futurestores.wbresearch.com/

While there where a handful of really great presentations (Levi, Footlocker, Vans) the remained either seemed pulled together last minute or where a bit to specialized in content for the large range of attendants roles. I would have liked to have seen more opportunities to network among-st our self. While round tables can be a good place for this it was very clear the moderators where looking for sales.

We had a booth, a speaking gig, and a team of 3... We spoke with 10 people at most, the chair track was reduced to the introduction of the topic with no moderation or opportunities to speak about Shockoe... There were 10 people at most in the breakout session because we were competing with the retail only tracks I think there needs to be more vetting of the presenters. There were two Vendor presentations that put the audience to sleep and took the room on one day from 10 people to 5 or 6... WB provided company research as a way to encourage better networking, but when I spoke to people about the reports we were provided they did not even know what it meant (My sample size is 4 because we did not have the chance for much interaction). I am hoping Seattle makes up for the disappointment in this show.

The conference fell short as a speaker. No WBR staff was present for my campfire session. For the panel discussion there was minimal prep, the published description had nothing to do with our agreed-upon questions, we were told to arrive far earlier than necessary to the panel and the team on site was confused by our arrival, and the panel lineup reduced to just two of us without any communication about the changes. While my involvement was just two non-keynote sessions, this was far less organized than any other conference at which I've been a speaker. To be honest, between the lack of organization as a speaker and then the bombardment of my inbox by irrelevant vendors, it feels like this was a rather one-sided interaction and not worth my time or our company's expense for me to attend.

Too many of the activities were for retailers only. Agencies and vendors attend - and fund - these events for the purpose of getting to meet and engage with retailers. Very few opportunities to interact, and the attendees seemed very disengaged.

As a first timer, I was negatively surprised that I never got any reminders to the event from the organizers, neither any content info before the conference. It was poorly managed in that sense. I was told I was going to get instructions to download the App, never got them, and on many other conferences I have used the App to communicate with potential people I want to meet in advance. At arrival the lady in the front desk had zero attitude towards helping anybody, as I asked about the App and she just pointed out to a cartel on easel, and there was nobody around but me, it would’ve been nice for her to show on my phone how to do it, zero client service attitude. Overall, I think it is overpriced (it’s more expensive than NRF) for what it is, and the rooms in that hotel where not made for good quality stage capabilities (lighting, sound, no stage risen so the people in the back could see the speaker etc.).