If you want to understand and imagine how shopping in the future will look like, you need to take a deep dive in the latest trends, technology, innovating startups and more. And when it comes to retail technology EuroCIS is certainly a place to be. The event will take place in Dusseldorf from February 27th to February 29th, and it will gather retail professionals from different horizons and all over the world. My agenda is marked for quite some time and yours should too. If you have not yet decided to go to the tradeshow this year, here is why you cannot miss it.  

Go beyond 

Impressive numbers and hot topics 

When it comes to pure numbers, this year show already looks like a hit. Late February, 440 companies from over 40 countries are set to exhibit on approximately 14,400 square metres. Meaning that Halls 9 and 10 of Messe Düsseldorf will be fully occupied for three days.  

But an event is also a success mostly thanks to its content. This year the program is quite interesting if you ask me. Several main themes have been selected by the organiser and will be represented through the conference program and of course reflected by the exhibiting companies. The main trend topics you can expect are:  

• Customer Centricity: In one word, personalisation! Retailers focus on direct contact with their consumers to offer tailored digital experiences such as personalized online recommendations, digital coupons, electronic loyalty cards and more. 

• AI & Machine Learning: Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are among the key technologies for retail companies in the coming years. In this case, we do not talk about something for the future as AI and ML already are fully used today in domains such as data analysis, gaining insights, supporting sales forecasts, product range planning and pricing. 

• Payment: You can pay anywhere by any means nowadays (for example: mobile payment via smartphone, scan & go options...). In addition, the integration of online and offline payment methods will continue to progress in brick-and-mortar retail. 

• Connected Retail: Omnichannel strategies and tools are experiencing a real boom. Services such as Click&Collect and digital loyalty programs are gaining popularity. The seamless customer journey across digital and physical sales channels is expected. 

• Seamless Store: The seamless experience is shaping retail concepts increasingly. It implies automated store concepts, cashier less convenience stores, digitalized retail processes, advanced sensor technology, image recognition. 

• Smart Energy Management: The store of tomorrow must also be sustainable. From lighting, cooling, ventilation, and heating to overall building management: the use of smart monitoring tools and energy dashboards helps to reduce energy consumption and operating costs. 

The highlights you should not miss 

And where will you experience those different topics, you ask? Well, it is quite simple. You can follow different seminars and conferences on the three main stages of EuroCIS: the Retail Technology, the Connected Retail, and the Start-up Hub stage.  

Speaking of which, the Start-up hub is an area dedicated to young companies and entrepreneurs with innovative ideas. The stage will be occupied by various pitches of young seeds and if you want my advice, it is worth a visit. Start-ups often offer more innovative ideas than bigger exhibitors and I usually spend quite of my visit time at this area.  

Finally, I must mention that this year, EuroCIS organises guided tours for visitors. For novices and even for experimented professionals, a tradeshow can be overwhelming and to find your way around an exhibition floor is not always easy. Therefore, if you want to avoid that feeling, a guided tour might be the best option to explore the show. Obviously, you need to register, and you can find all the info on the EuroCIS website.  

My 20/CENT