Videogames, Stethoscopes and Retail Robots: South by Southwest 2016 is going to Rock

SXSW_Platinum-2015-RGBWhen the experts from a diverse range of disciplines come together under one roof, each with their own unique perspectives and hard-earned knowledge, invaluable insights are to be expected. This March, some of the world’s most respected medical innovators, videogame designers and marketing all-stars (just to name a few) will join the panels of South by Southwest 2016’s Interactive Series in Austin, Texas to dissect, debate and present the most groundbreaking discoveries in each of their respective fields. Of course, they will all be awesome, but there are six in particular that we are dying to see (and you should be too). We have a handful of clients throwing their hat in the ring to speak on some incredible panels, and we encourage you to support the panelists with your vote, and tell us which presentations have you most excited!

First up is Order Dynamics, resident experts at retail data analytics. They will dive into the world’s toughest industry to find the perfect commerce cocktail with their discussion on “Retail Data Mixology.” John Squire, President of DynamicAction, will join Kevin Ertell of Sur la Table, Laura SXSWHeller of FierceMarkets and Forbes, and Dr. David Bell, a consumer shopping behavior expert from the University of Pennsylvania, to uncover key ways to pinpoint customer and marketing needs. Show your support by voting them into the Panel Series here.

As well, 360pi, big data pricing analysts, are prepared to give you a glimpse “Inside the Retail Vortex.” They will share valuable insights along with Paula Rosenblum of RSR Research, Andy Voelker of Ace Hardware, and Dana Klein of Reebok Adidas Group, on what the “new normal” of retail looks like for brands who are adapting (or not) to the online surge. Vote them into the Panel Series here.

Shopatron will save you from the wait of online shopping and divulge how to avoid the retail “time suck.” Learn from CEO of Shopatron Ed Stevens and San Francisco Chronicle columnist and author Thomas Lee about how retailers can improve customer sentiment and reduce shipping costs by getting smart about local product searches. Vote for this panel to be officially selected into the Series here, and we’ll see you there!SXSW2

Mirakl will tell us the story of “How the Online Marketplace Ate Retail.” We all love shopping online in some form or fashion – but how much of that is done on Amazon, and now Jet.com? While it may be ideal for consumers, retailers are still working out exactly how to keep their profits up and overhead low. Join Mirakl’s CEO for the U.S. Adrien Nussenbaum, Paula Rosenblum of RSR Research and Forbes, and Chandhu Nair of Staples as they provide insights on our web-based retail era. Show your support with a vote here, and we’ll see you in Austin!

Watch human and machine collide with Edgecase’s Lisa Roberts and their fellow panelists Brian Schultz of Crate and Barrel, John Perasco of Urban Decay, and Alicia Fiorletta of Retail TouchPoints as they present “The Future of Retail: Human + Machine Curation.” Show them your excitement and support with a vote here to see just how machine learning can revolutionize online shopping.

Want to be a retail fortune-teller? Retail Innovation Consultant Rachel Brooks of ThoughtWorks will predict the “Future of Cool” for retailers in the fashion industry alongside Google’s Fashion Data Scientist Olivier Zimmer, Zappos’ Content Editor Kandis Yoakum, and CEO and Founder of Shoptelligence Laura Khoury. They’ll discuss how technology can help retailers deduce up-and-coming fashion trends, but they need your vote here to officially join the Series.

With such a compelling lineup, innovation is expected, breakthroughs are likely, and fun is a definite. Place your votes now (deadline is this Friday, September 4), and we will see you in March!

IRCE 2014 Recap: Top Stories from last week’s Retail Event in the Windy City

As many of you in the retail realm know, the 2014 Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition was held last week in Chicago. Ketner Group made the trip out to see what’s up in ecommerce, 3D imaging, mobile, web analytics, social shopping and personalization – and that’s only the beginning! With nearly 10,000 attendees showing up for the 10th anniversary of IRCE, you can only imagine the creativity and innovation walking the halls of the McCormick Center.

Among the top stories at IRCE were Amazon’s continued fulfillment center growth. A whole day of sessions was dedicated to exploring the e-commerce giant’s prowess and just how they’re making such big waves in e-retailing today. B2B ecommerce also took center stage at the conference, with sessions on key performance metrics all retailers should monitor, how B2B site design can boost sales, and how B2B markets can even sell directly to consumers. It was a great year to access retail’s best discussions on thought leadership and industry innovation!

Compare Metrics at IRCE 2014
Compare Metrics at IRCE 2014

Two of our clients, Compare Metrics and Shopatron, exhibited in the Expo Hall and created quite the buzz! Compare Metrics hosted a dress display that demonstrated the obvious disconnect between how shoppers interact with online retailers, and the limited merchandising attributes offered up by those retailers. Shoppers are using their own natural language to search for items online, and Compare Metrics is here to help retailers hone in on the “humanized” approach to a personalized and engaged online shopping experience. We also loved their little robots giveaways at the booth!

Shopatron at IRCE 2014
Shopatron at IRCE 2014

Shopatron, our cloud-based distributed order management client based in California, made a splash with the announcement of their freemium Inventory Lookup feature. Booth stoppers-by were able to meet with our California friends and learn about the actionable analytics retailers can benefit from, enabling improvements in in-store operations, stocking and merchandising by instantly connecting customers to local, available inventory – pretty cool stuff!

It was a great week in Chicago, and the people of the Windy City were so welcoming and kind! We met quite a few characters, and our Cowboy Cabbie stands out the most – what Texas folk wouldn’t have a soft spot for a Cowboy in a Cab! Check him out, he’s famous!

Catherine and Sara with the Cowboy Cabbie!
Catherine and Sara with the Cowboy Cabbie!

Thanks for a wonderful visit, Chicago! We’ll be seeing you again in 2015.