With ecommerce statistics indicating that ecommerce growth isn’t expected to significantly decrease any time soon, it’s no wonder that new online stores seem to be popping up all the time. If you have your own ecommerce business, it’s important to stay up to date with all the latest innovations, trends, and happenings in the industry if you want to boost sales for your online store.
Whether they’re in-person or online events, ecommerce conferences and trade shows offer excellent opportunities for learning from creative think tanks and ecommerce leaders to expand your knowledge on a wide range of topics and key issues related to online sales. What’s more, they also make it possible to meet new people in your industry and grow your network.
Attending ecommerce events is crucial for e-retailers looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. By participating, you will be able to enhance your knowledge, connect with potential partners, and find inspiration to drive your business forward in the competitive digital marketplace.
Here’s our list of 15 of the best ecommerce events for retailers to attend all around the world!
1. NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show
Dates: January 14–16, 2024
Location: New York City, USA
Summary
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is a retail trade association that’s existed since 1911. Its members consist of department stores; specialty, discount, catalog, online, and independent retailers; chain restaurants; grocery stores; and multi-level marketing companies.
Retail’s Big Show is an annual three-day event that takes place in New York City. The NRF conference assembles people from 90+ countries, with 37,000+ retail professionals and vendors in attendance. One of the biggest ecommerce events today, it's one that you'll definitely want to attend if you have an ecommerce business.
Highlights for 2024
This year, Retail's Big Show boasted over 1,000 exhibitors and included the NRF Innovation Lab to promote future-forward technologies and the Startup Zone to highlight up-and-coming companies that hold lots of promise.
In addition, with the theme of helping retailers “break through,” the NRF provided 50+ keynote and featured sessions led by 170+ industry experts and leaders speaking on a variety of topics involving breakthrough experiences, breakthrough operations, breakthrough growth, breakthrough talent, breakthrough models, and purpose that breaks through. The lineup of speakers at Retail's Big Show this year included a wide range of big names in the retail industry, such as the following:
- John Furner, President and CEO of Walmart U.S.
- Martha Stewart, Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
- Earvin "Magic" Johnson, NBA legend, Chairman & CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises
Here’s a recap of the 2024 conference:
2. Shoptalk
Dates: March 17–20, 2024
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Summary
Founded in 2015, Shoptalk is an event held every year in Las Vegas. Aimed at big-name retailers and branded manufacturers, startups, tech companies, investors, media, and analysts, the conference brings individuals and brands together. Here, attendees will get to enjoy plenty of opportunities for collaborating, evolving, learning, and networking.
In addition, Shoptalk has made networking easier than ever for people attending the event with the introduction of its Meetup feature. With Meetup, attendees can express interest in connecting with other attendees during the conference. If both parties agree to meet up, Shoptalk will facilitate a meeting between the two.
Highlights for 2024
Shoptalk 2024 presents a curated agenda featuring leading retailers and brands, offering deep insights into the evolving retail ecosystem. Attendees of this conference can look forward to various exciting activities, entertainment, and programs to learn valuable insights about the latest and best business models, events, marketing strategies, technologies, trends and changes concerning consumer behavior.
Shoptalk guarantees exclusive content, including the Shoptalk Retail Zeitgeist—a unique framework for grasping today's critical retail forces and opportunities, all developed by the Shoptalk team. Furthermore, the 2024 edition of Shoptalk will feature 270+ top-notch speakers, including the following:
- Heidi Cooley, SVP & Chief Marketing Officer of Crocs
- Patrick McIntyre, Head of Development at Krispy Kreme
- Joyce Chang, Chair of Global Research at J.P. Morgan
- Dave Mazzone, VP of Marketing at Staples Canada
3. Adobe Summit
Dates: March 25–28, 2024
Location: Las Vegas, USA (or online)
Summary
The Adobe Summit is unique in that retailers can attend it in person in Las Vegas for a fee or online for free. This event focuses on the creation of experiences and aims to help attendees not just develop new skills and explore ideas but also get inspired as to how they can optimize the customer experience for their own businesses and provide top-notch customer service.
Whether you’re interested in picking up information about the best strategies concerning marketing automation, advertising, analytics or other topics concerning ecommerce or traditional commerce, the Adobe Summit provides a vibrant community to help you learn and foster connections.
Highlights for 2024
The 2024 Adobe Summit will offer over 260 sessions and hands-on labs concerning 12 tracks, including analytics for customer journeys, B2B marketing, collaborative work management, content that drives performance, customer data management and activation, generative AI, trends and inspiration, and others.
