Updated June 2024
Retail development is an ever-evolving industry, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations is crucial for professionals in the field. One of the best ways to gain new insights, network w/ industry leaders, and engage in thought-provoking discussions is by attending retail focused conferences. With so many conferences to choose from though, which ones should you attend?
We did the dirty work for you based on our experience and recommendations from other industry professionals. Below are the top conferences to attend in 2024!
CES® is one of the largest conferences in the US every year with over 117,000 attendees in 2023. Dozens of retailers and tech focused companies regularly make major product announcements at the event making it a must attend event. This is where brands get business done, meet new partners and where the industry’s sharpest minds take the stage to unveil their latest releases and boldest breakthroughs.
More info on the event here: https://www.ces.tech/
Known as Retail's Big Show, the 2024 edition of NRF is a 4 day event hosted in NYC. This conference draws normally draws in 5,000+ brands and 40,000+ attendees from all corners of the world. The 2024 roster of speakers is set to feature top executives from renowned companies such as Walmart, Sephora, Crocs, Michaels, Adidas, Target, Ikea, and GameStop.
If you are looking for the biggest bang for your buck networking wise, this is the one conference to attend.
More details: https://nrfbigshow.nrf.com/
The 9th annual Entertainment Experience Evolution conference will take place February 6-7, 2024, at the JW Marriott LA Live. This is lesser known event for most retail veterans but it has been picking up steam since the COVID pandemic. This conference focuses on the emerging 'eater-tainment' space so major retailers like Top Golf, Bowlero, Universal Theme Parks, MGM Resorts and others attend almost every year. We have also seen a number of professional sports teams attend in recent years looking to partner/invest in entertainment focused retail.
A great conference to attend for those in or looking into the 'eater-tainment' industry. More details here: https://web.cvent.com/event/396c231a-b891-4407-9c27-61692cad2bed/summary
The SiteRise team will be attending this event 😎
Since 1999, eTail has been the gathering place for top retail leaders, serving as the hub for cutting-edge eCommerce and digital marketing strategies. The majority of their events are focused on the digital side of retail but in more recent years a number of traditional brick and mortar retailers are attending as the line between the two have started to blur.
If you are a retailer or vendor looking to meet with DTC brands getting into traditional retail or those moving towards omni-channel commerce, this is a great conference to attend.
The SiteRise team will be attending this event 😎
More details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/
SPECS 2024 will bring together the nation's top retailers and suppliers across the store development industry. Be ready to learn, share ideas, develop business partnerships and find innovative solutions to help you successfully operate and maintain stores in an ever-changing world.
The SiteRise team has attended a number of SPEC events and have also been impressed by the quality of the event and the number of networking opportunities.
More details: https://www.specsshow.com/2024
Bringing together a community of over 10,000 executives, Shoptalk serves as the intersection point for retail, technology, and innovation. This event is known to be more agenda/discussion heavy than others with a number of high profile brand and retailer speakers. The lineup for the next year's event includes executives from Ulta Beauty, Alibaba, Build a Bear, Canada Goose, Crocs, and Victoria's Secret.
The expo/networking area features a bustling showcase of around 900 exhibitors, hailing from technology firms and solution providers.
More details: https://shoptalk.com/us/
Launched in 2014, RetailSpaces began as an annual event with the goal of connecting and informing store development, design, and construction professionals. Today, RetailSpaces has evolved into a community that unites the industry through in-person gatherings, digital roundtables, webcasts and custom content. A platform for the sharpest minds shaping the future of physical retail.
Most events are invite only.
More details: https://www.retailspaces.co/spring/
BuildPoint connects Retail professionals with Supplier companies to discover innovations in architecture & engineering, construction/renovation, and facilities maintenance of physical stores. The invitation-only 2.5-day premier Event provides an intimate format for Retailers and Suppliers through tailored boardrooms, one-on-one meetings, and social events.
BuildPoint is smaller more personal event similar to Retail Spaces or XSPECS. From our experience, it is a much different vibe than a ShopTalk or ICSC.
More info: https://cpmgevents.com/buildpoint/
ICSC LAS VEGAS is one of the premier retail development focused events and takes place annually in May. It is a 2-3 day gathering of dealmakers and industry experts, who are driving innovation and evolution in commercial real estate. In 2023, over 25,000 professionals attended the conference making it one of the largest events of the year!
More details: https://www.icsc.com/attend-and-learn/events/details/las-vegas-2024
The SiteRise team will be attending this event 😎
For over 10 years, Future Stores has been a leader in the retail store space and this year, they are bringing the excitement to a brand-new location! Future Stores has always prided itself on not being a massive trade show; instead focusing on giving you actionable strategies and valuable insights for using store technology effectively, educating your front-line associates and creating the next generation store experience. That combined with world class networking opportunities to build meaningful relationships within the retail community is a recipe for success.
Future Stores is produced and managed by WBR, the same team behind a number of retail and marketing focused conferences like eTail, Future Digital and ProcureCon.
More Details: https://futurestores.wbresearch.com/
eTail is your opportunity to be at the forefront of the retail revolution. How? By joining a community of innovators looking to strategize and connect with other eTailers. We talk with thousands of retailers, and what we hear again and again is that there is nowhere better to form connections, learn the latest insights, and have a great time collaborating than at eTail.
More details: https://etaileast.wbresearch.com/?extTreatId=7596181
Retail Live are one day only events where 400-500 retailers come together. These are normally smaller, more local events but a number of big name brands/retailers always attend. With smaller events, it's usually much easier to get valuable one on one time with specific retailers.
More details: https://www.retaillive.com/event/nashville-2024/
Retail Live are one day only events where 400-500 retailers come together. These are normally smaller, more local events but Austin is their oldest and largest show with 1,000+ attendees every year.
More details: https://www.retaillive.com/event/southcentral-2024/
The SiteRise team will be attending this event 😎
This three-day, by-invitation-only event brings together top retailers and suppliers — involved in store planning, design, construction and facilities management — in an informal setting designed to educate, inspire, foster networking and best practice-sharing, and build business partnerships. XSPECS is usually on the smaller side attendee wise compared to CSA's SPECS event but you will see a good amount of top tier retailers every year.
More details: https://www.xspecsshow.com/2024
Digitization is no longer limited to ecommerce and marketing. Today, every functional role within retail is being disrupted by digital – from physical stores to merchandising to the supply chain. Shoptalk Fall is here to unlock the full scope of retail innovation.
More details: https://fall.shoptalk.com/
The SiteRise team is ready to help your team take your retail projects to the next level.
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