Australia's Leading Ecommerce Conferences to Attend (2023)
Conferences are events where several people with a shared interest - a love of a hobby, fandom, global issue or industry - come together and discuss the latest trends, research, or other subjects. They are opportunities for information sharing, networking, exposure and fundraising, and often feature guest speakers that are experts in their field. If you're looking for ways to connect with other retail professionals and improve customer engagement (or customer experience) then read on to find Australia's best ecommerce conferences for 2023.
Conferences sound very similar to conventions with both usually being a one-day event. However, there is a key difference between the two. At conventions, people come together to talk about shared work and common interests and generally discuss the topic at hand. Conferences are generally designed to also fact-find, problem solve and consult on a topic. Professionals from all different industry backgrounds come together to gain benefits from mutual learning opportunities. Conferences have more specific objectives, formal processes and rules for discussion. Conventions are more casual and have less strict protocols for engagement.
Conferences vary in size and structure, with some conferences taking days and attracting thousands of international attendees while others comprise a single organisation, location or niche topic. There are several different types of conferences each with their own unique purpose. These are including (but not limited to):
Business conferences (including digital marketing)
A business conference is a perfect way to get industry professionals together to discuss the aspects of running a business, from financial planning to marketing strategies. Business conferences may include a single organisation, or they may revolve around a single industry such as the retail sector. They provide unique networking and team-building opportunities, as well as the chance to announce new products and services and reward individual high-achievers. Business conferences are also a great way to keep up-to-date with business leaders, new business models, popular payment solutions, and the latest trends that may be emerging, whether in brick-and-mortar or the digital world.
Academic conferences
An academic conference is where researchers, scholars and students can get together and discuss their research. They are perfect for information sharing and discussing issues within a field of study. They can be interdisciplinary or focused on a singular theme or issue.
Trade conferences
Trade conferences bring together representatives from a variety of businesses and industries to discuss ways to improve trade between them. They can be on a local or international level. Attendees usually have a shared investment interest, and the main goals are education and sharing of information. They can also include government officials and economic experts.
Press conferences
Press or news conferences are usually attended by representatives from various news outlets and are used to announce new information to reporters en masse. These conferences may be used by a company to announce new products or services, a government organisation to discuss new policies and plans, or any other organisation wishing to deliver, or respond to, new information.
Ecommerce conferences 2023
For dropshippers, one of the most beneficial types of conferences you can attend is an ecommerce conference. These conferences exist to educate, share, consult and connect with professionals in the retail sector, entrepreneurs and ecommerce business owners on all matters related to ecommerce, from shipping and logistics to marketing trends. As consumer expectations rise with advancing technology, it’s more important than ever to keep on top of the curve, and there’s no better way to do that than to lift each other up and share current industry knowledge.
What are the benefits of attending conferences?
There’s no doubt that Covid-19 had a large impact on conference attendance, with many organisations forced to go digital. Now that lockdowns are easing and the conference landscape is returning to normal, you may be wondering: is it really that important for me to attend conferences in 2023? The answer is an unequivocal yes. Conferences are a valuable source of information for everyone in your organisation and industry, whether you’re a retailer, supplier or wholesaler.
Retailers can use ecommerce conferences to meet with new suppliers, wholesalers and even other online sellers. It’s a great way to find new connections and discuss best practices, latest solutions, common challenges and even find inspirational stories to take learnings from. Additionally, it's not uncommon for keynote speakers to touch on cutting edge innovations and latest technologies. You might also connect with influencers, digital marketers, retail professionals or even feature speakers. Attend seminars for both insight and inspiration. Learn from the industry experts and you might even discover some new ideas for your business
As a wholesaler, you may attend an ecommerce conference to connect with suppliers or retailers. You may find advice on where to find the best deals, products, couriers and other relevant services. Connect with leading manufacturers and marketplaces easily through networking and attending workshops and seminars. You might even find new ways to negotiate future partnerships.
Are you having trouble getting your product out there? Suppliers can find out what retailers are looking for, whether it’s trending products or a particular level of service. Don't forget - the customer experience applies to retailers too! Expose your business to hundreds, if not thousands, of retailers who are looking for the perfect business partner. You will also gain insights into supply chain management, courier services, advances in manufacturing technology, and many more.
The must-attend ecommerce conferences in Australia for 2023
2023 is going to be a big year for the ecommerce industry. The digital world is always growing in size and scope, leaving even retail's big brands in the dust. While each conference has a different core theme, we expect many to focus on customer relations, mobile commerce, e-logistics and online marketing.
To make the most out of your conference experience, we recommend you continue reading and find out everything you can about your conference of choice. With so many of retail's big brands meeting on one exhibit floor, you'll encounter hundreds of networking opportunities with top retailers, suppliers, wholesalers and industry experts from international brands. Attend as many one on one meetings as you can fit in a day. Make the most of every networking event and happy hour. Most of all, keep your eyes and ears open - you'll never know when you'll come across the next best thing for your business.
