Nine Sessions to Catch on the 2018 IRCE Agenda

The Convey team at IRCE

The Convey team is excited to head to IRCE, one of the largest shows for e-retailers in North America. IRCE is beneficial for retailers of all shapes and sizes, to the tiny start-up just getting its feet wet, to the major players that have dominated their industry for years. Featured speakers on the 2018 IRCE agenda include the CEO of Warby Parker, the COO of Spikeball Inc, the CEO of Loot Crate and many more!

With sixteen tracks to follow and countless sessions to attend, we picked out nine must-see sessions on our 2018 IRCE agenda for those looking to optimize last mile shipping and visibility.

Day 1 | June 5th

Welcome & Introduction

Speaker: Bernadine Wu, Chief Executive Officer (FitForCommerce)
8:45 AM, E-Commerce Technology Workshop Track

Bernadine Wu kicks off IRCE 2018 with a high-energy overview of the E-Commerce Technology. In this workshop, audience members will take home a deep understanding of how technologies work together, and which technologies to prioritize in the age of Amazon.

Be Nimble, Be Quick: Optimize Your Technology Organization and Operations in an Innovative, Digital-First World

Speakers: Bob McKinney, Vice President, Marketing, Omnichannel (Batteries Plus Bulbs), and Zachary Blank, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer (Paragon Sports)
9:30 AM, E-Commerce Technology Workshop Track

In today’s age, what does it mean to be agile? Even more, how can you infuse this culture into your team? Bob McKinney and Zachary Blank explore the dynamics of instilling a high-paced operations model for your team that actually works.

Day 2 | June 6th

Break Point: The reality of US e-commerce today

Speaker: Don Davis, Editor at Large (Internet Retailer)
10:30 AM, Strategies for Top Executives Track 

Is retail dead? Every headline in 2017 would seem to agree! However, according to the IR1000, online retailers had a terrific year. Online sales increased by 18.5%, and e-commerce grew by almost 50%. In this session, Don Davis dives into the heavy realities retailers face today, and dissects how successful businesses must operate in 2018 to stay afloat.

Too Fast? Too Slow? Industry Standards and Customer Expectations for Delivery

Speakers: Ken Cassar, Principal Analyst (Slice Intelligence), and Lauren Freedman, President (the e-tailing group)
1:15PM, Fulfillment, Operations and Customer Service Track

With customers trained to expect 2-day free delivery, how can retailers, other than Amazon, adjust their strategies and keep up with the online behemoth? Ken Cassar and Lauren Freedman will benchmark customer expectations for eCommerce delivery speeds and delivery options against reality. They will offer their audience a guide to take home and use with their own companies.

How to Stay on Top of Operations when Selling Everywhere

Speakers: Derek O’Carroll, Chief Executive Officer (Brightpearl), and Scott Palmer, Chief Operating Officer (Spikeball Inc.) 
1:45 PM, Fulfillment, Operations and Customer Service Track

Omnichannel merchants today manage sales from many channels, and struggle with key operations such as keeping inventory and fulfillment in sync. The solution, real-time visibility across all channels, is easier said than done. Experts from Brightpearl and Spikeball Inc. offer a case study in how a sports company saw explosive growth and avoided stockouts by integrating all channels.

Day 3 | June 7th

Keynote: The Digital Innovation that Built a Houzz

Speaker: Alon Cohen, President, Co-Founder (Houzz)
8:15 AM, General Session

Alon Cohen showcases his company Houzz and how they’ve taken proactive steps to enhance their customer experience. Houzz’s digital innovation has taken it from a small start-up to a major player with 40 million monthly users.

The Digital Divide: How The Disrupted … Are The New Disruptors!

Speaker: Roe McFarlane, Chief Digital Officer (Follett Higher Education Group)
10:30 AM, Managing Technology Track

If you aren’t disrupting, you are being disrupted! That’s the message Roe McFarlane and Follett have in this session. He discusses the importance of digital demographics, and utilities his experience with the 19-24 years old demographic to showcase the future role they will play in online behavior and disruption.

Personalization 2.0: Making the Move to Individualization

Speaker: Brendan Witcher, Vice President, Principal Analyst (Forrester Research)
4:15 PM, Managing Technology Track

How personal is too personal? Brendan Witcher answers that as he looks at the importance of modern-day personalization, its shift into individualization, and proper protocol for using customer data. He highlights companies who using data effectively to get tactical wins and those are who are using data to commit major mistakes.

Day 4 | June 8th

Trends and Dialog: What’s Ahead for B2B E-Commerce

Speakers: Justin King, Founder (eCommerceandB2B.com) and Sean McDonnell, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (TruPar.com)
8:45 AM, B2B Workshop Track

The surge of E-Commerce over the past few years is more than just a fad. Justin King details key adaptations necessary to stay in the E-Commerce race and interviews the founder of a successful online B2B seller to learn more about what has made them strong.

You can find the full 2018 IRCE agenda here.