RBTE organisers launch Buying and Merchandising Summit

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: RBTE organisers launch Buying and Merchandising Summit.

A major new event has been launched by Legend, the organisation behind Retail Business Technology Expo (RBTE) and Essential Retail.  The Buying and Merchandising Summit is a one day content-rich programme which will provide strategic and practical solutions to help retailers succeed as they have to re-think their buying, merchandising and assortment planning projects in the current challenging omnichannel marketplace to meet customers' demands profitably.

The chairman for the event, Brian Kilcourse of RSR Research said "The retail industry is going through a fundamental shift as it reacts to information-empowered consumers. Consumers use web-enabled technologies to find relevant solutions to their lifestyle needs anytime and anywhere, and retailers must respond with targeted and relevant products and services delivered when and how consumers want them.  At the Buying & Merchandising Summit, you will meet with your peers for an exchange of viewpoints about how to address the challenges and opportunities created by this shift."

Leading retail merchandising professionals speaking at the event include:

Ben Hawksley, Director of Merchandise & Planning, Hunkemöller International BV; Sarah Cannon, Merchandise Director, International Omnichannel Clothing, Tesco Stores; Rajesh Kumar, Vice President, Merchandising- Concept to Consumer, Adidas Group; Morgan Fowles, Global Executive Merchandise Director, Thomas Pink, LVMH; Simon Dawes, Merchandising Director, Cath Kidston; Fabio Brunello, Director Retail Planning & Allocation, Levi Strauss & Co;  Paul Brennan, Group Merchandising and Retail Director, The Net-A-Porter Group;  Karl Doyle, Executive Group Product Director, Mothercare; Phil D'Souza, Head of Merchandising, Topps Tiles Plc; Louise Baker, Head of Inventory Management, Sally Beauty UK & Ireland and Amit Agarwal, Head of Buying and Merchandising, The Jewellery Channel.

The Buying and Merchandising Summit will address issues including how the focus has shifted from underperforming inventories, no doubt driven by continued unstable economic conditions, to issues of pleasing the consumer: namely, understanding consumer preferences, innovating quickly, and a realisation that reliance on promotions is ultimately eroding brands.

The Summit will look at how retailers continue to use price as their primary merchandising lever, but how there are a number looking to improve sell-through with both optimisation and localisation technologies.

Through interactive presentations, detailed focus on seasonal and general merchandising and panels featuring leading merchandising experts together with excellent networking opportunities this summit will provide an invaluable resource to all buying merchandising and retail marketing professionals.

Legend, the organisers of Retail Business Exchange have unrivalled experience in the retail marketplace, with the market leading RBTE event and Retail Design Expo plus the online news resources Essential Retail and Retail Design World.