Attendees of this year’s Adobe Summit will be able to hear from an extensive array of speakers, with a wide range of backgrounds and experience, such as the following:
- Shaquille O'Neal, Basketball Legend, Entrepreneur, and Media Personality
- Ann Handley, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
- Shekhar Gowda, Global Head of Marketing Technology at The Coca-Cola Company
4. DX3 Canada
Dates: April 9–10, 2024
Location: Toronto, Canada
Summary
Dedicated to retail, marketing, and technology, DX3 is a key conference and trade show for retail sellers and digital marketers who want to learn more the effects of ever-changing technology on their industries in order to help their businesses adapt and grow. By providing provocative content and immersive experiences, DX3 joins leading tech brands around the world with the top agencies, brands, marketers, and retail professionals in Canada.
Highlights for 2024
Attendees of this year's DX3 event taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre will be able to experience a retail summit, a marketing and innovation summit, a virtual exhibition, and talks at the event, with 100+ industry experts and thought leaders present. Some of the speakers expected in the 2024 lineup are as follows:
- Johnny Russo, Chief Digital Officer of Lamour
- Jeremiah Curvers, Co-Founder and CEO of Polysleep
- Dave Mazzone, VP of Marketing at Staples Canada
5. Savant eCommerce Stockholm
Dates: April 10–11, 2024
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Summary
Geared toward senior ecommerce professionals, Savant eCommerce Stockholm is an annual conference designed to maximize networking and the sharing of knowledge. During this 2-day event, attendees from all retail verticals can benefit from sessions involving industry-leading speakers and panelists along with design-thinking labs and pub-quiz networking sessions for additional interaction.
Highlights for 2024
The 2024 edition of Savant eCommerce Stockholm 2024, marking its 6th year, will focus on building customer relationships and offering value. Attendees, including over 140 professionals from Sweden's top brands in ecommerce, customer experience, digital marketing, loyalty, and customer relationship management, will gain insights on consumer needs, personalized marketing, digital engagement, the use of AI technologies in customer experience, sustainability, and business transformation to succeed in recessions.
While this year’s speakers aren’t yet listed on the website, some of the top speakers who spoke at Savant eCommerce Stockholm in 2023 include the following:
- Pierre Lindquist, Group Director - Nordic eCommerce Leader at Procter & Gamble
- Maria Verykokou, EMEA eCommerce Manager at BabyBjörn
- Mikael Meijer, Director of eCommerce/D2C Optimisation & Growth (Europe) at Electrolux
6. Retail Fest
Dates: April 16–18, 2024
Location: Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia
Summary
Bringing together Australia’s online retailer community, Retail Fest, organized by Retail Global, is a three-day event revolving around ecommerce. With speaking sessions, workshops, and an exhibition, learning and networking opportunities abound.
Highlights for 2024
Taking place at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Retail Fest 2024 will boast over 150 speakers, more than 100 sponsors and exhibitors, as well as a special charity concert featuring performances from DJ Shoebox Moses, Yo Mafia, and Sneaking Sound System to close out the event. The concert is in partnership with Thread Together, an organization that aims to reduce the amount of new clothing ending up in landfills while giving these clothes to people in need.
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the speakers participating in this year’s conference:
- Marcus Murphy, Founder of 5ive
- Julie Mathers, Founder of Flora & Fauna, CEO and Owner of Snuggle Hunny
- Olivia Carr, Founder of Shhh Silk
7. B2B Summit North America
Dates: May 5–8, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Summary
Available as both an in-person and a digital experience, B2B Summit North America is one of the top events targeting business-to-business (B2B) sellers and chief marketing officers (CMOs). With the aim of helping attendees to boost their revenue, the conference offers a wide range of sessions to align with the priorities of those in attendance, speaking sessions from leading brands and executives from around the world, and plenty of chances to engage in practical case studies and network with others.
Highlights for 2024
In 2024, retailers attending B2B Summit North America will be able to look forward to a variety of session formats, such as analyst presentations, fireside chats, panel discussions, and others.
At this year's summit, attendees can discover the latest innovations, trends, and insights to create exceptional customer experiences and explore strategies for aligning functions to foster customer value and growth. In addition, they will learn how data, technology, and artificial intelligence can be leveraged for competitive advantage. Attendees will also be able to gain knowledge on availing of the latest market entry and revenue strategies to stay ahead in the evolving ecommerce sector.
