InternetRetailing Expo recap

If you didn’t make it to this year’s InternetRetailing Expo, you missed out so make sure that you book for next year. The conference agenda was as packed as ever and the party was… well it was a great party and what happens at IRX stays at IRX but there were a few sore heads the next morning.

Key highlights for marketplace sellers that I picked up were the launch of the Flubit marketplace, an insight into Tesco marketplace, a live Terapeak workshop (they flew in from Canada specially for the show) and the launch of Cross Border VAT.

It was great to see some old friends such as Rafael Orta who is now Direct of Online Business Services at Tesco, but many will remember from his days at eBay. He talked about how Tesco obsess about the customer experience but refreshingly that they also obsess about their third party marketplace sellers. They have high demands for sellers that they partner with but equally work to make them successful and partner to offer SMEs Click and Collect as well as Click and drop off for returns.

As always it was great to run into many old friends, both retailers and channel partners. There are too many to name and all I wish is that the event had had a third day so that I could have spent more time catching up with people. If I missed you or only spoke to you briefly please drop me an email or give me a call if you have news or product releases to share or if you’re a retailer if you have gripes or successes that could assist other Tamebay readers.

This year as always there were a ton of new faces at the Expo and some great retailer stories which we’ll be sharing over the next few days. There were also some great innovations, one in particular (teaser alert) in payments and a way to re-engage consumers immediately after they’ve paid to keep them on your website for longer.

Thanks to everyone for coming, we’ll be back next year and hope you will be back too, or if you didn’t make it then don’t miss out in 2018.