Here's our list of the top ecommerce conferences to attend in 2023, and get in while you still can!
eTail Australia (Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, February 14-16)
One of the leading annual conferences for Australia’s top online retail industry leaders, eTail Australia brings together CEOs, CMOs, Heads of ecommerce and Digital Marketing Leaders to discuss the current ecommerce market. The conference has operated since 1999 and uses current, cutting-edge research to tailor each conference’s agenda. They boast fun and immersive networking activities such as interactive roundtable discussions, deep-dive workshops, a one-of-a-kind ecommerce expo hall and a networking happy hour.
eTail Australia has a wide range of seminars available to help with everything from how to survive through high inflation to how your homegrown Australian Business can compete with big enterprises. There are also seminars relating to omnichannel selling, developing your brand image, increasing customer engagement and how to leverage science to build value for your business.
Book your 2023 tickets here.
Key speakers
Anthony Grice: Chief Executive Officer for Clark Rubber
Anvesha Poswalia: Head of Digital and Ecommerce at Unilever
Sush Padhye: Loyalty Lead at Total Tools
Vicki Slavania: Vice President, Operations at Koala
Christian McKelvie: Former Head of Marketplace at Catch.com.au
Nick Blatt: Head of Ecommerce and Digital Customer Experience at Chemist Warehouse
Scott Rigby: Head of Digital Transformation at Adobe
The 8th Annual Retail Fulfilment Summit (Pullman Albert Park, Melbourne, February 22-24)
Australia’s largest retail fulfilment summit is back for its 8th year, bringing with it a host of strategies, case studies and workshops centred around ecommerce fulfilment processes. In a time when supply chains are being heavily affected by global environmental and political issues, this summit will be critical for retailers and suppliers who want to get ahead of the game. The conference is recommended for directors, heads and managers involved in all aspects of fulfilment, from digital/online retail to inventory management. Seminars include how to implement successful omnichannel strategies, increase efficiency and cut costs, develop automation frameworks, and implement more sustainable frameworks.
You can register your interest for the 8th Annual Retail Fulfilment Summit here.
Key Speakers:
Sarah Mullen: Chief Operations Officer for Adore Beauty
Jack Gance: Chemist Warehouse Group
Kieron Ritchard: Chief Executive Officer at Fantastic Furniture
Lenny Koslianti: Head of Technology - Fulfilment at Catch.com
James Geddes: General Manager Online Network and Growth at Coles
Naveed Ahmed: Head of Automation at Blackmores
Pragya Chaturvedi: Director - Supply Chain and Procurement at Deloitte.
Power Retail All-Star Bash: an exciting retail industry event (Location TBA, March 9)
One of the most exciting events on the ecommerce calendar for 2023, The Power Retail All-Star Bash is less of a conference and more of an awards ceremony for top-performing ecommerce retailers. A popular event amongst retail professionals, this event promises to live up to its name. Last year's event was hosted in Melbourne, Australia and featured an impressive guest list of professionals from the ecommerce world Join other professionals in the ecommerce sector at Power Retail this year and immerse yourself in the retail community. Power Retail uses a top-of-the-line ranking methodology to help judge the top 100 retailers in the lead-up to the event and covers key dimensions such as acquisition, conversion, fulfilment and retention. Last year's event was hosted in Melbourne, Australia and featured an impressive guest list of professionals from the ecommerce world.
Previous award winners for 2022:
#1 Online Retailer: Bunnings Warehouse
Top Emerging Online Retailer: Lyre’s
Most Improved Online Performance: Trenery
Top Mobile Experience: Kathmandu
Top Loyalty Program: Mecca
Top Australian Marketplaces: Kogan
Top Sustainable Retailer: Biome
Retail Global’s Retail Fest (Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, March 27-30)
Founded in 2005 by eBay’s number-one seller Phil Leahy, Retail Global Events was developed to host conferences to support Australian eBay sellers and ensure their global and local success. Since then, the conferences have evolved from being eBay-specific to now servicing the whole ecommerce industry, cumulating in the wide-reaching success of Retail Fest. The flagship event has consistently attracted over 1000 attendees since moving to the sunshine state in 2011, with the 2021 and 2022 conferences reaching 1500+ and 1650+ attendees respectively. Retail Global’s mantra is “sharing knowledge without fear”, and they live up to it by giving small businesses the opportunity to meet with masters of the industry to learn, grow and share.
Activities include workshops and seminars for every level of expertise. There are workshops like Shopify for Dummies and Multi-Marketplace Masterclass, or there are panel discussions surrounding digital commerce, SEO and content strategies for customer engagement, and developing your business from home.
You can book your 2023 tickets here.
