Ever wonder how you could improve your company’s website to set yourself apart from your competitors? That’s what I thought. Turns out you aren’t alone.
Luckily for you, Internet Retailer has a stellar agenda laid out for the Internet Retailer Web Design & Usability Conference in Orlando, FL, February 13-15th.
Since this event is clearly something you want and NEED to go to, allocating your time is going to be a challenge! In an effort to help, I’m sharing my Top 5 Must Do’s for IRWD 2012.
1. Get Twisted with Cirque du Soleil!
Orlando is synonymous with Walt Disney World but did you know that Downtown Disney, which is outside the park, has a ton of fun offerings as well? For example there is the Cirque du Soleil- La Nouba show. La Nouba is a show that can only be seen in Downtown Disney; the show’s title translates to “to party, to live it up.” La Nouba is a visceral show receiving 5-star audience reviews.
“[When an 11-year old boy ‘s father asked him how he liked the show the boy responded with] “My throat hurts.” “Why?” asked the father, [to which his son responded] “I think, I forgot to breathe.”” — The Orlando Sentinel
2. Stop by Booth #211!
Why? Because we want to meet you! Soon we will be releasing an e-tailing group research report that shows consumers shop with video in a different way than you probably think they do. Come get the inside scoop on some surprising new research. Say the secret password, “video strategy,” and we will give you a sneak peek at this invaluable report. We will also hook you up with our secret weapon to boost your energy and help you power through the conference!
3. Attend the Session: “Design 101: 10 Best Practices to Pick From the Pack”
A key component to any modern website design is delivering a site that can operate on any platform effectively. Mike Sidders, VP of E-Commerce at ShopKo Stores Operating Co., and Todd Luckey, Senior User Experience Specialist at Usability Sciences, will host this session on Tuesday, February 14th from 11:15a- 11:45a and share their best practices for modern retail web design. You won’t want to skip this one!
4. Swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove!
Need I say more?!? If you’re like me, you love animals and have always wanted the opportunity to swim with a dolphin! If not, you can always just chill out in the lazy river or take a snorkeling adventure!
5. Attend the Session: “Revving up Your Retail Website with Online Video”
On Wednesday, February 15th from 12:00p- 12:30p, Invodo’s own Craig Wax is partnering up with Office Depot’s Director of E-Commerce Searchandising, Shannon Wu-Lebron, to discuss how to deploy and merchandise video in a way that improves the user experience and drives conversion, SEO, and more. Don’t miss out!
If you have any questions or would just like to get some more ideas on things to do at IRWD don’t be shy and give us a shout! You can also schedule a specific time to discuss video at IRWD right here!
Whew…what a week! When you pack Chinese dragon dancers, contortionists, belly dancers, clam “chowda”, Harley motorcycles, polka music, and a handful of 5 hour energy drinks into 3 days and 2 (long) nights, can you really call it work?!
You can if you were one of the lucky 600+ to join Craig Wax and I in Boston last week for Akamai Edge. Akamai employees, customers, and partners really embrace and live the mantra of “work hard, play hard”. We approve.
The event, attended by IT and marketing leadership from some of the world’s most admired brands, also happened to be the “launch party” for the newly minted strategic partnership between Invodo and Akamai. The rich content and conversations around how Akamai is intelligently streamlining the delivery of content over the internet further confirmed our suspicions that we’re partnered with the most scalable, secure, and speedy CDN in the world. Even more important, our shared clients have a complete solution for eCommerce video that provides their customers with the best shopping experience across all devices and geographic boundaries.
Here are a few of my other favorites from the show:
It was a whirlwind of a week, and we want to say “thanks” to our friends at Akamai for including us. We hope next year in Vegas will be even bigger!
Cheers,
Keith Blankenship | Director of Business Development
At the recent shop.org Summit in Boston, Invodo CEO Craig Wax took a few minutes to talk with Retail Touchpoints associate editor Amanda Batista about video. Check out the video interview below, or click here to visit TouchpointsTV.
The Shop.org Annual Summit said goodbye to the over 4,000 attendees late last week. IR 500 retailers, major brands, industry experts, and solution providers all left Boston to head back home to share their learnings and experiences. From best practices to emerging technologies, the content was rich and the collaboration from the best and brightest in eCommerce was unmatched.
