The NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific, organised by the National Retail Federation (NRF) of the US and Comexposium, saw a good turnout for a new business event.
Held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore from June 11-13, the event drew more than 7,000 registered trade visitors and 238 exhibitors from 52 countries.
“The energy and enthusiasm from participants have been incredible, underscoring the dynamic and evolving nature of the retail industry in the region. We are proud to provide a platform for knowledge exchange, networking and innovation that drives the industry forward,” said Ryf Quail, managing director, NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific, Comexposium.
The exhibition – customised for Asia – covered three halls, and showcased the newest trends and solutions for both brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce businesses. Technology was a major focus, with themes spanning its applications throughout the retail journey, from procurement, logistics, point-of-sale, and payments, to manpower, customer service and retail analytics. There was also a heavy emphasis on digital, AI, RFID and AR/VR at many stands, especially in the Innovation Lab section.
Conference sessions were well-attended. Talks, panel discussions and presentations were helmed by top speakers from global and regional brands such as 7-Eleven, Coca-Cola, Moët Hennessy, Dell, Amazon, Lotte Retail, and Don Don Donki. Big tech like Google and Intel and retail enablers such as SAP, SAS Retail Services, and Mastercard also stood out at the conference and showfloor.
Meanwhile, off-site retail store visits included Luzerne ceramics’ flagship store, BHG department store (Bugis), and Escentials at ION Orchard.
Dan Hodges, founder and CEO of Retail Store Tours, said the show was an inspiration to him and participants.
“We ran the Expo Tour programme and interacted with at least 30 retailers and exhibitors over the three days. The retailers were intensely interested in exhibitors’ content and expertise. The event was a true marketplace of case studies, demonstrations and ideas.”
“There’s a very bright future for the NRF in Asia,” he enthused.
In fact, exhibitors have already placed bookings for next year’s show from June 3-5, 2025, with the organisers promising “even more visionary speakers, pioneering technologies and unparalleled networking opportunities”.
