WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The brightest minds in online retailing will come together to discuss best practices from the holiday season and plan for the future at Shop.org's FirstLook 2006, January 23-25 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. Throughout this year's conference, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from industry leaders as they address 2005's biggest trends and look ahead to what the multichannel retailers can expect in the new year.
"This year's educational programming and interactive sessions provide attendees the opportunity to hear from a line-up of expert guest speakers who will share the strategies they are using to drive their online businesses forward," said Scott Silverman, Shop.org Executive Director. "Input provided by the Shop.org Content Committee, a group of 18 online and multichannel retail executives from the Shop.org membership, ensures that the FirstLook program is relevant and valuable. Attendees will be able to take the information they have learned at FirstLook and use it in their everyday practices to help them achieve success."
Focusing on strategies to drive online business in 2006, this year's programming will feature an exciting line-up of expert guest speakers. On Tuesday, January 24, Harvey F. Seegers, President of Home Depot Direct, will deliver the opening keynote presentation. Additional guest speakers include Jeffrey Glueck, Chief Marketing Officer, Travelocity; Jacob Hawkins, Vice President, Online Marketing, Overstock.com; Marissa Mayer, Vice President, Search Products & User Experience, Google; Paul Miller, Vice President, Ecommerce, Willams-Sonoma; and Dawn vonBechmann, Vice President, Multi-Channel Experience, Circuit City Stores, Inc.
This year's educational programming includes:
Keynote Presentation: "What Happens When America's Largest Home Improvement Retailer Leverages the Internet?"
Tuesday, January 24, 10:45 a.m. -- 11:30 a.m.
Online sales were expected to represent nearly 8 percent of total retail sales in 2005. What role does the Internet play in America's second largest retailer today and tomorrow? Harvey F. Seegers, President of Home Depot Direct, will discuss how Home Depot is leveraging the Internet and how the Internet is contributing to Home Depot's overall strategy. Speaker: Harvey F. Seegers, President, Home Depot Direct
3 Big Ideas for 2006 and How to Implement Them
Tuesday, January 24, 11:45 a.m. -- 12:45 p.m.
Shop.org retailer members were polled about what they thought the key strategic priorities would be for their companies in 2006. The top three answers were: Reorganizing for Scalability, Investing in Customer Loyalty and Retention Programs, and Landing Page Optimization. During this session, three innovative retailers will present case studies on how they plan to implement these strategies in the coming year. Moderator: Julian Chu, Retail Industry Solutions Executive, IBM Panelists: Jeff Glueck, CMO, Travelocity; Jacob Hawkins, Vice President, Online Marketing, Overstock.com; and Pierrette Kelly, Vice President & General Manager, CVS.com
The State of Customer Experience
Wednesday, January 25, 9:00 a.m. -- 10:00 a.m.
Combining his passion for the power of getting the basics right with his knowledge about the latest innovations in multi-channel business, Phil Terry will discuss the trends and insights he gathered from helping Creative Good's many clients become customer-centric. This interactive session will build on the pre-conference homework that he assigned to all the attendees. Speaker: Phil Terry, CEO, Creative Good
Practitioners' Panel
Wednesday, January 25, 10:15 a.m. -- 11:15 a.m.
During this panel, executives will share tips on how to use simple, focused strategies to address unmet customer needs and create a long-lasting impact on customer relationships. Moderator: Phil Terry, CEO, Creative Good Panelists: Graham Jenkin, User-centered Design and Research Executive, Bank of America eCommerce/ATM, and Dawn vonBechmann, Vice President, Multi-Channel Experience, Circuit City Stores, Inc.
Keynote Presentation: Marissa Mayer, Vice President, Search Products & User Experience, Google
Tuesday, January 25, 11:45 a.m. -- 12:30 p.m.
Simplicity is the hottest trend in business, according to Fast Company Magazine, which features Marissa Mayer on the cover of its November issue. During her presentation, Melissa Mayer, who is chief manager of Google's website user experience, will discuss Google's "less is more" approach and how the company has used simplicity as a competitive advantage.
Speaker: Marissa Mayer, Vice President, Search Products & User Experience, Google
Shop.org is the network for retailers online. Its 600 members include the 10 largest retailers in the U.S., and 70 percent of the Internet Retailer Top 100 E-Retailers. It's where the best retail minds come together to gain the insight, knowledge, and intelligence to make smarter, more informed decisions in the evolving world of the Internet and multichannel retailing. Founded in 1996, Shop.org became a division of the National Retail Federation in January, 2001. Shop.org programs and activities include benchmarking research, events and networking communities. Shop.org produces the largest eCommerce trade shows in the world.
Shop.org and NRF are pleased to grant complimentary registration to editorial staff members of the press. Click here to register online for Shop.org's FirstLook 2006, or contact Scott Krugman at (202) 626-8119.