Rebecca Gibson |
How can the retail industry survive, and overcome, the demands of today’s connected customers? In a decade of digital transformation, customer behaviour has dramatically changed. In 2017, nearly 20% of UK retail sales took place through non-conventional channels and customers spent £18 billion on mobile shopping channels alone. Retailers who do not offer a hassle-free multichannel experience – whether in store, online or mobile – are missing out.
In 2020, it will no longer be a luxury to be a truly omnichannel retailer, it will be a requirement. To stay ahead of the competition, retailers must get to grips with their omnichannel strategy now.
InternetRetailing Expo (IRX) 2018 will bring together the expertise, best practice and technology retailers need to deliver this seamless omnichannel shopping experience. To be held at NEC Birmingham on 21-22 March, IRX will welcome 5,000 digital professionals for the UK’s largest festival for digital and multichannel retail. Featuring an extensive e-commerce educational programme, the event will also see more than 80 retailers will unveiling their solutions to the most pressing problems in digital retailing.
IRX 2018 will boast eight conference tracks featuring spokespeople including Nigel Blunt, head of operations development at Sainsbury’s Argos; Mark Cody, mobile product lead at Eurostar; Caroline Hazelhurst, operations director at Deliveroo; Tom Rooney, senior mobile apps and in-store digital manager at John Lewis; and Daryl Hughes, e-commerce manager at Facebook & Instagram UK. During IRX 2018, visitors will also be able to experience the latest innovations and developments from more than 300 technology providers. A full list of exhibitors can be found here.
“Black Friday 2017 saw online sales overtake the high street for the first time, with £1.4 billion taken on the Friday,” said Sam North, portfolio director for InternetRetailing Events. “However, standing out in a competitive sales period like this isn’t just about who has the best promotions. The biggest differentiator can often be the customer service you deliver. Effective omnichannel; making it easy for customers to communicate, select, buy, take delivery and return, as they wish to, no matter which channel they’re using – mobile, desktop or in store. Omnichannel is the future of retail, and retailers not embracing it will stay behind. “
IRX 2018 is a free-to-attend event and the full programme and registration are available at the expo’s website.