The Top Sessions You Don’t Want to Miss at eTail East 2024 | Canal

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It’s almost August, which means we’re almost packing our bags again for eTail East–Boston, here we come!

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From August 12 to 15th, ecommerce leaders and operators from all backgrounds will come together for a few days of panel discussions, networking, and curated sessions. But with 160+ speakers and 60+ sessions... figuring out what to prioritize is kind of a lot.

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That's where this guide comes in. We've gone through the full agenda of panels and keynotes to find the most interesting sessions so you can craft your perfect itinerary.

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Note: the conference officially kicks off on Tuesday, August 13, with Monday, August 12, as a “pre-summit day”. On that Monday, there’ll be tracks around search and performance marketing, lifecycle strategies, and the future of the customer journey–so if those matter to you–be sure to plan your travel accordingly!

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Without further ado, the top tracks by day:

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Monday, August 12

• Keynote: The Future of D2C And How to Survive In An Omnichannel World 
• Resale Is Remaking Retail: How To Jump On This Growing Trend

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Tuesday, August 13

• Revolutionizing Retail: Practical Use Cases for Generative AI
• Winning With Gen Z: Tapping Into Wallets and Driving Continued Engagement
• Answering The Demand for Flexibility with Omnichannel Buying and Delivery Options

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Wednesday, August 14

• Keynote: Why Community is the New Marketing Goldmine - Building A Brand in The Loneliness Epidemic
• Adapting Your First-Party Data Strategy To Boost Customer Engagement and ROI
• Tips for Expanding and Diversifying Your Retail Business
• Taking Product Discovery To New Levels with Personalized Merchandising
• Telling Your Brand Story Effectively Through Successful Marketplace Strategy Planning

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Thursday, August 15

• Sustainability in Retail: Driving ESG Standards And Cost Savings
• Boring Websites Are Out, Immersive Retail Experiences Are In
• Gearing Up for Holiday 2024: Tweaks To Make Now To Your Plan

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Up next: what to expect in each session!

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📅 Monday, August 12

The Future of D2C And How to Survive In An Omnichannel World 

When: Monday, August 12, from 10:50 AM - 11:20 AM

In a world where D2C is expected, what place does it have in overall strategy? This panel discussion will cover how to embrace new tech like AI, AR, and IoT to create a flawless customer experience. Plus, hear from digital leaders Brad Power of Kendra Scott, Andrew Mohko of Juiced Bikes, Matt Leonard of Purple Carrot, and Jessica Bondurant of De'Longhi.

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Resale Is Remaking Retail: How To Jump On This Growing Trend

When: Monday, August 12, from 4:00 PM - 4:25 PM

If you’re traveling on Monday and can only make one session, this one’s it. Learn from Stacey Howe, VP of eCommerce at Cotopaxi, who implemented a circular strategy. Hear how she defined their goals, assessed whether the strategy fits them, and anticipated external and internal roadblocks to success.

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📅 Tuesday, August 13

Revolutionizing Retail: Practical Use Cases for Generative AI

When: Tuesday, August 13, from 9:15 - 9:35 am

Practical and AI in the same sentence? You know I’m there. Learn how Michael Challinger, CEO of Houzer; Dan Marques, Chief Digital Officer of HEYDUDE; Sada Kshirsagar, VP of Digital Product Management & Operations, at Tractor Supply Co.; and Donna Bedford, Global SEO Strategy and Operations Lead of Lenovo, captured early wins with AI–freeing up time for their team while keeping the customer experience top-tier. 

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Winning With Gen Z: Tapping Into Wallets and Driving Continued Engagement

When: Tuesday, August 13, from 11:40 AM - 12:00 PM

Did you know that Gen Z makes up 40% of all consumers? Regardless of which generation you belong to, knowing how to appeal to and work with Gen Z and Alpha’s digitally native preferences will help you get ahead. See what Gen Z students via The Z Suite and Lauri Joffe Turjeman, CMO of AF, shares its most interesting insights.

