Shop.org - F.A.Q.

The Shop.org Strategy and Innovation Forum kicks off with a reception on Monday evening (February 2) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, FL. Forum sessions will take place on Tuesday, February 3 and Wednesday, February 4. The detailed agenda is available.

See the pricing grid for event registration fees. Shop.org retail members can claim one free pass by the January 9th Early Deadline. Future passes can be purchased at the prevailing rate depending upon your company type and membership level.

The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center is located just 20 minutes from the Orlando International Airport. For directions, please visit the resort's direction page.

The Forum is our second largest event, attracting executive level Internet and multichannel retail leaders from all sorts of companies - large and small. Attendees include executives who manage their company's direct and online channels with decision-making and management responsibilities at their respective companies. Last year, more than 800 people attended including nearly 170 retail brands and 37 percent of the retail attendees were VP or higher.

Contact Stacy Cornell at cornells@shop.org or 434.326.5740 if you would like more information on how to sponsor a Shop.org event.

The press list is an exclusive benefit for exhibitors and sponsors. If your company is sponsoring or exhibiting at the Strategy and Innovation Forum and you would like a copy of the press list, please contact Kathy Grannis at grannisk@nrf.com or 202.626.8189.

Business and business casual attire are both acceptable for the event.

We ask a lot of questions! We talk to Shop.org members, we work with the Shop.org Content Committee, we read industry publications, we even send out online surveys to our members. We try hard to deliver content that helps you do a better job, no matter what you do in the world of e-commerce. Presentations can range from keynotes meant to inspire and challenge all of us in this industry, to very practical, tactical discussions with practitioners who have learned from their years in e-commerce and who share their experience and advice. We even have retailer case studies where they show in detail innovations and features on their web site that have directly improved their business. If there is a topic you’d like us include in an upcoming Shop.org event, don’t hesitate to email or call Artemis Ebneyousef, Content Manager at ebneyousefa@shop.org or 202 626-8118.

We are fortunate to know many experienced and accomplished e-commerce professionals, many of whom are extraordinarily generous with their time. We often reach out to these folks to help us: either to brainstorm about content or to actually participate in an event as a speaker. But we learn about great speakers from Shop.org members, from our Board of Directors, and from attending events in other industries. We try hard to find speakers from within the Shop.org membership—both our retail and associate members—because we know how many talented folks are part of Shop.org.

We have no formal process, and we no longer do calls for speakers/presentations. If you have an idea for content you’d like to see presented at an event, the best way to let us know about it is to send us an email. When you email us, please let us know about the topic you are interested in, and whether you, yourself, would like to be a speaker. If you are with a PR firm and want to find a speaking opportunity for a client, please be sure to include the following in your email:

Your name and contact information
The name and brief bio of your client
The topic or topics your client can speak about

We will reply to all inquiries as quickly as possible, and we will let you know whether or not we are able to use your suggestions in an upcoming Shop.org event. Please be patient as sometimes there is a long wait between when you submit a topic and when we can find the perfect fit for the session at a Shop.org event.

We draw from a wide range of professionals to speak at our events. Though we love having our members speak, we also tap into the wider business community and invite CEO’s, authors, academics, analysts, and others. If we think that someone has something to say to our community—something that will instruct, challenge, inspire, or encourage—we will try to get that person to speak for us.

Anyone who can help teach, encourage, and inform our membership can speak at our events. Retailers have a lot to say about their experiences and can be great speakers. But our associate members have a lot to share, too. They are often subject matter experts with years of expertise, and they can provide insights and advice that many of our attendees find invaluable. Many of these associate members have also worked in retail at some point in their careers, making them doubly qualified to be effective presenters.

We work with all of our speakers ahead of time, reviewing their presentations and talking to them about what they will say. We gather audience feedback after every presentation, and we sit in the audience for every session. If we hear a pitch, or if an audience member feels that the presenter was “selling,” we would be extremely reluctant to ask the speaker back again.

Register online. If you have questions about registration, please call 708.486.0709 or email us at forum09@compusystems.com.

Registration will take place at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in the Sun Lobby (ballroom level) during the following hours:

Monday, Feb 2 - 12:00 - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, Feb 3 - 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Wednesday, Feb 4 - 7:30 am - 3:00 pm

This registration category applies to current Shop.org RETAIL members in good standing. A Shop.org member in good standing is defined as a company whose membership has not expired before February 2, 2009.
Shop.org 2009 Strategy and Innovation Forum registration will not be processed without FULL PAYMENT.
Badges and credentials will be available for pick up onsite at the registration area during hours of operation. Please print your e-confirmation and bring it onsite to expedite this process. Be prepared to show identification in order to pick up your badge and credentials.
Transfer or substitution of a pass to a colleague from the SAME RETAIL MEMBER COMPANY as the original pass holder can be made online through the link provided in your e-confirmation. Registrations and badges cannot be shared among attendees and transfers and substitutions cannot be made once a pass holder has checked into the event. This includes the reception and dinner events. To request a transfer or substitution, send an email by January 26, 2009 to forum09@compusystems.com.

January 26, 2009 CANCELLATION DEADLINE: To receive a full refund, cancellation requests must be received at forum09@compusystems.com no later than January 26, 2009.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FREE PASS HOLDERS: Persons who register for a FREE PASS but do not sign in onsite, transfer or cancel their registration will be assessed a $325 “no show” fee to help offset costs incurred by Shop.org based on expected attendance. All other attendees who were charged for registration but do not sign in, transfer or cancel their registration prior to the above deadline will not receive a refund.
Registrants are responsible for their hotel and travel accommodations.
Registration will be accepted onsite if space is available.
Final details about the Shop.org 2009 Strategy and Innovation Forum networking events and registration hours will be available online no later than January 1st, 2009.

Yes, but we recommend that you register in advance to take advantage of discounted rates and to ensure that you secure a seat. Our events o fill up quickly.

Badges will be available for pick up onsite at the designated registration area during hours of operation. Please print your e-confirmation and bring it onsite to expedite this process. Your e-confirmation has a barcode which allows us to pull up your registration information more quickly onsite. Be prepared to show some form of identification in order to pick up your badge and credentials.

Upon completion of registration, a confirmation letter is sent to the email address provided by the registrant. If you have not received an e-confirmation, please call 708.486.0709 or email forum09@compusystems.com.

For anyone who is unable to attend and cannot transfer your pass, then a written cancellation notice to forum09@compusystems.com is required. A full refund will be issued for cancellation notices sent prior to the January 26th cancellation deadline.

Anyone who registered for a free full conference pass and cannot attend will need to cancel or transfer their pass to a co-worker prior to the event date. If you cannot attend and do not cancel formally, in writing to forum09@compusystems.com prior to January 26th, or transfer your pass, you will not receive a refund. For Shop.org retail Members who receive a free pass and do not transfer or cancel in time, you will be assessed a $325 no-show fee.