During Shop.org, you could feel the excitement in the air especially around mobile, video, and social strategies. What used to be emerging technologies have now become musts for online retailers. As the industry landscape continues to become more intricate and complex, strong foundations and mastery of best practices remain inherent to online retail success. We hope everyone who attended found immense value and left with the key tactics and inspiration to prepare them to conquer the holiday season and subsequent year.
If you didn’t make the Summit, you can access many of the presentations and blogs here in addition to the Invodo team’s top takeaways below.
Craig Wax, Invodo CEO
There was a change in retailers from, “We need to think about video” to “we need to develop a multi-channel video strategy.” Retailers are realizing the need for a consistent and rich experience across channels.
Andrew Martin, Invodo Market Developer
More and more companies are seeing the value of video as a strategic tool to achieve a range of business results. While many are still focused on product video (and product video remains extremely important), brands are identifying needs for video across all points of customer interaction, including post-purchase support, category video, and overall brand education.
Dave Jobe, Invodo Enterprise Sales Director
Retailers are aware of the need for video but despite their excitement, there is still a large focus on mastering the fundamentals of online retailing. This simply alludes to the complexities of online retailing and the constant challenges of this dynamic industry.
In addition to the excellent keynotes, great networking, and tactical sessions, we also had some fun! Invodo, along with partners Monetate and Baynote, hosted a Shop.org Kick Off event at Game On Monday evening. Attendees got to watch the Patriots beat the Dolphins, eat and drink to their hearts content, and also bat in the official Red Sox batting cages! Check out some picture below.
We look forward to seeing everyone in Denver at the 2012 Shop.org Annual Summit. Invodo will be at booth #735 so make sure to stop by and meet the team!
At the shop.org summit a few days ago, Invodo CEO Craig Wax had a few minutes to sit down and discuss our new feature, Video Ratings and Comments, with Tim Parry from Multichannel Merchant. Here’s a quick video of what he had to say.
Digital Retail’s most influential event, the Shop.org Annual Summit, is just around the corner. The best and the brightest in online retail are gearing up for three days of compelling content and priceless networking. The 2011 Shop.org agenda is jam-packed with keynotes, concurrent sessions, roundtables, and so much more making it daunting to plan your days. To make the most of your time in Boston, here are Invodo’s top Shop.org Annual Summit picks.
Monday, September 12
Daytime: The Online Retail Boot Camp is an ideal workshop if you are looking for a year’s worth of learning in one day. Attendees will get into tiptop eCommerce shape and explore numerous aspects of successful eCommerce businesses including social media, search analytics, email, and merchandising for conversion. Attend the Online Retail Boot Camp to optimize online basics and learn various eCommerce program specifics.
Evening: Kick-off Shop.org Annual Summit in style with the three most exciting and innovative solution providers in eCommerce: Invodo, Baynote and Monetate. Offering Monday Night Football, free food, beverages, and networking with the best in eCommerce, it is the hottest ticket in town. At 6:30pm, immediately following the Shop.org Opening Reception, referees will be waiting outside the Convention Center to whisk away party attendees to Game On! at Fenway Park where the best in eCommerce will watch the New England Patriots take on the Miami Dolphins. Did I forget to mention that party goers can also test their baseball skills in the Official Red Sox Team batting cage?
Score your VIP pass to the event here! melissa
invodo
com
Tuesday, September 13
Daytime: Tuesday is the day all Shop.org attendees are anticipating. Over 200 solution providers will be centralized in the EXPO Hall to showcase products, technologies and services created to enhance the online retail experience. The EXPO Hall also features the BIG !dea Sessions, roundtables, and networking throughout the day. Of course, Invodo booth #1036 will be the number one destination featuring eCommerce video examples, client success stories, and of course, free 5 hour energies. EXPO Hall doors open at 9:45a so get there on time to take advantage of all the EXPO Hall has to offer.
Tuesday also offers full conference attendees the opportunity to attend multiple keynotes. Author and futurist, Ray Kurzweil, kicks off the summit by discussing the impact of technological Innovation on consumer behavior and retail as we know it followed by Mick McCormick of Columbia Sportswear Company, who broaches the subject of industry stagnation and ways to gear up for growth. Lastly, President of Direct at Charming Shoppes, Bill Bass, shares the lessons he has learned in 15 years of cross-channel retailing. All great thought leaders and keynotes worth attending.