A few of the expected speakers to attend the 2024 edition of B2B Summit North America include the following:
- Amy Bills, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester
- Dave Frankland, VP and Research Director at Forrester
- Srividya Sridharan, VP and Group Director at Forrester
8. Netcomm Forum
Dates: May 8–9, 2024
Location: Milan, Italy
Summary
The biggest event in Italy involving the transformation of digital commerce and ecommerce, Netcomm Forum is a yearly gathering of international professionals. Here, they discuss the news, data, and trends affecting the evolution of ecommerce on both an Italian and a global scale, changes in consumer behavior, what business models are proving to be the most successful, internationalization strategies for Italian retailers, and more.
Highlights for 2024
This year, the two-day forum will feature six themes in the ecommerce space: payment and fintech; technology and platforms for commerce; marketing, data, and customer engagement; consulting, strategies, and agencies; retail tech and the digital in-store experience; and logistics, supply chain, and packaging.
Speakers for the 2024 edition of Netcomm Forum have not yet been announced online, but attendees were able to enjoy hearing from speakers such as the following last year:
- Andrea Boschi, Country Manager FLOA Italy at BNP Paribas Group
- Luciana De Fino, COO at IEM
- Federica Tomasini, Marketing Manager Italia at Partoo
9. Accelerate
Dates: May 9–10, 2024
Location: Salt Lake City, USA
Summary
Combining learning, networking, and entertainment, Accelerate brings together ecommerce leaders who wish to learn more about the current state of online sales and what the future may hold for the ecommerce ecosystem. One of the top aims of the summit is to investigate complex key issues and provide simple real-world solutions.
Highlights for 2024
Accelerate24 is a dynamic two-day summit where attendees can connect with over 1,500 leaders from the industry, including brand experts and ecommerce executives focused on data-driven strategies. The summit features interactive sessions led by more than 75 executives, offers unique networking opportunities, and includes exclusive presentations from influential keynote speakers, providing a comprehensive learning experience in the field of ecommerce.
Although the list of speakers for Accelerate24 is yet to be released, here are just a few of the well-known names that have previously spoken at the conference:
- Michael Phelps, World Champion and 23-Time Gold Medalist
- Neil Pater, Co-Founder of NP Digital
- Amanda Baldwin, CEO at Supergoop!
10. Sellers Summit
Dates: May 14–16, 2024
Location: Fort Lauderdale, USA
Summary
The Sellers Summit is an intense three-day workshop designed to provide ecommerce entrepreneurs with an intimate learning environment. This conference features knowledgeable industry experts detailing their own experiences in online sales, offering sellers solutions and inspiration to help them achieve greater levels of success in their own ecommerce adventures. Ticket sales for the Sellers Summit are purposely limited to 200 people to facilitate a group-learning environment and make interacting with others easier.
Highlights for 2024
The 2024 Sellers Summit will be split into two principal tracks to accommodate sellers with different kinds of online stores. Whether you’re interested in growing your Amazon business or your own ecommerce website, this event is meant to teach you various strategies to create a lasting brand and a successful business. This edition of the Sellers Summit will be hosted by Steve Chou, Founder of mywifequitherjob.com and other notable sites. Additional people speaking at the event include
- Brandon Young, Founder of Data Dive
- Mina Elias, PPC Expert at Trivium
- Liz Saunders, Amazon Influencer and Jungle Scout’s Chief of Staff
11. Los Angeles eCommerce Summit
Date: May 16, 2024
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Summary
The Los Angeles eCommerce Summit is a live boutique-style event that gathers together numerous ecommerce experts and leaders in the industry to share their thoughts and ideas. Attendees can expect to hear from speakers from established brands, merchants, retailers, and solutions.
This one-day conference includes presentations, panel discussions, and one-on-one meetings revolving around a variety of ecommerce-related topics such as customer experience, loyalty, marketing, customer service, operations, supply chain challenges, payment and shipping solutions, strategy, etc.
Highlights for 2024
This year, the Los Angeles eCommerce Summit will be held at the JW Marriott LA. The event is set to feature at least 20 speakers, which will include the following:
- Alanna Marder, Senior Director of Integrated Marketing & Communications at Seed Beauty
- Bryan Mahoney, CEO & Co-Founder at Chord
- Justin Brown, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Dollar Shave Club
12. White Label World Expo (New York)
Dates: May 30–31, 2024
Location: New York City, USA
Summary
The White Label World Expo is one of the top events globally when it comes to wholesale, ecommerce, and product branding. By teaching and exhibiting businesses and organizations in these various areas, the expo aims to help industry professionals achieve even further levels of success with their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Highlights for 2024
The schedule for the 2024 White Label World Expo in New York is set to encompass a plethora of topics concerning the ecommerce, retail, and selling/supplying industries, with the goal of boosting attendees’ knowledge about how to sell online, source new products, learn and take advantage of popular trends, and master ecommerce entrepreneurialism.
