing the hottest topics in marketing. Shoptalk’s agenda has always given our audience a close look at the leading edge of marketing. For 2023, we’ll be doing our first track dedicated to new video opportunities, including a tactical look at livestreaming and shoppable video and Shoptalk Original Content on opportunities around esports, created in partnership with Coresight Research. We’ll feature a metaverse track offering two focused sessions on the latest on that brave new world: opportunities for NFTs and virtual goods and creating immersive experiences in augmented, mixed and virtual realities. Finally, the agenda will also offer deep dives into the creator economy and gamification.

Integrating ESG and DEI into the conversation. Shoptalk 2023 won’t feature a distinct track focused on purpose or ESG. Rather, we’re integrating those vital topics into the larger conversation across the agenda, as we think they should be a part of every business process and executive decision. For example, we’re featuring sustainability as part of our session on operational efficiency, and will be looking at brand purpose and activism as part of our track on next-gen branding. We’ll also continue our commitment to featuring diverse voices on our agenda, including once again achieving a 50-50 gender split among our speakers.

CEOs at Shoptalk: Shoptalk has always been the place to hear from and network with retail industry CEOs – the CEOs of Uber, Lowe’s, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, Sam’s Club, Macy’s, Tapestry, Warby Parker and Pinterest are just a few of the industry titans that have graced our stage. New at Shoptalk this year, attending CEOs will be invited to participate in exclusive on-site experiences, including specially curated content, networking and more. Stay tuned for details!

NEW WAYS TO DISCOVER AND LEARN

Reimagined Startup Pitch. Shoptalk’s Startup Pitch showcase of very early-stage retail tech solution providers is always a highlight. We’ve redesigned the Pitch format to increase the excitement, with a two-round elimination process to ensure our judges and the audience crown the best and brightest founders as our winners. We’re working with Commerce Ventures to offer Shoptalk Ventures, an optional investment on favorable terms for the Judges’ Choice winner.

Agency Pitch. Startup Pitch has been such a success that we’re introducing Agency Pitch. These all-new sessions will feature a retailer or brand executive who will describe a challenge or opportunity they face. Three agency or consultancy executives will respond onstage with their ideas and proposals, giving the audience inside insights into how they can tackle similar issues.

More Case Studies and Workshop Sessions. Back by popular demand, we’ll be bringing more Case Studies and Workshop sessions to our stage. These sessions provide attendees with tactics, frameworks and actionable insights that attendees can bring back to their businesses and implement immediately after they get back from Las Vegas.

More Time to Network. We know content is only one reason you come to Shoptalk. So we’re opening up an extra hour in your day to network with an onsite Meetup where everyone can meet with everyone else for every reason (meetings are double opt-in), all facilitated by our world-class technology platform. You can expect to hear more on this in the coming weeks.

These are just a selection of highlights of an agenda that is precisely calibrated to give our audience a complete retail education in a tightly packed four days in Las Vegas. 

Whatever your role in the retail ecosystem, we’re confident you’ll find sessions, topics and speakers who will open your mind to new ideas and new opportunities, helping you and your organization thrive in fast-changing times.

You can join the wait list for our Hosted Retailers & Brands Program here or for a ticket here. You can also apply to speak here. 

We hope to see you and the 10,000+ other members of our community in March!