All conference attendees gather in the CommerceNext main session room for a welcome (back) and opening remarks.

Opening conference keynotes in the CommerceNext main session room.

Learn more about the CommerceNext program here!

We welcome the GELF community to the Global Stage as we begin the GELF NYC ’21 Program.

GELF is excited to welcome back Jose Nino, Vice President of Global E-Commerce & Digital Strategy at US Polo Assn Global Licensing.

Jose will explain how USPA’s diverse communities of retail partners connect with online fans around the world while overcoming lingering challenges from the pandemic, broken out by territories.

Discover what has changed in APAC and why a multifaceted approach is necessary with Chinese ecommerce strategies.

Jose will also discuss looming challenges that DTC brands face working with leading marketplaces in Europe, and why you should consider some of the lesser known alternatives as part of your strategy.

Speakers:

• Jose Nino, Vice President of Global E-Commerce & Digital Strategy at US Polo Assn Global Licensing
• Kent Allen and Jim Okamura,  Co-Founders of GELF

The pandemic reinforced the need for global retail ecommerce leaders to work together to overcome one of the century’s greatest challenges.

Valerie de Charette, VP – International E-Commerce at American Eagle Outfitters, will sit down with Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, CEO of leading cross-border platform ESW, to discuss the complexities of expanding globally through the D2C channel.

Valerie and Patrick will discuss global expansion challenges ranging from localization and logistics to data management, legal compliance, and proving ROI internally.

Speakers:

• Valerie de Charett, VP – International E-Commerce, American Eagle Outfitters
• Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, President & Chief Executive Officer, eShopWorld (ESW) Americas

After starting the morning with a roster of insightful ecommerce leaders, the GELF and CommerceNext communities  come together for a half-hour of hands-on roundtable discussions.

Join us as we ask questions and share ideas before heading to lunch and the Discovery Lounge for more networking and great conversation durind the mid-day break.

Lunch will be held adjacent to the Discovery Lounge where conference attendees can network with other ecommerce leaders and support our sponsors!

GELF is excited to welcome back to the Global Stage one of our all-time favorites, Kai Li, VP of International at REVOLVE.  And at long last, Agustin Farias, International GM at Everlane will debut at GELF NYC ’21!

Kai and Agustin kick off GELF’s afternoon super-session by explaining how to successfully stage your international expansion plans – and how to do so profitably.

In an opening presentation, Kai will share insights from Evolve’s cross-border journey into LATAM. Learn how REVOLVE  successfully launched in Mexico and what’s next for REVOLVE the DTC brand targets opportunities in Brazil.

Kai will also share his POV on opportunities in the Middle East and SE Asia.

Agustin will follow with his own take on how to optimize global ecommerce expansion.

Drawing on years of experience with eBay, Walmart and Everlane, Agustin will share key learnings and take-aways about expanding into top-tier markets like Canada, Australia, the UK and Western Europe.

Speakers:

• Kai Li, VP of International at REVOLVE
• Agustin Farias, International GM at Everlane
• Matthew Cannon, Chief Strategy Officer at Reach

Grab a coffee or join a One-to-One@GELF meeting!

Cross-border ecommerce continues to grow at nearly double the rate of domestic e-commerce as the willingness of the global consumer to buy from anywhere grows.  While this explosive growth creates a significant opportunity for ecommerce retailers and brands to expand their sales and establish themselves as a global presence, many are realizing that cross-border is a journey rather than a destination.  The “right” strategy differs based on where the brand sits in the cross-border maturity curve, and no single toolkit can service all stages.

Our afternoon panel features clients from Pitney Bowes’ portfolio of Cross-Border Services; global ecommerce leaders who will help you identify:

• Where your own brand sits on the maturity curve
• What capabilities are most important to focus on at each stage
• The types of expertise brands rely on to unlock opportunities via compliance, logistics, and market prioritization
• Lessons learned in achieving scalable yet flexible integration between technologies and processes that span domestic and international operations

Speakers:

• Alexandra Allocca, Marketing Manager, Rue Gilt Groupe
• Sam Coiro, Senior Vice President Client Engagement, Pitney Bowes

As cross-border shopping has exploded over the past year and a half, having an international online presence has become a strategic imperative for many brands. Our panel examines the decisions to lean into cross-border, offering insights into the strategic approach e-commerce brands are taking to grow their international business. This session will examine the cross-border journey of cookware brand Made In, which was founded in 2016 by two lifelong friends.

