Get Ready for the 2019 Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition
As the IRCE @ RetailX event approaches, many are looking forward to another elite gathering. This year, the conference takes place June 25-28 at the McCormick Place in Chicago. With such a large arena and so much on the agenda, IRCE is easily one of the most anticipated events of the year. From standout keynote speakers to the extensive eCommerce Boot Camp, there’s something useful for everyone. With hundreds of top solution and technology vendors on the list, there will be many to connect with and much to absorb.
Over the past decade or so, thousands at the forefront of retail innovation have flocked to IRCE conferences. Because of this, we wanted to tap into a deeper understanding of what this particular event means for the attendees. What should you hope to achieve by taking part? To find out, we asked three of the top thought leaders in the industry making an appearance at this year’s event to answer a few key questions and share some of their personal outlooks and expectations.
Read on for some important insight on the upcoming conference, as well as significant takeaways from past events. As pillars in their respective fields, these experts all have great advice to give, so be sure to take note! This look from the inside is sure to heighten anticipation and broaden your understanding of why the IRCE conference means so much to so many.
ERIC YONGE
CEO
To start, would you tell us a little bit about yourself and what your company does?
I am the CEO of EYStudios, and our team focuses on developing online brands’ merchandising and usability strategies to boost sales.
Why did your company decide to attend IRCE this year? What is the main goal for attending?
We have a lot of clients and partners that attend IRCE every year, including this one. It’s a great way to connect with lots of people [in the e-commerce industry] all at once.
How many times has your company attended IRCE? Tell us about some of your experiences and the benefits it provided.
We’ve been to IRCE every year for the last thirteen years. It’s a great way to get a comprehensive summary of what’s going on in the e-commerce industry, including key companies, top merchants, and the current best practices.
There are a lot of eCommerce conferences throughout the year. What makes IRCE stand out, and what do you look forward to most when attending this event in particular?
The IRCE folks have been doing this for a long time, so they really have their act together. To me, it’s the Super Bowl of the industry— and just like that event, it attracts a lot of people. The social aspect is the best part to me. IRCE is like a big family reunion.
Do you have any advice for someone attending the IRCE conference for the first time?
My biggest recommendation is to have a strategy going into IRCE. Who do you want to see and what exactly do you want to learn? If you go into IRCE with an “open mind,” you’re going to have your mind blown. There is so much at the event competing for your attention that you need to tune in to what is going to specifically help you.
For more information about EYStudios, visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/eystudios/
EVAN SMITH
Sr. Regional Channel Manager
To start, would you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do at BigCommerce?
I have been in ecommerce for 12+ years and with BigCommerce for the last 7 years. My primary focus over the years at BigCommerce has been with different partnership channels. Currently, I work with some of our most strategic agency partners, as they are crucial in acquiring, onboarding, and servicing our target customers in the mid-market and enterprise space.
Why did BigCommerce decide to attend IRCE this year? What is the main goal for attending?
BigCommerce has been attending IRCE in one form or another since we began as a company. The first year I went, I was the only person at BigCommerce attending. Fast forward to today, and we send 30+ people, have a large booth, host a partner summit the day before, sponsor booth events with partners, and co-sponsor after hour parties. So our involvement over the years has definitely evolved and effectively scaled up! Our main goal in attending is both exposure to our target market with the goal of customer acquisition, as well as establishing and nurturing partnerships in the space.
How many times has your company attended IRCE? Tell us about some of your experiences and the benefits of attending.
This will be my sixth IRCE. I really think it is the marquee event for the ecommerce space. I have had tremendous success in establishing new partnerships, acquiring new customers, and just generally learning what is hot and exciting in the space.
There are a lot of eCommerce conferences throughout the year. What makes IRCE stand out, and what do you look forward to most when attending this event in particular?
I agree there are a ton of events. You could easily attend something every month of the year! To me, IRCE is the largest event that is specifically focused on ecommerce. What makes it stand out is just the sheer volume of people, but at the same time almost exclusively people that are relevant to the ecommerce space.
Do you have any advice for someone attending the IRCE conference for the first time?
Yes, I do! Make sure to have a plan going in. It is a large event and moves fast – so it’s best to know who, what, and where you want to be. Otherwise, you can find yourself wandering the floor and getting pulled in a million different directions!
For more information about BigCommerce, visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bigcommerce/
https://twitter.com/BigCommerce
KEN OTT
Co-Founder
To start, would you tell us a little bit about yourself and what your company does?
I am the Co-Founder of Metacake and responsible for our vision and direction as a company, as well as overseeing the ecommerce growth strategy of our brands and clients. Metacake is an award-winning ecommerce growth team headquartered in Nashville, TN, with offices in Oakland, CA. We work primarily with hyper-growth and global enterprise ecommerce (direct-to-consumer) brands helping them grow and innovate their business.
We’re one of the original Shopify Plus partners, so migrations and optimizations are one of our favorite areas to work in. However, we have a robust, highly experienced team that specializes in ecommerce growth strategy, paid traffic, site design and optimization, and email marketing. Some of our services may mirror that of a digital advertising agency, but our approach is entirely different because of our focus on holistic, big-picture business growth and our mission, which is ‘to make the world better through growing brands that matter’.
We also have a large publishing and education side which focuses on writing books, articles, courses, creating videos, and doing live event workshops and keynotes. Our content has been featured in places like Forbes.com, Shopify Plus, Klaviyo, BigCommerce, Bizjournals, and more. Inspiring DTC brands is a big passion of ours.
Why did your company decide to attend IRCE this year? What is the main goal for attending?
IRCE is probably the most well known ecommerce conference. To put it simply, the ecommerce world is our bread and butter and we love all the ingredients that go into it. IRCE is a fantastic space to reconnect with the many partner companies and relationships we have in the space, as well as professionals within ecommerce businesses. Connecting with these partners and merchants is a great learning opportunity and a chance to share our resources to help others drive growth, as well as listen to the issues that are most important to our clients.
How many times has your company attended IRCE? Tell us about some of your experiences and the benefits it provided.
We’ve had a booth at IRCE for the past 3 years. Each year, it has been a fantastic place to make connections that turn into partnerships and friendships with companies like yours (DCKAP), Bold Commerce, Klaviyo, Smile.io, and more. These relationships end up being true partnerships, as we all do different things really well and help educate ourselves on the latest solutions for ecommerce merchants and, in turn, help our clients grow.
There are a lot of eCommerce conferences throughout the year. What makes IRCE stand out, and what do you look forward to most when attending this event in particular?
One of the things that makes IRCE stand out is that it is so well-attended every year. It’s HUGE. There are always new relationships that develop and great conversations, and business that develops with the people that attend.
Do you have any advice for someone attending the IRCE conference for the first time?
Absorb everything you can like a sponge and share with others. This is a chance to share problems and get solutions from others that have been in your shoes. It’s also a great place to find specialists and partners to help you as a brand, wherever you are on your growth journey. You may be just starting out or representing a global brand— either way, there will be people that can help you on your mission. Oh, and bring an extra suitcase for all the swag!
For more information about Metacake, visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/metacake/
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Our team at DCKAP is excited for this year’s IRCE conference. We look forward to gaining a better understanding of the upcoming trends in the industry, speaking with retailers and wholesalers about their goals for the future, and sharing more on how we are able to partner with and support businesses of all kinds on their journey to success.
