Future Stores Connect Virtual Event

What a way to start your day! Kick off your Future Stores Connect Virtual experience by joining your fellow retail peers in an informal speed networking activity. Like speed dating, you’ll have 5 minutes to meet with 1 or 2 retailers before rotating to the next session. You’ll meet lots of fellow peers before the virtual summit begins. Starter questions will be provided to help break the ice, so what are you waiting for? Don’t miss this opportunity meet your Future Stores retailer peers!

One year into the pandemic and with vaccines continuing to roll out, economists are predicting a light at the end of the quarantine tunnel. So what will physical stores look like once COVID-19 is in check? Customers are itching to get out of their homes and back into stores. They are craving human connection. Retailers will need to step it up to adapt to new customer behaviors and expectations, whether that be through an immersive shopping experience, “retail theater,” or simply adding small touchpoints along the customer journey to enhance in-person shopping. During this discussion, our panelists from the top brands will share their plans and predictions for the next big retail boom, answering pressing questions around:

• Generating excitement and buzz around the latest products and physical stores features
• Meeting customer needs and expectations during the comeback of in-person shopping
• Strategies and vision for 2021 and beyond

Earlier this year, Macy’s, Inc. recommitted to its Polaris strategy to deliver the best style options for customers as a digitally led omnichannel retailer. This discussion will focus on how Macy’s stores play an essential role in the company’s omnichannel ecosystem, driving both digital and brick and mortar sales.

There’s no question that the pandemic has led to store closures, bankruptcy and a massive spike in on-line shopping. Lockdowns and a fear of contracting COVID-19 have kept shoppers at home and out of stores, becoming more and more reliant on ecommerce, with Amazon sales continuing to boom. Retailers who have seen success have mastered their omni-channel strategy during these times, offering options for a seamless shopping experience that includes curbside pickup as a way to get products to consumers quickly and safely. The 2020 shopper values safety, ease and convenience above all else. During this Fireside chat, our C-Level speaker will share how their brand rose above amidst a global pandemic and the lessons learned while rolling out their omni-channel strategy to drive growth and sustainability.

• Mapping out the customer journey to create a seamless omni-channel experience
• Attracting new customers and retaining customer loyalty through omni-channel opportunities
• Lessons learned and mistakes made during 2020

The phrase “new normal” has been exhausted to death, but it’s there for a reason. There’s no way of knowing if or when consumers will be able to let their guard down while out and about in the world. That doesn’t mean in-person shopping has to decline. In fact, now more than ever, it’s crucial to offer up a space that feels safe, inviting and accessible. From taking temperatures at the door to plastic partitions between the cashier and client, there are endless ways to reduce risk and create a more enjoyable and relaxing shopping experience. During this case study, our C-Level executive will share how their brand redesigned their in-person shopping experience and their store layout to meet the needs of today’s nervous shopper. 

• Maximizing space and product displays to create a relaxed shopping environment
• Taking measures to ensure customers feel protected
• Reassessing your store layout and design to create a seamless in-person shopping experience

With conversations around racial injustices at the forefront of national dialogue, making strides in diversity, racial equity and inclusion is needed now more than ever. Organizations are having to re-evaluate their brand values and accept the painful reality that there’s still so much more work to be done in creating equitable and inclusive environments for customers and employees alike. During this fireside chat, our speaker will discuss how their organization is working to advance diversity, inclusion and equity within their stores and across their brand and industry as a whole.

• Equipping employees and store associates with skills and training to help influence and drive the company’s DEI initiatives
• Embedding core values around combatting racial bias and prejudice into the brand mindset
• Ensuring an inclusive in-store experience for customers and employees

Use this intimate setting to discuss the challenges women in retail face and celebrate your successes as a group! You’ll come away feeling inspired, supported, and ready to take on your next big idea. This session is only open to retail services executives.

Space is limited to 15 retail executives.

The immersive shopping experience is often mentioned among the top trends expected to set the stage for 2021 and beyond. This panel will not only delve into the theoretical ideas around applying immersive practices in today’s climate, but also tangible steps to transform the retail experience as the world starts to open back up and customer expectations begin to rise. Our executive panel will share insights around:

• A vision for immersive experiences in today’s retail landscape
• The role of journey mapping and design in building immersive experiences
• Implementing actionable steps to support their vision 

Technology continues to blur the lines between physical and digital, creating a shopping experience where online and offline collide to enrich the customer journey. As digital and physical channels converge, it opens a pathway for enhanced personalization. During this Fireside Chat, our executive speaker from Disney Land Resort will answer questions around:

• The latest technology being used by guest to make the shopping experience more seamless
• How incorporating digital can streamline measuring ROI
• Incorporating IOT, augmented shopping, and AI into psychical stores

During times of crisis, in-store transformations likely took a backseat to your company’s survival. Now that retail is making a comeback in a big way, transforming your business should be back at the forefront.

• Transforming your business model to sustain growth
• Reimaging the store experience in the new normal
• Prioritizing customer behavior change

Artificial intelligence is the cornerstone of technological advancements in retail. As we look at the pathway towards the future of customer interactions in the retail sector, it’s projected that the majority of touch-points and communications will be powered through AI. However, human connection is still important to customers, and finding a balance between AI and human interaction is key to brand success and loyalty. During this Fireside Chat, our executive speaker will share how their brand is incorporating AI without losing sight of what makes us all human.

• Identifying how AI can fill the gaps in the physical shopping experience
• Getting back to basics and discussing the role of human interaction in 2021 and beyond
• Mastering the balancing act between AI and human connection in order to meet rising customer expectations

Customer values, attitudes and behaviors have changed rapidly during Covid-19, and research shows that many of these habits are here to stay. The question becomes, not how do we get back to a pre-Covid consumer world, but how can brands adapt to and embrace these new behaviors to sustain growth. Concerns over safety and personal finance will continue to impact the way customers choose to shop. Now more than ever, consumer insights and analytics will give retailers a glimpse into the changed behaviors during these unprecedented times. During this presentation, our executive speaker will share best practices for gaining a better understanding of your customers and how to leverage those insights to drive growth.

• Leveraging consumer insights to understand new and continued behaviors, attitudes and values
•  Adapting and innovating in new ways to meet the changing needs of customers
• Rebuilding with brand responsibility, safety and your employees in mind to create trust with your customers