CEO and co-founder of Made In Chip Malt will discuss the brand’s cross-border opportunity and its strategic approach to global expansion. Flow Commerce VP Marketing Juliana Pereira will moderate the discussion and offer a sneak peek into a new Flow Commerce study brimming with data that profiles cross-border consumer trends in the 8 top global markets.

Session take-aways include:

• Insights into leveraging a rich brand narrative to attract international shoppers
• A deeper understanding about how to overcome key cross-border challenges
• Actionable steps and best practices for launching, managing, and optimizing a cross-border presence
• An analysis of the newest data looking at consumer trends across 8 global markets

Speakers:

• Chip Malt, Co-Founder and CEO, Made In
• Juliana Pereira, VP Marketing, Flow Commerce

The pandemic accelerated the shift from brick-and-mortar to online shopping in markets around the world. Nowhere was the accelerated shift to ecommerce more apparent than in LATAM; a region where the growth in online shopping recently bypassed APAC to become the world’s top digital growth market.

GELF’s Regional Showcase explores growth opportunities in key LATAM markets including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru.

As is true in many emerging markets, retail ecommerce leaders investing in LATAM must prioritize operational aspects by screening online orders for fraud, providing localized payments, calculating duties and taxes and shipping orders across borders. Overcoming these multiple points of friction to build an intuitive and secure online checkout and provide timely order visibility and relatively quick & secure order delivery is one challenge; another challenge is supporting shoppers from different cultures by offering respectful customer service across multiple channels and languages.

Combining proprietary shopping data and the latest insights from DTC leaders, our panel discusses how to balance investments between cross-border operations and customer engagement.  Learn how retail ecommerce leaders are juggling the need to have all the right security checks and operational dynamics in place while understanding and protecting the customer identify throughout the shopper’s journey.

Speakers:

• Matteo Ceurvels, Senior Analyst, Latin America & Spain, eMarketer
• Blas Enrique Caraballo, VP Digital Payments & Financial Services, Walmart Mexico
• Indy Guha, Chief Marketing Officer & Alliances Leader, Signifyd

Elemis, acquired by L’Occitane International in 2019, is the No. 1 independent skincare brand in Britain. Its science-backed skincare products and cutting-edge patented technology are globally renowned, and the company wanted to design and build a site to reflect this reputation. The solution was a progressive web app (PWA) – a mobile-first, future-proof e-commerce site that can scale with consumer expectations and provide a digital foundation to fast-track ecommerce expansion into new markets.

Join Tom Bennici, Sr. Global Digital Program Manager at Elemis, and Duke Marr Senior Vice President of Strategy, Corra to discuss the final product and future roadmap.

During the session, you will learn about:

• What a PWA is and what the benefits are of implementing one
• Ideas for unique customizations to engage and convert customers on mobile
• How a PWA supports Elemis’ global strategy and what is on their roadmap for the future

Speakers:

• Tom Bennici, Sr. Global Digital Program Manager, Elemis
• Duke Marr Senior Vice President of Strategy, Corra

As GELF’s Day One Program ends, the GELF and the CommerceNext communities come back together for the closing panel and keynotes at the CommerceNext main stage.

Enjoy the Opening Reception.

Tuesday night retailer-only dinners start at 7PM.

Opening remarks and conference keynotes in the CommerceNext main session room.

Learn more about the CommerceNext program here!

Please grab a quick coffee and morning refreshment and head to the GELF Global Stage for the GELF Keynotes!

We welcome the GELF community back to the Global Stage as the GELF NYC ’21/CommerceNext In Real Life conference heads into Day 2.

Our morning keynote tackles how multi-portfolio brands are investing in global DTC strategies in maturing and fast-growing international markets.

Growing international D2C online sales while maintaining profit margins is a huge challenge for ecommerce businesses. Adjusting growth strategies for each market is the key to optimizing international value propositions that drive global online expansion programs and generate ecommerce ROI.

