Web Team Demo Site 3
August 06 - 09, 2026
JW Marriott, Palm Springs, CA
1.888.482.6012
Pre-Conference Summit: The Next Generation eCommerce Summit
Bringing Together A Community Of Retail Innovators and Disruptors.
From scrappy start ups turning the industry on its head to retail giants experimenting with the latest technology, this future forward summit will tackle VR, AR, AI, connected devices, voice enabled commerce and everything inbetween. Find out what’s really disrupting retail and which trends you should consider putting on the back burner.
8:25 am - 9:00 am
Registration & Networking Breakfast
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Welcome Remarks & Benchmarking Study
Executive, Boston Retail Partners
9:10 am - 9:25 am
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
9:25 am - 9:50 am
Keynote: Disruption & Opportunities Presented By The Subscription Economy
Sean Kelly -
CEO,
SnackNation
Why are so many businesses turning to subscription-based offerings? In addition to the power of recurring revenue, subscription services double as product discovery platforms, providing value to both emerging brands and early adopters. In this session, SnackNation CEO & co-Founder Sean Kelly will share how subscription services are creating a deeper relationship between companies and consumers, resulting in increased revenue and greater customer satisfaction.
Attendees will learn:
•Why subscription services encourage a membership mindset
•How recurring revenue increases business value
•How the subscription economy is leading the way with better data insights and personalization
9:50 am - 10:00 am
Keynote Client Case Study
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Keynote Panel Discussion: Driving Customer Engagement Using AR and VR
Shrenik Sadalgi -
Engineering Lead,
Wayfair Next
Arushi Agrawal -
Senior Product Manager, Search,
Walmart eCommerce
A diverse group of panelists will discuss the ways in which retailers are using AR to bring the store to customer’s homes and transform customer engagement. Panelists will talk through strategies for:
- Identifying applications for AR that are working and why
- Assessing the barriers to consumer adoption
- Examining how to get started and make the case for AR
10:30 am - 11:10 am
Coffee & Refreshments
11:10 am - 11:40 am
Keynote Panel Discussion: Tapping Into eCommerce—How The Alcohol Industry Is Approaching Digital
Taylor Burton -
VP, Strategic Partnerships,
Drizly
Carolyn Littlefield -
Head of eCommerce,
ZX Ventures, Anheuser-Busch
Wayne Blum -
Director, Ecommerce Strategy and Partnerships,
Diageo
The beer, wine and spirits industry has been slow to jump on the ecommerce bandwagon largely due to alcohol regulations which for the most part, have gone unchanged since the prohibition. Hear how the industry is getting into the ecommerce space. Panelists will discuss:
- How they are approaching ecommerce currently and their plans for the future
- The specific hurdles they have had to overcome to move forward in the digital space
- Tools and technology that has been designed to meet their specific challenges and regulations
11:40 am - 11:50 am
Keynote Client Case Study
11:50 am - 12:20 pm
Keynote Case Study Remix: Leveraging Fans As Inspiration For Your Marketing Activity—Why They're Your #1 Creative Source
Melanie Cohn -
Senior Manager, Digital & Social Media,
Dunkin Brands
At Dunkin', we're all about doing what our fans are already doing and adding our own unique twist to it. In this discussion, we'll showcase how to use insights, data and fan stories in new and unexpected ways around key brand time periods to capture excitement, attention and sharing amongst new and existing consumers.
Attendees will discuss ideas for:
- How to bring digital to the in-store experience
- Leveraging fan stories for content creation & ideation
- Amplifying your advocates
- Building new experiences & tools for fans to enjoy
12:20 pm - 1:20 pm
Lunch & Networking For All Attendees
1:20 pm - 1:50 pm
Lightning Round Session (3 Panelists, 3 Topics): Personalizing The Customer Journey From Homepage To Checkout To Delivery
Dan McCone -
Digital Marketing & Innovation Manager,
Dunkin Brands
Arushi Agrawal -
Senior Product Manager, Search,
Walmart eCommerce
In this fast paced session, hear from three retail experts as they discuss three difference personalization strategies and how they are working for their business. Then the session will open up for audience Q&A.
1:50 pm - 2:20 pm
Keynote Panel Discussion Remix: Using Technology To Enhance The Customer Relationship
Courtney Graybill -
VP, Customer Experience & Product Management,
David`s Bridal
Ryan Scott -
VP, Digital Operations & Innovation,
Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
Kim Czopek -
VP, Digital Marketing,
Lilly Pulitzer
Keir McIntyre -
Head of Direct to Consumer Technology,
Eileen Fisher
For retailers to succeed with creating frictionless shopping experiences across all channels, they must embrace technology. In this panel, hear different approaches to technology and how they are using it to improve relationships with their customers online and also with associates at the store level.
2:20 pm - 2:50 pm
Coffee & Refreshments
2:50 pm - 3:15 pm
The New Retail Future: The Changing Retail Landscape Dynamic And The Steps You Can Take Today To Be Ready
Maggie Gilliam -
Director, eCommerce Strategy, Planning & Innovation,
The Hain Celestial Group
The retail landscape is changing faster than it ever has before. Just as retail is increasingly becoming a daily or even hourly business, it is more important than ever for retailers and brands to think strategically and to begin investing for the future. Looking out over the next 5-10 years,
- While digital continues to deleverage the store-based world today, over the next several years the online and offline worlds will collide, driving a new set of complexities for retailers and brands – How will the future retail store be different from today? What is the future of channel strategies? Or will channel distinctions dissolve all together?
- As consumers continue to gain control of the retail world, it will become increasingly important for retailers and brands to be fully integrated across the consumer’s lifestyle and path to purchase. What will this look like in the new future retail landscape? What do you need to begin doing today to be ready?
- To win in the future retail landscape, retailers and brands will need to reposition their businesses to drive a culture of innovation, speed, agility & flexibility. What does this mean for large, well-established ‘legacy’ corporations? What steps can they take today so that they are ready to compete with digital-first, highly nimble new entrants in the future? What will they risk by refusing to embrace the new innovation culture?
3:15 pm - 3:35 pm
Closing Keynote: Examining The Impact of loT-Enabled Commerce
- Moving beyond portable consumer devices to shopping through durable goods like refrigerators and washing machines
- Determining how your brand could potentially fit into this new shopping channel?
- Examining the potential of IoT ordering for the retail industry?
- Looking at opportunities for automating the ordering process for the consumer
- Enhancing the customer relationship to a durable goods (TVs, Cars, Ovens) brand through connected devices
3:35 pm - 3:40 pm
Conclusion Of The Next Generation eCommerce Summit
4:40 pm - 5:30 pm
Retailer-Only Speed Dating: Bring Your Business Cards - You'll Need Them!
Think speed dating (without the date)! This fun session lets you meet a load of new and interesting people before the main conference kicks off. Grab a glass of wine or a cold beer and get your business cards ready!
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Welcome Reception At The New England Aquarium
Kick off your week in Boston by enjoying delicious food, cocktails and a beautiful view of Boston’s historic harbor and skyline before
heading inside for an evening full of wonder with full access to the aquarium!