2024 is just a few weeks away. Since it’s almost time for next year's budgeting, we’ve prepared a list of top retail and shopper marketing events and conferences to attend in 2024.
Before we deep dive into the events, let’s see the main reasons why you should attend these events next year.
Why you should attend retail events in 2024
- Stay Informed: Retail events provide an excellent opportunity to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, technologies, and consumer behaviors. This knowledge is crucial for keeping your business competitive.
- Networking: These events offer a platform to connect with fellow industry professionals, including peers, experts, and potential collaborators. Building a strong network can open doors to valuable partnerships and insights.
- Inspiration: Attending retail events can be highly inspiring. Listening to thought leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and innovators can spark fresh ideas and motivate you to implement new strategies in your own business.
- Innovation Showcase: Retail events often host an array of exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge technologies and products. This is an opportunity to discover innovative solutions that can enhance your business operations.
- Problem-Solving: Interacting with other attendees and industry experts can help you address specific challenges or concerns you might be facing in your retail business.
- Market Insights: Attending retail events can provide insights into consumer preferences, market dynamics, and emerging market trends. This information can guide your business strategy.
- Competitive Advantage: Being present at these events allows you to gather information on what your competitors are doing and stay ahead of the curve.
- Visibility: Participating in retail events can boost your brand's visibility and reputation within the industry. It can be a stepping stone to establishing your business as a leader in your field.
Top 8 retail events in 2024
1. NRF: Retail's Big Show
When: 13 - 16 January, 2024
Where: New York
This four-day conference draws in over 6,000 brands and an impressive 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. In 2024, the conference proudly touts its ability to foster "meaningful connections, provide fresh insights to support bold decision-making in the upcoming year, and showcase cutting-edge technology that is reshaping the retail landscape."
2. The NGA Show
When: 10 - 12 March, 2024
Where: Caesar Forum Convention Forum, Las Vegas
The NGA Show warmly invites professionals from the grocery retail and wholesale sectors, along with executives, manufacturers, and suppliers in the food retail industry, to come and be a part of this inclusive and enriching experience. Whether you're at the helm of a newly established grocery store or a seasoned veteran with four decades of experience in the industry, you won't want to miss this expansive gathering, the largest of its kind!
40+ SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS: These sessions are thoughtfully designed to keep you and your team well-informed about the latest trends and best practices in the food retail industry. They are geared toward equipping you with strategies to enhance profitability and bolster your bottom line. The sessions cover a broad spectrum, accommodating various levels of experience and meeting you at your current stage of grocery industry knowledge.
3. ASD Market Week
When: 10 - 13 March, 2024
Where: Last Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas
ASD Market Week stands out as one of the most comprehensive trade shows available. With both Spring and Summer editions each year, it's a prime opportunity to attend. This show, the largest of its kind in the United States, introduces a wealth of retail innovations designed to bolster your business.
At this event, you'll have the chance to explore products from an extensive roster of over 1,800 vendors. Additionally, with over 30,000 attendees, the networking prospects are abundant. Furthermore, ASD Market Week offers a range of free seminars on various topics, encompassing visual merchandising, store planning, small business marketing, and consumer trends.
4. Shoptalk
When: 17 - 20 March, 2024
Where: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Bringing together a community of over 10,000 executives, Shoptalk serves as the intersection point for retail, technology, and innovation, as stated on its website. This event is renowned for its prominent main stage spotlight discussions and diverse multi-track sessions, catering to attendees seeking in-depth insights into specific subjects.
The lineup for the next year's event includes executives from well-established brands such as Ulta Beauty, Pacsun, and Victoria's Secret. The expo itself features a bustling showcase of around 900 exhibitors, hailing from technology firms and solution providers.
5. World Congress Retail
When: 16-18 April, 2024
Where: Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, France
In 2024, the World Retail Congress will make its return, bringing together over 800 prominent figures in the retail industry for the purpose of learning, networking, and crafting strategies for the year ahead and beyond.
The event is set to be hosted in Paris, a global hub renowned for its exceptional retail scene and a prime location for this exciting year. The chosen theme, "High Performance Retail," will focus on the characteristics required to achieve true excellence in the contemporary retail landscape. The organizers draw inspiration from the unwavering determination, fervor, and dedication necessary to stand out as champions in the retail world today, qualities that are seen mirrored in the current leaders of the retail industry.
6. IRX & eDX
When: 22 - 23 May, 2024
Where: NEC Birmingham, Birmingham
IRX & eDX serves as the ideal destination for discovering a comprehensive array of products and services that are indispensable in the realm of multichannel retail.
IRX is specifically tailored for CEOs, Directors, Senior Managers, and Executives with the responsibility of executing multichannel strategies. This event is teeming with pertinent content, valuable sourcing, and intelligence to support fact-finding, offering a rewarding and informative experience away from the office.
EDX delves into the operational aspect of multichannel performance and is designed for Directors and Senior Managers overseeing logistics, operations, and supply chain functions in the multichannel and e-commerce sectors.
7. Retail Innovation Conference and Expo
When: June 4-6, 2024
Where: Chicago, IL
Get ready for a conference brimming with valuable insights. At the Retail Innovation Conference and Expo 2024, you'll have access to a diverse selection of experiences. This includes the opportunity to participate in 16 informative workshops and engaging live activations. Moreover, the event will feature over 300 exhibitors showcasing their cutting-edge technologies and products.
Immerse yourself in the wisdom of globally renowned speakers, and make sure to explore all five pop-up stages that offer a wealth of inspiration and knowledge on the latest trends in areas such as payment methods, consumer packaged goods (CPG), buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS), and more.
8. Future Stores
When: 3 - 5 June, 2024
Where: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
For more than a decade, Future Stores has held a prominent position in the realm of retail store innovation. This year, the event is poised to bring its excitement to an entirely new location. Future Stores is set to unite senior retail executives specializing in operations, design, digital, and technology, and the event eagerly anticipates the community coming together once again.
Future Stores has consistently distinguished itself by not adhering to the traditional large-scale tradeshow format. Instead, it places a strong emphasis on providing attendees with practical strategies and valuable insights for leveraging store technology effectively. Moreover, it focuses on educating front-line associates and facilitating the creation of the next-generation store experience. This commitment, combined with world-class networking opportunities that foster meaningful relationships within the retail community, forms a recipe for success.
