Talya Vaish
January 9, 2023
NRF Retail’s Big Show is the biggest retail convention of the year, held in Javits Convention Center, New York City, from January 15-17. With nearly 30,000 retailers, vendors, and industry experts, the event provides the perfect opportunity to learn and network, however, it can also become quite overwhelming especially if it’s your first time there.
Whether you have a booth at the expo, are there for the content, or just coming to network, check out these tips to get the most out of the 3-day mega-event:
Avoid picking up your badge on the first day of the event, when the lines are sure to be long. Badges are available for pickup at the Javits Center as early as Friday the 13th, or you can head to one of the designated pickup hotel locations.
To make sure you get the most out of your experience, know which seminars and expo booths you want to check out. Visit the NRF website for the entire event agenda and expo information. As you build out a plan for yourself, it’s essential to remember your goals for attending NRF. If you’re there for networking purposes, have a list of people or companies you hope to connect with, and have your ideas ready of what you want to say. NRF also offers an app for easy scheduling and event navigation.
There will be a lot of conversations and sessions around the topics of retail planning in the face of economic and cultural disruptions – and we suggest taking advantage of these conversations towards your strategic planning for the year. Some of our suggestions include Retail strategies for major disruptors: Climate change, cost of living, viral outbreaks, crypto, and Web3 (Sunday at 11:15), The here and now of retail: What every retailer must know to navigate today’s landscape produced by Microsoft (Monday at 11:00 AM); and 6 Transformative retail trends that will break through disruption in 2023 produced by NielsenIQ (Tuesday at 2:45 PM).
Some of our favorite local Israeli heavyweights will be presenting their “Exhibitor Big Ideas.” If you’re available, set the time to hear Trigo talk about the modern, frictionless grocery store (Sunday at 10:15 AM), Riskified explores optimizing customer experience at all touchpoints (Sunday at 10:15 AM), and Bringg discusses the end customer journey (Monday at 11:45 AM).
If you’re looking to learn all about what Israeli startups have to offer, take some time to check out the latest technologies, trends, and innovations happening in the Israeli ecosystem by visiting the Israeli Pavilion. Hang out with industry friends, and make some new connections to take back home. Some of the startups worth keeping an eye on are Hexa – automatic generation of 3D content, OneBeat – AI-based inventory optimization, Oriient – In-store location magic, and ReturnGo – AI-Driven return management platform.
Make time to visit the Innovation Lab – the immersive exhibit highlights the latest developments in retail transformation, including AI, AR, Web3, and IoT – and say hi to Israeli friends like ByondXR, BuyWith, and Nexite.
You can also discover more innovative solutions by visiting the big tech companies’ booths, such as Google, SAP and Microsoft. At the Microsoft booth you’ll find 12 innovative tech startups, including two Israeli ones – Shopic and 1MRobotics.
Don’t plan your entire schedule to the minute – leave some room for spontaneity. You’ll want to make sure you have some free time to explore the show, listen to great speakers, make unplanned connections, and check out some of the free attractions NRF offers, like massages and headshots.
The days of useless swag and endless handouts are gone in favor of more sustainable solutions. Consider swapping out your old paper business card for a digital option – it is more environmentally friendly and offers added tracking features for insights and lead monitoring. Check out some of the many options available here.
While the official NRF event will take place in Javits, there will be plenty of side events and activities happening all over the city. Grab hold of these opportunities to meet people in a smaller setting. For example, check out PSFK’s Retail Tech Salon on January 17.
Don’t be an underdressed Israeli in New York in the dead of winter. Pack a heavy jacket and layers to navigate the current slew of winter storms.
If you’re heading to NRF 2023, you are sure to have a great time. Join our Israelis and NRF WhatsApp group to keep in touch as the event unfolds. We can’t wait to see you there!
