2025 promises to be an exciting year for the retail industry, and staying connected with other retail professionals is more important than ever. Attending some of the biggest retail conferences and events in the US and Canada is a great way to build those connections and stay ahead. We've created a detailed list of the top retail events happening in 2025, designed to help retailers network with experts, tech innovators, customer-focused leaders, and industry influencers.
These events will provide valuable insights to help you plan for the year, improve customer experiences, and grow your brand in a retail industry that’s constantly changing. Whether you’re interested in exploring new technologies, learning about upcoming trends, or building strong connections, these events can help you shape the future of your business.
Top Retail Conferences of 2025 to Attend in the US and Canada
1. NRF
NRF 2025 is taking place from January 12-14, 2025, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. This event is one of the largest retail conferences in the world, bringing together over 40,000 retail professionals for three days of learning and networking. Attendees can look forward to 175+ inspiring keynote sessions led by industry leaders, discussions on topics like AI, digital transformation, customer-centric strategies, and a massive exhibitor showcase filled with latest technologies and innovative products.
It’s an ideal space for connecting with CEOs, tech innovators, and experts from across the retail ecosystem. Whether you’re looking to transform your business, enhance your knowledge, or build valuable connections, this event has something for everyone. If you are a retailer, get your free pass by January 5th or later at $100 only. For non-retailers, NRF offers discounts on early registration and group discounts for teams, along with special rates for NRF members.
2. eTail Palm Springs
eTail Palm Springs 2025 (also known as eTail West) will take place from February 24-27, 2025, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Springs, California. With a focus on achieving world-class eCommerce success, this event brings together over 2,500 leaders in eCommerce and digital retail. Attendees can participate in workshops and curated networking sessions designed for various roles, especially senior-level omnichannel and eCommerce executives, providing a unique platform to connect, innovate, and strategize. It will also be a great opportunity to connect with top vendors for exploring the latest trends and strategies in eCommerce. Attendees can take advantage of corporate packages or sponsorship opportunities to showcase their brand at various touchpoints throughout the event.
3. Shoptalk Spring
Shoptalk Spring 2025 will take place from March 25-27, 2025, at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. This globally renowned retail conference is expected to bring together over 10,000 attendees, offering insights into the latest innovations in technology, retail models, and customer experiences. Attendees can connect with decision-makers from top brands, participate in interactive workshops, and explore modern solutions that are shaping the future of retail.
What sets Shoptalk apart is its one-to-one meeting opportunities (called as Meetups, with around more than 75,000 double opt-in 15-minute on-site meetings), allowing attendees to schedule personalized discussions with key partners, potential clients, and technology providers. Free passes are available for retailers and consumer brands, first-time attendees and eligible startups meeting certain criteria set by Shoptalk, making it an accessible platform to explore emerging trends in retail.
4. Lead Summit
Lead Summit 2025 will take place from May 28-29, 2025, at Pier 36, New York City. The event is designed for leaders from the retail industry, with a focus on customer experiences and digital transformation. Attendees can explore new strategies for developing seamless experiences for customers and attend sessions of keynotes speakers from the retail sector. With an expected attendance of over 3,000 professionals, this summit is ideal for senior executives looking for global ideas on how to scale their business operations.
Lead Summit puts emphasis on executive-level discussions and will allow pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings to provide direct networking opportunities with thought leaders and solution providers. Early registration discounts and VIP pass options with exclusive perks makes this event a valuable opportunity for decision-makers from growing brands.
5. RCC Store Conference
The RCC Store Conference 2025 will take place from June 3-4, 2025, at the Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto. The event is dedicated to the transformation of physical retail spaces, with a major focus on innovating in-store technology, operational efficiencies, and customer experiences. Attendees can participate in hands-on workshops and seminars to develop actionable plans for their store optimization with the latest designs and concepts.
With sessions dedicated to store operations and real-world solutions, this event is a must-attend for retailers with physical store operations. Early registrants can enjoy special discounts, with additional 20% savings available through group registrations.
6. Retail Innovation Conference & Expo
The Retail Innovation Conference & Expo (RICE) 2025 will take place from June 5-6, 2025, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. The focus of this event will be modern technologies like AI, robotics, and omnichannel strategies, aimed at creating solutions to enhance customer engagement. RICE 2025 will be a platform for exploring breakthrough ideas and next-gen tools, alongside sessions that would allow attendees to future-proof their business by directly connecting with innovators and technology providers. Discounted prices for retailers are available for all three types of passes.
7. NRF PROTECT
NRF PROTECT 2025 will take place from June 23-25, 2025, at the Gaylord Texan, Grapevine, Texas. The emphasis of this event will be on providing practical tools and strategies to address retail crime and prevent losses. Designed for retail security professionals, the event will be full of expert-led sessions on how to combat fraud, prevent shrinkage, and improve operational safety.
With an aim to create a safer retail environment, NRF PROTECT will be an amazing opportunity to have a closer look at solutions and real-world examples in the world of retail security. The Expo is going to have more than 85 product and service categories on display from 220+ solution providers. Retailers and law enforcement professionals are eligible for a free Expo Pass, for which registration begins from February 2025.