Marquee Brands has successfully extended its ‘digital first’ approach to global markets, launching advanced localized webstores across three of the group’s key brands: BCBG, Motherhood and A Pea in the Pod.  The three brands can now offer their international customers a seamless shopping experience — including optimal tax and duty solutions and competitive shipping rates —allowing them to better compete in the crowded global market.

Marquee Brands’ President – Digital Ventures, Jonathan Greller and Global-e’s CEO North America, Matthew Merrilees, will discuss how customized strategies based on advanced big-data analysis and dynamic local-market pricing capabilities have allowed the brands to capitalize on increasing global demand to grow international online sales, while maintaining profit margins in line with their domestic performance.

Join us to hear how leaders can:

• Grow global traffic conversion rates by leveraging data-backed ecommerce best-practices to deliver the optimal international shopping experience
• Plan and execute an all-inclusive cross-border offering which balances the need for growth, profitability and lifetime value
• Build a competitive and compliant international shipping proposition by leveraging a multi-carrier solution
• Keep international propositions up to date and aligned with constant changes and global challenges as well as business KPIs

Speakers:

• Jonathan Greller, President – Digital Ventures, Marquee Brands
• Matthew Merrilees, CEO, North America, ‎Global-e

GELF is excited to welcome back the global ecommerce leaders from Crocs who have spoken at four past GELF events. We will revisit key themes from our past keynotes featuring Crocs senior ecommerce leaders and break new ground.

Our conversation will dive into:

• How “winning” is different in Asia than Europe – and why “cutter cooker” market entry approaches don’t work in Key Asian Markets
• How digital is transforming global distribution – and what to do in global regions where distributors have traditionally “owned” the market
• The evolving role of international marketplaces in global expansion strategies
• Advantages to having the digital team as one coordinated group – and the challenges related to  “getting there”

Speakers:

• Dan Marques, Head of Global Digital Commerce, Crocs
• Ben Newson, Director Digital Customization, Crocs

After starting the morning with a roster of insightful ecommerce leaders, the GELF and CommerceNext communities  come together for a half-hour of hands-on roundtable discussions.

Join us as we ask questions and share ideas before heading to lunch and the Discovery Lounge for more networking and great conversation durind the mid-day break.

Lunch will be held adjacent to the Discovery Lounge where conference attendees can network with other ecommerce leaders and support our sponsors!

For many brands, International ecommerce expansion means betting on China – a gamble that gets more nuanced and more complex by the day. Some global leaders have recently reversed course on working with China’s dominant ecommerce marketplace platforms. Others are pursuing digital-first distribution partners that include emerging social commerce platforms, KOLs and influencers and hybrids of more traditional go-to-market models.

Our global ecommerce leaders keynote panelists revisit one of the GELF community’s favorite topics – entering and growing ecommerce sales in China. Learn how to find the right ecommerce platforms and distribution channels for your brand and how to survive the financial headwinds in the world’s most promotional market.

Our panelists share advice on matching the right opportunities to the right partners for today’s China – and why it might be time to revisit your perspectives on China – and rethink your strategies.

Speakers:

• Kai Li, VP of International, REVOLVE
• Aaron Luo, Co-Founder & CEO, CARAA
• Gary Penn, Global Vice President, DTC at Nixon

The pandemic-driven shift to ecommerce jolted many international markets where brick-and-mortar stores previously generated most retail sales. This was especially true in LATAM markets where in recent years legacy distributors may have resisted brands’ ecommerce-direct objectives.

Today we see many global brands re-accelerating their direct-to-consumer ecommerce strategies; in many cases working with traditional wholesale partners to provide end-consumers with the ease and accessibility of online shopping.  Our panel weighs in on the international ecommerce growth opportunities ahead – and the operational challenges they face as digital wholesale disruption transforms the traditional ways that branded manufacturers go-to-market globally.

Join us to learn more about:

• How brands are prioritizing (or re-prioritizing) international expansion objectives – and how to move quickly to optimize ecommerce sales opportunities
• How they’re leaning in to overcome constraints tied to older modes of distribution.
• The data insights and benchmarks global ecommerce leaders use to decide which market entry model — cross-border, in-country distribution and/or localized site operations — makes the most sense for different countries and regions
• What to look for in local distribution and technology partners – and when and what to outsource

Speakers:

• Michelle Frank, GM, Global Ecommerce & DTX, Logictech
• Kathy Ando, VP of DTC and Marketing, Tile
• Xavier Heriat, VP Client Success, Scalefast

Enjoy a networking break before the GELF and CommerceNext communities come back together for closing keynotes at the CommerceNext main stage and the opening reception!

