What To Attend During New York Retail Innovation Week + NRF2020

If retail is important to you and your work, then being in NYC for the industry events next month must be on your agenda. In January, the city witnesses the NRF convention and our annual Future of Retail Conference - and now PSFK has curated a string of other inspiring events beyond the Javits that helps industry professionals glimpse innovation in retail and along the customer experience Journey: 

This festival is called New York Retail Innovation Week - and in its second year, this calendar includes store tours, expert talks, tech demos, and vendor sessions - some PSFK is running, but many are being run by the community for the community. 

Here's an overview:  

PSFK Future of Retail 2020 Conference - Jan 15 - Chelsea

We've used the themes of our latest Future of Retail 2020 report as a lens and identified a number of pioneers leading the evolution of the shopper experience. On our stage in Chelsea on Wednesday January 15, we have invited speakers from larger companies (Nike), well known start-ups (Zola) and from new companies that we believe should be on your radar (Sunwink).

Details here: https://www.psfk.com/event/future-of-retail-2020-conference

Store Visits - Jan 13-16 - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Over 20 of New York's most progressive retailers have listed tours around their stores. Add your name to get an insider's walk through by a brand ambassador at each location. Retailers include: Burrow House, Camp, Iris Nova, Lively, Neighborhood Goods, Nike,  The New Stand, Outdoor Voices, Package Free Store, Perch, Phluid, Roula, RH Gallery, Showfields, Sloomoo, Standard Dose, Time Out Market, Trunk Club, WeWork Now. 

Demo Sessions - Jan 13 & 15 - Brooklyn & MidTown

We have invited the most innovative solution providers in the retail sector to present their work at NYRIW Demo Day, the NYRIW XR Sessions and Verizon's 5G Retail Demo Day. Attendees at these events can gather insights as they hear the pitches of firms building next-gen mixed reality, artificial intelligence, connected store, near-edge computing and ecommerce tech. 

NYRIW Expert Conversations At the Core Club - Jan 14 - MidTown

Our partners at NYC’s most influential member’s organization are hosting a number of panel discussions around key themes developing in retail.

• Engaging the Wellness Consumer - with experts from the Alchemist Kitchen and Ocean Spray
• Building Real-World Retail in the Digital Age - with experts from Rockets of Awesome
• Incorporating Multi-Sensory Store Design - with experts from Lego
• Conversational Commerce with experts from Gary Vaynerchuck's Empathy Wines and Tiny Organics
• Buying Into Hype Culture with experts Jeff Staple and Joe La Puma

Partner Panels & Workshops - Jan 13-16 - Across Manhattan & Brooklyn

Several leading agencies are creating thought leadership sessions during NYRIW. Join these panels directly:

• Creating a Digital-Physical Ecosystem by Work + Co
• In-Store Experiential Retail by MediaMonks
• Buying With Visual Search by IPG Lab
• Using Pinterest To Drive Retail by Pinterest
• Ai in Retail by UK Government’s DIT
• In-Home Retail by Hello Alfred

Networking Events - Jan 12-15- Manhattan & Brooklyn

There are a number of other sessions to meet and connect with the industry peers 

• NYRIW Welcome Drinks
• NYRIW Speaker Drinks

PSFK curated Speaker Sessions at the NRF Big Show - Jan 12-14 - Javits

If you're lucky enough to get a press pass  for the Javits, try to check out these future-forward sessions that PSFK researchers were commissioned by the NRF to develop for their conference stage. Our curation includes speakers from Amazon Pay, Brandbox for Macerich, CAMP, NTWRK, Neighborhood Goods, Reebok, Target and TerraCycle. 

1. From points to passports: Reimagining the loyalty program
2. Retail as a service: Using plug-and-play infrastructure to test and learn in the physical retail channel
3. Redefining the Customer Experience through Immersive Technology
4. Humans are back: Why companies are putting a premium on the human element in the digital age
5. Circular business models: How a closed-loop supply chain can create new opportunities
6. Delivering on personalization: Harnessing feedback and machine learning to meet and anticipate shoppers' needs
7. CPG goes DTC: How modern consumer products brands are building 1-to-1 customer relationships
8. Eventizing shopping: Creating compelling experiences online and in-store
9. Going the extra mile: Technological innovations in last-mile delivery
10. How voice and other AI-powered experiences are reshaping retail

Hope to see you at one of the events during New York Retail Innovation Week! 

Piers