Educational masterclasses, industry awards, summits, and loads of chances to network and invest are just some of the activities that e-retailers going to this year’s event can look forward to. The 2024 expo will also feature a product showcasing area, 400 exhibitors and 150 industry-leading speakers, which will include the following:
- Jason Dennison, Director of Sales at Alibaba
- Kenisha Dennis, Social & Influencer Marketing Lead at Meta
- Liran Hirschkorn, Amazon Expert and CEO of Incrementum Digital
13. Retail Innovation Conference & Expo
Dates: June 4–6, 2024
Location: Chicago, USA
Summary
The Retail Innovation Conference & Expo (RICE) features content sessions and panels organized into different tracks, creating three separate smaller conferences to accommodate the wide range of needs and interests of the retail executives attending, be they start-up, mid-size, or big-box retailers. Involving the themes of ecommerce, design, and retail, these micro-conferences are fashioned to provide those who attend with a welcoming place to collaborate with and learn from other attendees as well as engage in active learning and discovery.
Highlights for 2024
With simplified programming this year, the 2024 edition of RICE will feature three tracks: Content, Community, and Commerce.
Furthermore, RICE 2024 promises in-depth sessions, workshops, and roundtables for added collaboration and learning. There are also going to be opportunities for certification and career development with tailored courses held by a number of the top educators in the industry. Here are a few of the people currently planned to speak at the conference:
- Ben Mand, CEO of Harmless Harvest
- Carrie Sweeney, VP of Global Retail at Pinterest
- Kevin Tulip, President of Primark US
14. Paris Retail Week
Dates: September 17–19, 2024
Location: Paris, France
Summary
The largest gathering in Europe of brands, service providers, and retailers in the ecommerce and physical commerce realms alike, Paris Retail Week is a three-day event designed by Comexposium, one of the world’s leading event-organization companies. Decision-makers across a wide range of activity sectors attend the conference to come together to learn about the latest happenings in omnichannel approaches as well as share best practices, ideas, and experiences.
Highlights for 2024
Paris Retail Week 2024 is going to feature a format that’s even more experiential than that of years gone by, with 20,000+ professionals expected in attendance over the course of 3 days and 370 exhibiting companies present at the Paris Porte de Versailles exhibition center. With conferences, workshops, awards, tours involving stores and the latest innovations in ecommerce, and other activities planned, the event is sure to be full of inspiration and excitement for those attending.
Some of the speakers expected at Paris Retail Week this year include the following:
- Emma Recco, General Manager of Strategy/Development at IKEA France
- Isolde Andouard, CEO of Undiz
- Alexandre Rubin, CEO of Petit Bateau
15. Customer Engagement Summit - London
Date: November 26, 2024
Location: London, UK
Summary
Promoted as Europe’s largest customer engagement event, the Customer Engagement Summit by Engage Customer is now in its 14th year. With the voice of the customer being a key issue with increasing importance in e-retail, it’s more essential than ever that ecommerce businesses work to provide a positive, memorable experience that meets (or even exceeds) the expectations and needs of their customers. This event aims to inspire attendees and help them learn how to take their CX to the next level.
Highlights for 2024
This year’s Customer Engagement Summit will be held at The Brewery in London. The overall theme for the conference is “The Pivotal Role of Human-Centricity in Cultivating Customer Belonging.” Although the duration of the summit is only a day, it’s filled to the brim with all kinds of content involving topics concerning various elements of customer engagement, such as data and insights for consumer behavior, successful customer service, the future of CX, AI and robotics, disruptive strategies in CX, and more.
Those who attend the event will be able to choose from over 100 presentations based on what best matches their interests and business needs, roundtable sessions, presentations of real-life case studies, and 1-to-1 meetings for optimized networking. While the speaker list is not yet available on the event website, previous people who’ve spoken at the Customer Engagement Summit include the following:
- Tarv Nijjar, Global Senior Director, Global Strategic Insights CX & AI at McDonald’s
- Ceri Davies, Manager of Customer Centre - Digital Engagement Strategy at Virgin Atlantic
- Alessio Bagnaresi, Head of AI & Advanced Analytics at Google EMEA