Key Speakers:
Cecilia Chiu: Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at New Aim
Emily Brewster: Social Commerce and Influencer Manager at Straand
Nestor Valverde: Group CRM Manager at Spotlight Retail Group
Dominique Lamb: Queensland Small Business Commissioner
Ben Panther: Strategic Partnerships Manager AUNZ at Tiktok
Raj Mukherjee: APAC Partner Manager at ChannelEngine
Darren Vassallo: Director of Marketing at Reform Digital
iMedia Online Retail Summit (Sheraton Grand Mirage on the Gold Coast, May 3-5)
The iMedia Online Retail Summit 2023 is set to be a huge hit, with over 200 retailers and technology and solution providers and 25+ keynotes over three days. The conference is advertised as an exclusive invitation-only event for senior ecommerce professionals and enterprise-level retailers, meaning you’re getting the best of the best. Each conference has a theme, with 2022’s being “What’s next: succeeding in the new normal”. At this time of writing, the 2023 theme has yet to be announced. The conference is full of networking opportunities, case studies, and breakout sessions to help businesses problem-solve, share, grow and thrive in 2023 and beyond.
Express your interest to attend the iMedia Online Retail Summit 2023 here.
Key Speakers:
Juanite Neville-Te Rito: Founder of RX
Sheerien Salindera: APAC Digital Strategy Lead at Adobe
Brandon Soo: ecommerce Manager at Total Tools
Nicola Ayan: Director of Technology and Growth APJ at Optimizely
Elle Green: Senior Online Operations Manger at Myer
Ryan Garcie: Chief Marketing Officer at MyDeal
Steffen Daleng: Chief Marketing officer at Booktopia
Online Retailer (ICC Sydney, July 19-20)
Online Retailer is organised by RX Global and is considered “the industry’s number one meeting place”, attracting a diverse range of attendees from a wide variety of industries including Fashion, B2B services, Toys, Electronics, Marketplaces, Finance and more. 2023 is expected to be the largest Online Retailer event to date, with over 110 speakers across six stages and over 130 exhibitors showcasing new tech, services and other business solutions. It also features the Australia Post Online Retail Industry Awards (ORIAS) which highlights retail excellence from brands that have excelled over the last 12 months. Awards include Best Small Independent Retailer, Online Retailer of the Year, Best Online Retail Marketing and Best Community Initiative.
You can subscribe to the mailing list here to keep up to date on events, speakers and tickets.
Key Speakers:
Paul Greenburg: Chair of My Deal and NORA
Stephanie Gilles: Head of Marketing and Communication at Trustpilot
Mark Staton: Head of Store Design at Kmart
Carina Anderson: Head of Strategic Partnerships and Optimisation at Naked Wines
Michael Gillespie: Group Chief Digital and Experience Officer at Dominos
Angus McDonald: CEO at Barbeques Galore
John Barkle: General Manager at Dropshipzone
Virtual conferences: are they worth it?
The event industry took a big hit over the Covid-19 crisis, and conferences were no different. Thankfully, we found a lot of ways to supplement the conference experience in the meantime, with software like Skype, Zoom and Google Meet. We have been able to hold whole conferences as a virtual event, something unthinkable just a decade ago. Many modern conferences also have options for streaming, meaning you don’t have to attend in physically. But are virtual conferences actually a good replacement for in-person events, or do they pale in comparison?
Attending conferences physically
Unique, personalised experiences
When you attend a conference physically, you have the opportunity to meet actual people within the organisation with whom you can forge connections. When you represent your organisation at a conference, you can put your best foot forward and put a face to the name. You can also help to increase brand awareness through giveaways and swag, or even just passing along a business card.
Increased collaboration
Studies have shown that audience participation and engagement is both the most crucial aspect of virtual conferences and one of the hardest to overcome. Audiences are less likely to be tuned in or ask questions, and technical issues can often hinder the collaborative process. Attending conferences physically make it easier to collaborate in real time, fully participate in discussions and minimize technical difficulties.
Better attitudes
Would you rather be cooped up in the office, or go on a business road trip to your next conference? Heading out of the office, even if it's for business, is a great mood booster that can improve workplace morale. This leads to a more positive attitude while networking and the potential for more successful business deals.
Attending conferences virtually
Easier to attend
It can be hard to take time off to attend a conference, especially if it is in another city, state or country. At virtual conferences, you can attend instantly from anywhere - from your home, office, or even the local library. Some conferences may be recorded so you can access seminars and workshops at a later date.
Cheaper and more environmentally friendly
When you don’t have to book a venue, hire caterers or other staff, travel to the location or send workers away from the office, you’re bound to save money with virtual conferences, whether you’re an organiser or an attendee. Eliminating most of the logistics also lessens your carbon emissions, meaning there are environmental savings as well.
Easy data collection
It can be hard to collect and track data from an in-person conference. Not everyone wants to fill out a paper survey on their way to another seminar. Signing up for a conference online means you can use software to keep track of who is attending, what events they are going to, and many more metrics.
That sums up everything you need to know about the top ecommerce conferences for 2023! With a full calendar, you’ll learn everything your need to know about ecommerce and running an online business. For anything else, you can turn to Dropshipzone. We’re always updating our blog with the latest innovations and industry trends, as well as providing all our clients with tailored customer service that’s right for their business. Check out our dropship basics page and browse our product catalogue to get started on your online dropshipping journey.
