Are you Attending the Internet Retailing Expo?

Retailers have proven their ability to adapt in response to shifts in consumer behaviours. This was especially evident during lockdown when retailers pulled out all the stops to keep trading. For some, decisions made in haste proved to have long term value for customers and have been embedded in their processes.

The challenge with online retail is that things never stop moving forward. Keeping pace with changing shopper preferences, advancing technology, marketing, fulfilment and packaging isn’t easy, but attending industry events can help.

Internet Retailing Expo 2022

Tickets are now on sale for IRX 2022, which will be held at Birmingham’s NEC on 11 & 12 May. The event focuses on the future direction and priorities across the retail industry. It can provide insight, inspiration and advice for established brands and e-commerce start-ups.

The two-day expo includes presentations from industry leaders, where successful strategies and market research will be shared. Visitors can attend advice workshops covering topics such as ‘Boosting Revenue with Partnerships’ and ‘Breaking into New Markets’. Exhibitors will also be showcasing a variety of commercial solutions to support e-commerce growth.

Whether you are attending or not, the IRX News pages offer a valuable resource for e-commerce businesses.

Adopt a Focused Approach to Industry Events

If you plan to attend IRX or other industry events, you get more from it if you go prepared. There is so much available, that it can become overwhelming if you don’t focus on what you want to learn from the experience.

Think about the challenges you are facing, the barriers you’ve come across and the crossroads you’ve reached. Attend the e-commerce workshops and presentations that are most likely to present valuable information and options. Make a beeline for relevant exhibitors and ask questions or request demonstrations to deepen your knowledge.

It is also worth attending networking opportunities to connect with other visitors; sharing experiences can be insightful.

It is common to be presented with piles of brochures, business cards and other materials at industry events. Accept that which is of genuine interest, but decline the rest. If you return with arms full of literature, the chances of looking at it again are minimal.

After the event, block out time to follow up. This could be to research an option, contact someone or discuss ideas with the team. This stage is often missed following events and training, but it is essential for instigating change.