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Answering The Demand for Flexibility with Omnichannel Buying and Delivery Options

When: Tuesday, August 13, from 2:40 PM - 3:10 PM

Flexibility, personalization, current trends–check, check, and check. It’s no secret that customer preferences are getting higher and higher. Learn how you can stay ahead of the pack with ecommerce strategy leaders Caitlin Conway of Clarks Shoes and Esther Kang from Torani. 

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📅 Wednesday, August 14

Keynote: Why Community is the New Marketing Goldmine - Building A Brand in The Loneliness Epidemic

When: Wednesday, August 14, from 8:40 AM - 9:00 AM

This is a keynote, so you know it’s going to be worthwhile. Juliet Scott-Croxford, President of Brompton Bicycle, discusses how human connection has changed and how they used joy as a pillar to drive business growth.

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Adapting Your First-Party Data Strategy To Boost Customer Engagement and ROI

When: Wednesday, August 14, from 11:45 AM - 12:10 PM

This one's like taking a vitamin–everyone needs to be up to date on what’s going on with 1P and 3P customer data and where to invest in 1P data given changes in the 3P data market. Hear what Google and Meta want you to believe about their data versus the reality from Jason Davis, Co-Founder & CEO. PhD, of Simon Data and Élisabeth Couture-Doherty, Vice President of Creative & Brand at SRTX.

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What You Need to Know to Grow: Tips for Expanding and Diversifying Your Retail Business

When: Wednesday, August 14, from 12:30 PM - 12:55 PM

Hear how Ule Group, Sunday, The Beard Club, and Skylight have unlocked the secrets of expansion and diversification. This session covers ideas like expanding into nontraditional offerings and services, expanding internationally, and other topics to spark new ideas of your own. 

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Taking Product Discovery To New Levels with Personalized Merchandising

When: Wednesday, August 14, from 2:05 PM - 2:25 PM

This session is perfect for you if you like to go deep on how-tos. Oren Halperin, VP of Digital Commerce at AJ Madison, shares how they use active merchandise data, A/B testing, and clever content approaches to create personalized merchandising experiences for each customer. 

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Telling Your Brand Story Effectively Through Successful Marketplace Strategy Planning

When: Wednesday, August 14, from 3:55 PM - 4:20 PM

Selling complimentary products–it’s something a lot of businesses discuss but don’t know where to start. When done right, a compelling marketplace strategy helps you develop your brand narrative, deepen your customer relationships, and stand out amongst your competitors. Learn how to get started with insights from marketplace experts from Eos, US Luggage, and Dia & Co.

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📅 Thursday, August 15

Sustainability in Retail: Driving ESG Standards And Cost Savings

When: Thursday, August 15, from 11:25 AM - 11:50 AM

Sustainability doesn’t just have to be about greenwashing or marketing taglines. In this panel discussion, Charlie Rubin of Thousand Fell, Christina Chang of Adore Me, and Savannah Tarpey of The Lego Group discuss creating a genuine sustainability strategy that speaks to customers and makes sense for business practice. 

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Boring Websites Are Out, Immersive Retail Experiences Are In

When: Thursday, August 15, from 1:25 PM - 2:00 PM

Minimalism just isn’t for websites. With so much shopping online, creating experiences that emulate in-person shopping–with the ability to explore and get a sense of the products–is crucial for captivating customers. Kelsey Kenady of Lancome shares how they translated the best of in-retail to online shopping.

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Gearing Up for Holiday 2024: Tweaks To Make Now To Your Plan

When: Thursday, August 15, from 2:05 PM - 2:25 PM

You should attend this one just for their coining of the “ber” months. This session helps you with the practicalities of getting ahead of September, October, and November with goal-setting, trends, and a checklist for holiday season, hosted by Coral Chung, Founder & CEO, Senreve.

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These are just some of my favorites, but the week is full of great content. You can find the full eTail East Boston 2024 agenda here. 

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