PFC’s Top Takeaways from Shoptalk 2018

PFC recently attended Shoptalk 2018 as an exhibitor and sponsor. We’d like to thank all who stopped by our booth and chatted with our fulfillment team!

Shoptalk is the world’s largest conference for retailer and eCommerce innovation. This was the third year for this event, which took place in Las Vegas and drew a record-breaking 8,000 attendees as well 300+ speakers and 100+ sessions. Established retailers and brands, startups, tech companies, investors, analysts and fulfillment specialists like PFC came together to collaborate and learn how consumers discover, shop and buy.

Shoptalk’s four-day agenda covered a long list of timely industry topics. Here are some of the top takeaways as observed by the PFC team and fellow attendees.

Dozens of expert speakers representing both retailers and eCommerce brands proclaimed that having a strong brand is more important than ever. To stay relevant in such a competitive landscape, brands are looking for new and innovative ways to stay at the forefront of consumers’ minds.

For example, some legacy brands like Macy’s are offering a greater product assortment from smaller private/boutique brands in order to differentiate themselves, increase sales and grow customer loyalty. Most of these boutique brands were only previously available through eCommerce outlets. In his Shoptalk keynote, Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette said they plan to grow their private brand offerings from 29% to 40% of their entire merchandise line.

Private brands that partner with big retailers feel the immediate pressure to adhere to strict retailer compliance for logistics and other operations. 3PLs like PFC can help ease the pressure of retailer compliance.

Today’s savvy consumers expect more from brands. And one thing they are coming to expect more is the convenience of making purchases whenever – and however – they want. That’s why there was lots of Shoptalk discussion about the importance of brands selling across multiple channels.

Partnering with a qualified 3PL that can support multichannel fulfillment is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ consideration – it’s a must-have given the complexity and compliance of these channels. A multichannel fulfillment expert like PFC can give brands the speed, flexibility and innovation they need to thrive.

The topic of data was front and center in many keynote presentations and breakout sessions. The consensus is that data is driving everything today in retail and eCommerce. Leveraging technology and customer data to deliver a highly personalized brand experience at every touchpoint is just one of the top trends.

As reported by Retail Dive in their Shoptalk recap, having a mobile strategy is no longer just an afterthought. Mobile has become a fundamental component of almost every brand – from shopping and order tracking to customer service interactions. The importance of mobile can’t be ignored.

At PFC, our clients’ success is our number one priority. Since 1974, PFC has delivered outstanding quantifiable results, with turnkey solutions in fulfillment and contact center services – all backed by leading technology. Retailers and ecommerce brands that partner with PFC have historically achieved considerable cost savings in excess of 35% and have significantly improved their program ROI.

Want to learn more? Email us at info@pfcfulfills.com or call us at 800-493-7063.