Registration and Continental Breakfast: 8:00–9:00 am
Welcome and Opening Remarks: 9:00 am

Global Winds of Change
The world has changed dramatically in the year since TNS Retail Forward issued its groundbreaking report on the evolution of the retail landscape through 2015. Food and fuel inflation have accelerated. The U.S. economy is flirting with recession. The green agenda is even more firmly entrenched. China is poised to command an even bigger presence on the world stage as it prepares to host its first Olympic Games. These and other “big picture” issues have very real implications for how retailers should operate today and how retailers and suppliers need to plan for the near term. This session looks at the key forces that will challenge companies in the coming years.

MORNING BREAK: SPONSORED BY ERNST & YOUNG

Future Consumers: Conspicuous or Conscientious?
As the economy rebounds, will conspicuous consumption return? Or is a conscientious, environmentally and socially conscious shopping mentality more likely to emerge? This session focuses on the issues that will shape the future of demand.

The Changing Face of Shoppers
As the U.S. population continues its inexorable shift toward becoming more diverse, it is essential for retailers and manufacturers alike to develop relevant strategies. And because these populations are not monolithic, there is no one response that covers them all. This session leverages TNS Shopper360™ research findings to profile Hispanic shopping behaviors and attitudes so retailers and suppliers can identify growth strategies that involve this important market segment.

LUNCH: NOON

Multi-Channel Best Practices
Although e-commerce is well into its second decade, the channel remains the fastest growing in the retail sector: TNS Retail Forward forecasts it will continue to register double-digit sales growth through 2012. Additionally, the channel still plays a significant role as a contributor to sales that ultimately take place in stores. Retailers will need to be increasingly nimble as they navigate the online retail landscape—a landscape that will continue to change as new technologies emerge and as shopper expectations evolve. This session profiles the latest online developments.

Top Opportunities for a Brave New World
In this two-part presentation, learn what category, consumer and competitive opportunities will provide the greatest growth potential for retailers and suppliers in the near term. We also profile what strategies and operating model capabilities—e.g., customer relationship management, the ability to execute locally, leveraging customer-facing technology—will be prerequisites for future success.

CONFERENCE CONCLUDES:  3:30

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