“Better Never Stops” is the iconic philosophy of Castore that drives them to innovate their product design and technology to stay ahead of the market. From day one, Castore’s Co-founders had the vision and ambition to build a global brand, to compete with the global titans that dominate the sportswear market. Through partnerships with the English Premier League and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, Castore has carved out a premium positioning that provides a huge global growth opportunity.

Fans from around the world want to connect with their favorite sportswear brands, and Castore saw an opportunity to accelerate their international growth, with the support of SEKO Logistics.

Philip Beahon, Co-founder of Castore will share how they have seized this growth opportunity by integrating their sports partnerships and their global ecommerce strategy. Hear how Castore is leveraging SEKO’s global facilities to enhance the customer experience for consumers around the world, and what the future holds for this fast growing British sportswear brand.

Speakers:

• Philip Beahon, Co-founder, Castore
• David Emerson, Senior Vice President, SEKO E-Commerce
• Brian Bourke, Chief Growth Officer, SEKO Logistics

EMEA offers a blend of exciting cross-border ecommerce growth opportunities that range from mature, established markets in Northern and Western Europe to the more exotic, fast-growing markets of the Middle East and Africa.

Our panel explores how global ecommerce leaders are overcoming operational and fulfillment challenges within the Euro-zone that increase border friction. We also explore  the need to localize ecommerce operations in markets like Turkey, the UAE and Nigeria. Many consumers in these emerging markets are only beginning to come online, so payment and logistical hurdles loom – and cultural nuances must be respected.

Whether you’re new to global ecommerce – or are taking your EMEA digital growth strategies to the next level – our panelists will share insights and advice about launching ecommerce in new EMEA markets and/or scaling your existing operations.

Speakers:

• Jose Nino, Vice President of Global E-Commerce & Digital Strategy at US Polo Assn Global Licensing
• Shannon Thompson, VP, Americas, Aramex International
• Tawnee Steinke, Director of Global Partnerships, Zonos
• Eric Elliott, Co-Founder/GM/Director of Ecommerce, BuyWake.com

Over the past year and a half, the customer journey has changed markedly as more shoppers have come online and spending behaviors have shifted dramatically. Our innovation showcase includes global ecommerce leaders who share data and transactional insights that profile how the international shopping journey has changed – and what lies ahead for brands expanding internationally.

Learn how leaders are tackling head-on the cross-border pain points creating friction for global online sellers. Whether the friction stems from accepting local or cross-border payments so shoppers can pay however they prefer or from overcoming complex cross-border trade regulations and technology hurdles that create costs and complexities, Job #1 is delivering a smooth and friction-free shopping experience.

Speakers:

• Patrick Frith, Global Trade Executive, Avalara
• Howard Blankenship, Head of Global Sales, Cellpoint Digital
• Jason Nyhus, Senior Vice President of Sales and Partnerships, Digital River

We close the GELF Global Stage by exploring how brands are using localized creative to be discovered by shoppers in markets around the world.

Today’s retail brands are leveraging sophisticated marketing techniques including machine learning to break through and empower new customers to go from discovery to purchase in just a few clicks.  But, great creative is key to unlocking the power of data-driven strategies like discovery commerce.

Nico Westermann from Facebook’s Creative Shop will share how to build meaningful people-first work with the intention of engineering serendipitous moments of discovery. Learn about the creative possibilities on Facebook’s platforms based on people’s behavior, their relationship to a business, and real stories of success from other business.

For marketers and creatives hungry for new ideas, Nico will share guidance for how they can pivot from hoping to be found to designing to be discovered.

Speaker:

• Nico Westermann, Director, Creative Shop at Facebook

Enjoy some late afternoon refreshments and get ready for

Enjoy the CommerceNext Closing Keynote!

Who will win the Global Ecommerce Launch of the Year? Join us at the CommerceNextys to find out!

Celebrate the return to live in-person networking by kicking up your heels! Thanks for joining us!