AutoZone, Belk Look to Retail's Future at Big Show 2012
Taking place at the start of 2012, NRF's Big Show is full of Special Sessions that discuss retail trends for 2012. Trimming costs, technology trends like social media, improving customer loyalty and more will be discussed at these forward-looking sessions.
What steps are retailers taking going into the new year to trim costs, find innovative ways to capture new markets, outsource once in-house programs or apply new technologies to grow businesses in tough times? These questions and more were asked of executives for NRF's 10th annual Retail Horizons state of the industry survey. In a session titled "Retail Horizons: Benchmarks 2011-Forecasts 2012," KPMG, AutoZone's Lisa Krane and Belk's Mike Laurenti analyze responses of this year's report. The session will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012 from 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM in Room hall A, 1A 21/22.
Other trends to look out for in 2012 will be discussed in a session titled "What Not to Miss: Trends to Capitalize on for 2012." In the session, to be held on Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 11:15 AM to 12 PM, hear USA Today's Jayne O'Donnell as she interviews trend watchers on how customers make purchase decisions and how they use technology and social media.
Looking beyond 2012, one session focuses on how the next five years are going to be about how well a brand can change direct relationships, from looking at how many people are in its database to knowing who they are and how the brand can make loyalty stronger. In a session called "What the Next Five Years of Retail Will Be About" on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012 from 11:15 AM to 12 PM, the power of going direct will be discussed.