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- Only Three Weeks To Go Until Shoptalk Lands in Chicago! 🙌
Only Three Weeks To Go Until Shoptalk Lands in Chicago! 🙌
Including insider pre-event tips from the Shoptalk team
Zihan Lyu
August 28, 2025
Hi there,
Welcome back to Unofficially Shoptalk — your behind-the-scenes look at the people, ideas and conversations shaping the future of retail. This week, we’re highlighting the sessions already creating buzz and sharing tips from the Shoptalk team on how to get the most out of the event.
If there’s one session to circle in red, it’s Gary Vaynerchuk. Few voices in marketing cut through like GaryVee — and his closing keynote will dive into why relevance is retail’s new currency.
Gary will unpack the concept of relevance as the new currency in retail, urging brands to focus on culture, consumer behaviour, and authentic connection rather than chasing fleeting trends. Expect candid, no-filter insights into how brands can stay adaptable and build long-lasting resonance with their audiences.
For attendees, this is a rare chance to hear first-hand from one of the most influential thinkers in marketing, and to walk away with practical, actionable strategies for 2026 and beyond. It’s set to be one of the standout sessions of the event, and a fitting finale to an action-packed week in Chicago.
Beyond the big keynotes and agenda highlights, Shoptalk’s own team is adding to the buzz with their weekly insights series, led by Global Head of Insights Joe Laszlo. Each episode breaks down the retail headlines making waves and connects them to the themes you’ll hear on stage in Chicago.
🔎 This week’s focus: Home Depot’s investment in eCommerce fulfilment, fresh from its Q2 earnings call — a topic that will be front and centre when Ann-Marie Campbell, Senior Executive VP at The Home Depot, takes the keynote stage at Shoptalk Fall.
Head to the Shoptalk LinkedIn page to hear the full episode and join the conversation shaping what’s next.
With just 3 weeks to go, now’s the time to finalise your plans, lock in your must-see sessions, and get ready for an unmissable week in Chicago.
As unofficial Shoptalk subscribers, the Clickz editorial team will be on the ground in Chicago, bringing you daily coverage, insights, and behind-the-scenes reporting throughout the week.
If you’d like to schedule an exclusive interview or meeting with our team during the event, please get in touch at [email protected]
The Unofficially Shoptalk Team
Want to maximise your ROI in Chicago? The organisers have shared their top tips — from planning your schedule early to leaving space for serendipitous networking opportunities. Their advice is simple but powerful: structure your week to get value from every session, every conversation, and every chance meeting.
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❓Questions the Industry is Still Answering Ahead of Chicago
From Las Vegas to Barcelona, Shoptalk has kept circling the same big themes — and they’ll follow us into Chicago.
Measurement beyond dashboards → Marketers want attribution that drives real decisions, not vanity metrics. Platforms like Fospha are gaining traction by linking spend directly to outcomes.
Merchandising that predicts, not reacts → Forecasting is only as strong as the data and incentives shared across merchandising, supply chain, and ops. The barrier isn’t models — it’s readiness to change.
Loyalty as a growth engine → Loyalty data is powering retail media, but the bigger play is treating it as an enterprise-wide system for experience, content, and service.
The takeaway? The industry isn’t debating what matters anymore — it’s figuring out how to make it work at scale.
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Unofficially Shoptalk is a ClickZ Media publication in the Events division