8. Commerce Next Growth Show
The Commerce Next Growth Show 2025 will take place from June 24-26, 2025, at the New York Hilton Midtown, New York City. The event will focus on accelerating eCommerce growth by offering insights on scaling online businesses. Attendees will learn about the pivotal role of data analytics, AI, and automation in optimizing eCommerce strategies, alongside the opportunity to connect with retail experts, brands, and technology providers.
Commerce Next Growth Show is designed for retailers focused on scaling their businesses. This event will provide in-depth sessions on data-driven marketing and customer acquisition strategies. Early-bird pricing, discounted rates for retailers, travel program concessions, and partner promotions are available, making it an accessible option for those looking to accelerate their phygital growth.
9. NRF Nexus
NRF Nexus 2025 will be held from July 14-16, 2025, at the Ranchos Palos Verdes, California. This event is tailored for senior retail executives, focusing on latest trends in retail technology, digital innovation, MarTech ingenuity, unforeseen consumer trends, next-gen business process strategies, and most importantly, the strategic synchronization between retail’s increasingly important roles of technology, digital/ecommerce, and marketing.
NRF Nexus creates an environment that fosters honest peer-to-peer discussion and knowledge sharing, restricts press access, and facilitates genuine connections in the retail industry.
10. Pulse eCommerce Summit
Pulse eCommerce Summit 2025 will take place on July 17, 2025, at the Lavan Midtown, New York City. This event is a hub for digital commerce professionals to explore ideas, strategies, and solutions to common challenges in the retail space. The summit covers a wide range of topics, from internationalisation, new customer acquisition, roadmapping, measurement and attribution, and performance marketing.
This Summit is tailored for high-growth retailers and brands seeking inspiration and innovation from top speakers in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Attendees will gain practical strategies and expert insights to boost eCommerce performance while networking with like-minded industry experts.
11. eTail Boston
eTail Boston 2025 (also known as eTail East) will take place from August 11-14, 2025, at the Sheraton Boston, Massachusetts. This event will gather senior-level executives from leading brands to explore the new technologies and innovative marketing strategies. Attendees will experience in-depth discussions on personalized customer experiences, digital transformations, and omnichannel strategies which they can implement in their business operations.
What makes eTail East stand out is its focus on omnichannel retail and customer experience. It provides actionable insights through workshops, case studies, and high-level discussions, allowing retailers to integrate their online and offline channels in a smarter way. eTail East is a growing platform, gaining traction in the retail industry in recent years, similar to the eTail West conference.
12. FUTR North America
FUTR North America 2025 will be held on September 4th, 2025, at Convene in New York City. This conference will cover emerging trends such as AI-driven personalization, next-gen supply chain management, connecting with the future consumer, understanding the purchasing patterns and consumer behavior of Gen Z/Generation Alpha, and retail sustainable practices while incorporating brand activism. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with industry experts, witness live demonstrations of the latest retail technologies, and see how the future of customer experiences will unfold.
13. eTail Connect
eTail Connect 2025 will take place from September 15-17, 2025, at Loews Coronado Bay, California. This exclusive, invitation-only event is designed for senior retail executives to discuss key challenges, emerging trends, and innovative solutions in retail. The conference offers curated networking opportunities, expert-led sessions, and pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings that enable attendees to connect with peers and partners while addressing their business challenges.
eTail Connect stands out for its focus on providing a high-quality, personalized experience for senior-level executives through specialized workshops and curated networking opportunities. Its exclusive format fosters in-depth strategic discussions, making it an ideal setting for building meaningful professional relationships.
14. Shoptalk Fall 2025
Shoptalk Fall 2025 will take place from September 17-19, 2025, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. This event focuses on three key areas of retail: stores, merchandising, and supply chain/operations. It gathers retail leaders, technology innovators, and industry experts for a series of keynotes, panels, and workshops aimed at accelerating digital transformation in retail. Attendees will gain insights on how to implement advanced technologies and strategies to enhance their businesses.
Like the Spring event, Shoptalk Fall conducts Meetups, 15 minutes one-to-one meetings, where attendees can engage with vendors, potential partners, and experts in private, focused sessions. This personalized approach creates targeted opportunities for collaboration and networking, making it an ideal platform for addressing specific retail challenges related to stores, merchandising, and supply chain management.
15. SuiteWorld
The SuiteWorld 2025 will take place from October 6-9, 2025 in Las Vegas. This event by Oracle NetSuite will focus on maximizing the value of cloud ERP, CRM, and business management solutions for retailers. Retailers will have the chance to network, attend sessions on financial management, eCommerce, marketing, and learn practical initiatives for successfully integrating NetSuite into their operations.
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As we move into 2025, the retail industry is set for exciting changes and growth. Whether it's learning about new technology or improving customer experience, attending these key retail events will give retailers the knowledge, connections and tools to succeed.
Don’t miss the chance to connect with industry leaders at these events. HotWax Commerce will be part of several of these retail events to showcase our Omnichannel Order Management Solutions for retailers using Shopify and NetSuite.
Connect with the HotWax Commerce team and find out how our ready integration with Shopify and NetSuite can help elevate your business operations.