Evening: Free for all Full Conference registrants, Shop.org is hosting an evening reception and dinner at the famous Jillian’s Boston. Expect to have fun while you bowl, dance, and network with fellow Shop.org attendees. EXPO Hall only pass holders- Don’t feel left out! Dinner tickets can be purchased for an additional $125.
Wednesday, September 14
Daytime: Start you day off by getting all your digital retail questions answered during Forrester Research’s Sucharita Mulpuru and Rue La La’s Ben Fischman Q&A keynote. Next, make your final rounds in the EXPO hall which opens at 10:15a to discover new eCommerce solutions and pick up remaining swag. After your tote bags are full and stomachs begin to rumble, swing by the vendor-retail case study roundtables also located in the EXPO Hall. Roundtable 21 will surely accelerate your eCommerce strategies after you hear AutoZone’s Jamey Traywick, and Invodo’s CEO, Craig Wax, discuss “Test Driving Video to Create a Road Map for Success.” Finally, wrap up your day with some great sessions from the following four tracks: Advanced eCommerce Strategy and Planning, Global Retailing, Online Marketing Strategy, and Mobile Retailing.
Evening: For most, Wednesday evening will consist of in-flight entertainment and airplane snacks. For all others, Boston will be their playground. Try catching a foul ball at the tail end of the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game, taking a stroll on the Freedom Trail, or stopping by the Samuel Adams Brewery to wind down after a long week.
Have a great Shop.org Annual Summit and make sure to stop by booth #1036 and say hello to the Invodo team!
On opening night eTail Boston was already in full swing. Monday’s action began with an Advanced Search Summit, a Social Commerce Summit and an email Marketing and Segmentation Summit. Featured speakers included leaders from Crocs, HP, and CoffeeForLess. But the event kicked into high gear with the evening cocktail party. Retailers and vendors mingled and the event looked to be bigger than the projected 700 attendees.
Tuesday’s agenda will split into three tracks:
(Guess which one we’ll be at!)
Invodo CEO Craig Wax will present on eCommerce Video Innovation during Track C at 2:45p, and Joe Preston from Invodo client Really Good Stuff will speak on a panel as well. Tuesday is shaping up to be a fantastic and very busy day.
We’ll tweet from the show floor as @Invodo, so follow us on Twitter to see what’s happening in real time.
Boston will soon welcome top multi-channel retailers and eCommerce solution providers for a week of strategy sessions, thought leadership presentations, and high-level networking at this year’s eTail East. From monetizing social media to international expansion, the most relevant topics to multi-channel retailers will be covered. The most exciting component to this year’s conference is the addition of the Online Video and eCommerce Innovation track. As the industry has proven, online video is an integral part to any marketing mix. But the strategy behind it is complex. Below are my top picks for the sessions to attend to gain online video knowledge and strategy tips for a successful video program.
1. Panel Discussion: Best Practices For Using Online Video To Drive eCommerce
This is a great opportunity to hear online video best practices straight from the mouths of retailers. Expect the panelists to address the different options for creating video, how to utilize online video to support sales activities and the in-store experience, the partners out there to help with video, and how to monetize video content. All in all, it will be an educational panel worth attending. Tuesday, August 9th; 2:10pm; Track C.
2. eCommerce Video Innovation: Driving Revenue and Customer Engagement Across Channels
If you want to delve into video strategy and see the possibilities and the future of online video, this is the presentation to attend. Craig Wax, Invodo CEO, will be sharing tactical information on how to use video across channels to deliver business results. Attend and leave with an elevated understanding of how to drive revenue and increase customer engagement through video . Tuesday, August 9th; 2:45p; Track C.
3. Building An Innovative & Nimble eCommerce Site That Drives Customer Value
For those looking for the nitty-gritty components to a successful video strategy, this is the session for you. Ajit Sivadasan, VP/GM Global eCommerce & Sales at Lenovo, will address everything from technology to the challenges of balancing cost and flexibility, organizational challenges, and the critical success factors that contributed to Lenovo’s success. Tuesday, August 9th; 5:10p; Track C.
