IRC and EDC co-located in 2017 to deliver a compete multichannel experience in the UK

The InternetRetailing Conference (IRC), claimed to be the longest running multichannel forum, has announced its 12th edition, for the first time co-located with the eDelivery Conference (EDC).

Taking place on 5th October in Novotel West, London, this year's event will bridge the gap between multichannel and fulfilment, bringing together the most innovative retailers, digital and supply chain leaders and address the need for collaboration to better understand how to engage commercially with the connected customer.

Under the theme of Energising Retail to meet the needs of the modern consumer, key industry decision makers from leading brands such as Alipay, Clarks, Canon, Lastminute, Pitney Bowes, Trainline, Salesforce Commercial Cloud, Magento, Barclaycard and Deliveroo will share the latest trends and future movements of the industry. This year's programme will equip digital leaders with platforms to learn, network and find inspiration to keep developing their digital retail and multichannel strategies.

Speaking to an audience of over 1,000 delegates, these industry trailblazers will use real life case studies and exclusive new research to guide digital leaders in their journey through the digital transformation. They will question established retail concepts, highlight the upcoming changes of the industry and unveil the un-seen and un-thought future of multichannel retail.

The conference will host four parallel streams designed to share the latest trends and future movements of the industry and aid retailers with innovation, creativity and future-proofed decision-making. These will focus on the four axis needed to deliver a well-rounded multichannel strategy:

Analyse & Conquer

Focusing on holistic approaches to consumer understanding, this stream will combine both the use of traditional customer analysis and new technology, including AI, big data, and machine learning to understanding different markets as well as the delivery of customers' expectations.

Adapt & Expand

Tackling the challenge of internationalisation, this track will guide retailers to succeed over multiple markets by implementing adaptable processes, resources and staffing strategy and to be prepared to deal with contingency issues and unexpected challenges.

Create & Innovate

With vicious competition in the multichannel market, this track will explore some of the most exciting and innovative case studies and show how the leading internet retailers are able to stand out from the crowd, proving themselves adaptive and forward-thinking.

Stand Up & Deliver

Never has operational performance been more scrutinised. Consumers expect seamless delivery on their terms, yet how can retailers enact this in a profitable and efficient fashion and across international borders. This track will define operational efficiencies to match modern consumer demands.

Furthermore, encouraging a hands-on approach, the conference will host 12 workshops and 20 roundtables. The workshops will be led by key companies who have delivered significant projects for globally-renowned brands, in terms of technological possibilities and strategic options available to fulfil customer expectations and requirements. The roundtables - exclusive for retailers – will allow open and intimate discussions tackling retailers' current problems and challenges with experts in those areas.

Ahead of the show, Sam North, Portfolio Director, said: "A steady stream of technological possibilities and strategic options present opportunities to fulfil customer expectations and requirements. The question is, who will meet modern consumer demand, and how? We believe to be successful in the modern climate, retailers must prove themselves to be adaptive, creative and brave enough to enact change when necessary. And this is the theme behind the 12th IRC & EDC.

The strategic gap between retail marketing and fulfilment is growing smaller. Both arms must work in harmony to overcome their challenges together and create a fully functional and successful retail machine. For this reason, we are bringing IRC & EDC together to allow both sectors to interact, debate and discuss as well as help retailers connect and learn from their peers in order to engage better with their savvy customers."

To learn more about the InternetRetailing Conference and eDelivery Conference or to book your place now, visit www.internetretailingconference.com.

Conference Rates

Retailers, Vendors, Suppliers and Consultants have different rate options to choose from to access presentations, exhibitions and workshops at the InternetRetailing and/or eDelivery Conference. Early bird options available until 1st August 2017.