This year’s Retail Innovation Conference gave the most entrepreneurial and creative retailers an opportunity to showcase how they’re driving change throughout the industry, whether through customer engagement, channel optimization or omnichannel fulfillment.
The RTP editorial team shares their top personal takeaways from #RIC16, highlighting the panels, sessions and speakers that specifically stood out in their eyes.
Debbie Hauss, Editor-in-Chief: I am truly inspired by every one of our retailer and industry experts speakers from #RIC16. My personal favorite part of hosting an event like this is getting retail colleagues together to share their stories, challenges and insights. This happened time and time again during the planning process and the 2 ½ day event. With great expectations, I look forward to #RIC17! That said, we had a last-minute surprise presentation that was a breath of fresh air for all attendees: Kevin and Jen Lavelle, CEO and CMO of Mizzen+Main joined us to kick off the event on Tuesday morning. The husband-and-wife entrepreneurs inspired our attendees with their dedication to the authenticity of their brand, while bootstrapping all aspects of the development of a big brand with a small budget. Their story has lessons for companies of all types of sizes. It was the first time the pair presented together, but I’m sure it won’t be the last!
Adam Blair, Executive Editor: While both the formal presentations and casual interactions throughout #RIC16 provided both information and inspiration, I was most impressed with just a few minutes during the Store Tour I led with my colleague David DeZuzio on Monday, May 9. The whole concept of these tours is excellent, giving we journalists, along with retailers and solution providers, the chance to see real-world retail in action. We all have the experience of being consumers in common, but these tours provide the (unfortunately rare) opportunity to pull back the curtain and see how retail really works. At Gilt at Saks Off Fifth, a great example of the merging of brick-and-mortar with online commerce, the Gilt sales associate patiently answered our group’s questions about planning, merchandising, and the upcoming addition of Gilt By Appointment in this midtown Manhattan location. Her generosity was matched by the group’s curiosity. It was a great example of the truth that at an event like this, insights don’t just flow from the podium down to the audience; they also bubble up from the participants themselves.
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Alicia Fiorletta, Content Strategist: At retail conferences, it’s easy to get stuck in a business frame of mind: how to boost sales, drive long-term revenue and success. While important, the bottom line is only one piece of a successful retail brand. All our speakers at #RIC16 reaffirmed the importance of passion – not only for their brands but for their customers. I loved learning how Bluemercury finds and onboards associates who love makeup and helping others, and of course, how Adore Me looks at potential employees’ passion and ability to come up with innovative ideas rather than their retail experience. I think finding employees with heart and an enjoyment for learning and pushing business boundaries will be even more important in the future – largely because the rules of retail are constantly being rewritten.
David DeZuzio, Managing Editor: This was my first RIC and I loved it. It was said that the customer has always been in charge, but as a customer, I’ve never really felt that. I’ve felt as though I’ve always been a part of the retail model of the last 2,000 years that Ken Hughes expertly demonstrated. Listening to the Lavelle’s of Mizzen+Main and how Alton Lane really connects with their shoppers was something special; come to think of it, everyone was great. Retailers are really making a concerted effort to make sure that the customer is completely satisfied with their experience and their path to purchase. As the world of retail goes through the inherent ups and downs of sales and has its stars, both hot and fading, it’s nice to think that they really are thinking of the customer as something more than human ATM machines. RIC was also tremendously inspiring. I came up with at least four different business ideas I would love to follow through on. Anyone have a spare $4 million?
Klaudia Tirico, Associate Editor: As this was my first Retail Innovation Conference, there wasn’t a single session that didn’t inspire me in some way. Being new to the industry, I learned a lot about the ever-evolving world of retail. One of most enlightening sessions for me was listening to Ernan Roman of ERDM talk about customer experience innovation. It was fascinating to hear real-life feedback from consumers about personalization based on his research. Turns out, many consider marketers’ ideas of it to be old fashioned. Consumers want more than just a personalized email sent to them based on transaction history and they are willing to share valuable data to get to that level of personalization. At the end of the day, retailers should focus on the customers’ wants and needs, even if it means turning the tables on traditional strategies.
Glenn Taylor, Associate Editor: In attending RIC for the second time, it was excellent to see so many retail executives intent on transforming the industry in one place at the same time. With so many outside-the-box thinkers under one roof, you just know that there will be plenty of ideas thrown around. One presentation that impressed me in particular was the panel including Shawn Nelson of Lovesac and Jerry Hum of Touch of Modern. While both retailers had very different product offerings, their stories fascinated me because of their abilities to start (and stick with) the company from the ground up. As someone who has purchased from Touch of Modern in the past, I do enjoy that the company continues to provide an unique curation of products designed for a 21st century shopper. While I have yet to have any personal experience with Lovesac’s offering, the fact that they have molded such a successful business off of essentially two patented pieces is a huge testament to their marketing and ability to make those products customizable. With stories like these, I’m already looking forward to what next year’s conference has in store!
Do you happen to know any retailers spearheading disruptive campaigns? Nominations for the 2017 Retail Innovator Awards are already open!
