RetailX, one of the premier industry conferences for retail brands and technology partners, returned to McCormick Place in Chicago on Aug. 24-25 for its 2021 edition. Presented in partnership with Retail TouchPoints—and co-sponsored by Codal partner BigCommerce—the event featured a jam-packed two days of engaging keynotes, educational opportunities, and panel discussions.
Participating brands included Ulta, Lowe’s, Verizon Media, and more. Keynote speakers—including Ulta COO Kecia Steelman and AptDeco CEO Reham Fagiri—shared ideas and insights on post-pandemic shopping experiences, the growth of hybrid retail, improving fulfillment and delivery, and more. Attendees could choose from a variety of different educational tracks, with topics including digital marketing, contactless commerce, supply chain improvement, eCommerce acceleration, and more.
RetailX also featured an extensive exhibit hall with individual booths from numerous leading eCommerce brands, partners, and technology providers. Exhibitors included Avalara, ShipStation, Bolt, Cahoot, and more.
The conference hosted the Brand Experience Awards in partnership with WestRock, Emarsys, and Splitit. The awards are designed to recognize the companies that are redefining the rules of interaction, engagement, and loyalty. Eighteen companies were awarded for implementing new tools and strategies focused on “raising the stakes for their competitors and the entire retail industry.” Winners included Brooklinen, which won in the Last Mile and Fulfillment category. Other award categories included “Pivot Strategy,” “Mobile & Social Optimization,” “Customer Retention & Loyalty,” “Store Design & Experiential Retail,” and more.
Overall, the event was an engaging and immersive event, with an impressive line-up of speakers and educational programming. It offered an exciting glimpse into the future of retail and eCommerce, including the technologies powering innovation in contactless commerce, supply chain, fulfillment, and more.
