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NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show to Highlight Future of Store Technology

The retail conference will explore how artificial intelligence, robotics, mobile payments and the evolution of omnichannel will affect the industry in the years ahead.

Phil Goldstein

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Phil Goldstein is a former web editor of the CDW family of tech magazines and a veteran technology journalist. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and their animals: a dog named Brenna, and two cats, Grady and Princess.

Is there a “retail apocalypse?” Some say that the waves of retail store closures and job losses over the last few years aren’t being taken seriously enough. Other industry observers argue that the term is overblown and that the damage “seems to be happening mostly in large retailing boxes that sell apparel, equipment, electronics and specialty goods,” as Slate reported last year.

What is certain is that technology continues to reshape the retail industry, from artificial intelligence in marketing and store checkout to facial recognition and the Internet of Things. Those retailers that want to truly undergo a digital transformation and seamlessly blend the physical and digital will need to take heed.

That will be a key theme of the National Retail Federation’s 2018 Big Show, which will take place in New York City from Jan. 14-16. BizTech will be on the ground covering the conference and the many ways in which retail technology is evolving.

There will be appearances throughout the week from retail leaders such as Levi’s President James “JC” Curleigh; STORY CEO Rachel Shechtman; Walmart CEO Doug McMillon; Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of internet services, and Tommy Hilfiger, the founder and principal designer for his popular self-named brand. There will also be numerous panels on how tech is transforming retail, including robotics and AI, digital transformation, tech startups, innovations in physical stores and the future of payments.

BizTech will cover the Big Show from the show floor, and will interview industry executives and experts on the latest retail IT trends and technologies. Keep this page bookmarked for stories and videos from the BizTech team. Follow us on Twitter at @BizTechMagazine or the official conference Twitter account @NRFBigShow, and join the conversation using hashtag #NRF2018.

To stay on top of BizTech's coverage of NRF 2018, visit this page.

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