As the technology-themed expo and conference kicks off in New York, we find out what subjects are getting air time.

The 2017 edition of NRF’s Retail’s Big Show started with one of those trademark US breakfast sessions that not only test the dutiful with the early hour of their start but also the fact that it began on a Sunday…the day before a national holiday.

Yet while New York ignored its musical mantra and largely slept, the first of an expected 30,000 visitors listened to retail luminaries Terry Lungdren of Macy’s, James Thee of Ashley Stewart and Greg Foran of Wamart US talk about staff retention in a changing retail world.

It’s a theme the NRF will be pushing in 2017.

Disruption

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Macys.jpg

Macy’s on Fifth Avenue

Not surprisingly, disruption in all its forms cropped up regularly on day one, with Elizabeth Arden’s Jue Wong emphasising the scale of the challenge for legacy brands when she said it was harder to reinvigorate a brand with issues than to start a new one.

Representing that new breed, Jodie Fox, Shoes of Prey co-founder and chief creative officer at the customised footwear retailer from Australia, predicted a future dictated by on-demand, bespoke production, including 3D printing, while conceding that the company has gone back to being a pure online player.

The company “wound down” its stores estate at the end of 2016, and although Fox said she “still believed in offline retail”, she said that the company had “ended its trial” with stores for the moment, although she did not rule out a return to stores at some point in the future.

Fox said that opening stores had been “based on the hypothesis that women would want to touch and feel” the footwear components but that in fact the customer base had become very familiar with the online concept and that the anticipated level of returns had not materialised.

Speaking at the same session, Indochino CEO Drew Green said of new business modelling that virtual stock would become increasingly important for fashion retailers, reflecting the need to reduce and optimise inventory levels.

Tech trends for 2017

The NRF’s Big Show Expo Halls showcased technologies and services from more than 500 providers

NRF

Meanwhile, six futuristic technologies have been identified by NRF as the ones to watch for 2017. They are 3D printing; AI; AR/VR; robotics; smart technology and wearables.

It’s clear the next few days are going to be buzzing with new trends to keep an eye on in the coming 12 months.