ChannelAdvisor Catalyst has got bigger and better than ever, we estimate that attendance was up a couple of hundred on last year and the conference center was packed.
The day kicked off with ChannelAdvisor President Scot Wingo’s keynote and it was by far the best I’ve heard over the past 10 years of attending ChannelAdvisor events. That’s not to say that it wasn’t good in previous years, far from it but this year it really was a talk not to be missed.
Unlike previous years Scot didn’t focus so much on domestic marketplaces (eBay, Amazon et al), covering past performance and future expectations. This year Scot looked at the new contenders in ecommerce, where they are, where they plan to be and why you should be interested in new technologies such as chat programs.
The day finished off with Justin King, CBE and ecommerce sceptic giving an alternative viewpoint. Justin was CEO of Sainsbury’s for over a decade and talked about how he was proud never to have had a single new idea but was quite happy to jump on the band wagon having learnt the mistakes others made – a lesson in itself.
The sessions throughout the day were packed (so much so that it was pretty darn hot in the Google and Amazon sessions!). Opportunities for networking were superb with a well laid out exhibition hall. Unusually there were plenty of tables where you could sit, work, eat or chat, too often at exhibitions the networking happens away from the exhibitors but it’s a great venue…
…although I hear a rumour that ChannelAdvisor Catalyst 2016 may be held at a new venue so watch this space and we’ll let you know as soon as we hear when and where it’ll be held. This year’s Catalyst was totally sold out, so you’ll want to book early if you intend to attend in 2016, which based on this year we’d highly recommend.
One Response
A really enjoyable event I thought. I agree that Scott’s talk was the highlight. He always manages to pass on so much information without it feeling over complicated or unneeded.
I was a bit disappointed by the Ebay and Amazon talks. Both just gave a summary which I felt anyone selling on these channels should know anyway.
I also agree that the venue was excellent and the oppurtunities for networking were good. The only odd thing was the DJ at the end. Really loud dance music is great for the club but not for talking to other people.