If the above sessions leave you wanting more online video information, stop by Invodo’s booth 55. We love discussing video strategy…It’s what we do. See you in Boston!
Imagine this….an intimate workshop overlooking Coronado Bay, 300 retailers, and 22 vendors sharing online merchandising best practices and discussing the future of eCommerce. While this might seem like a dream to some, it is the reality for those attending the upcoming Shop.org Merchandising Workshop.
Situated in the beautiful San Diego, the Merchandising Workshop is bringing together the top eCommerce merchandisers and retailers to share and discuss online merchandising tactics.
For those attending, here are the top three must-dos to make the most of your Shop.org Merchandising Workshop.
1. Get a one-on-one website critique. Industry experts are hosting 20 minute website critiques specific to aspects of your website. Take advantage and come prepared with questions and ideas you may have and leave with tactical and practical solutions.
2. Attend a vendor-retailer case study roundtable. Shop.org Merchandising Workshop is hosting roundtable discussions on Tuesday, July 12th from 12-1 in the EXPO Hall. This is a great opportunity to have detailed conversations with peers to discuss their merchandising successes. The highlight is Roundtable 1 featuring Invodo’s Craig Wax and Golfsmith.com’s Eric Mahlstadt who will discuss Video for Retail: A Multi-Channel Approach.
3. Stop by table 5 and say hi to the Invodo crew. This is obviously a must-do but Invodo’s best and brightest will be at Table 5 and throughout the Expo Hall ready to show you eCommerce video examples and best practices in online video merchandising.
If you accomplish these must-dos, you are sure to leave with new ideas, best practices, and tactics to elevate your online merchandising. Safe travels to all and have an excellent workshop!
The sheer plethora of activities, sessions, and events at this year’s IRCE often makes it hard to decide how to allocate your time. From which vendors to visit in the EXPO Hall, to what networking events to attend, to what to see and do in San Diego, the list is long and the choices daunting. In order to get the most out of this year’s Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition, here are 5 Must-Dos to put on the top of your list. 
1. Take a walk through the Gaslamp Quarter
Full of quaint shops, art galleries, and beautiful Victorian architecture, the Gaslamp Quarter is worth checking out. Located in downtown San Diego and steps away from the Convention Center, strolling through the idyllic 16½-block historic area is a must.
2. Stop by booth #220!
Here you can meet the Invodo team and chat about your video strategy. Video is now an expected element for any online retail site. Stop by to see how the Invodo Video Solution delivers the video content you need, the platform to distribute, optimize, and measure results, and the network to reach your customers at every touchpoint.
Did I also mention you can enter to win Austin City Limits Music Festival tickets (airfare and downtown lodging included), play a round of golfketball, and watch some awesome video demos!
3. Hang out with Giant Pandas at the San Diego Zoo.
The San Diego Zoo is home to an array of animals including the very famous and amazing Giant Panda. Take some time to meander through the 100-acre zoo to admire the animal kingdom and reconnect with your inner-child. If you aren’t into walking, the San Diego Zoo offers a guided bus tour of the grounds, and the Skyfari aerial tram gives guests a bird’s-eye view of the 100-acre facility.
4. Attend the session “Are retailers giving cross-channel customer what they want?”
As the wall between online and offline retail continues to crumble, discover ways that you can create a streamlined experienced and ensure you give customers what they want. Bob Cell, CEO of MyBuys and Glenn Edleman, VP of Marketing of Wine Enthusiast, will host this session on Wednesday, June 15 from 1:45-2:30pm, Track B, and share their best practices so don’t miss out.
5. Enjoy the Ocean View while sipping a drink at Bertrand at Mister A’s
The award winning Bertrand at Mister A’s offers a fresh and tantalizing menu enhanced only by the stunning panoramic views outside of the dining room. I have heard from a San Diego insider that Mister A’s has the best views in town accompanied by a great happy hour. Treat yourself and enjoy the beautiful ocean and unwind after a long day at IRCE.
invodo
com | What We Do | Products & Services | Resources | About Invodo | Contact Us | Social    |
Thanks for your interest in Invodo! Please fill out the short form and we'll contact you. If you're in a hurry, you can call us at 1-800-280-4122.
We hate spam as much as you do. We won't rent, sell, give away, or otherwise abuse your email address and other information
