The National Retail Federation’s Big Show and Expo conferences: A showcase for retail technology

The National Retail Federation (NRF) is an internationally renowned trade organization based in Washington DC that represents the business interests of retailers and industry-related companies. The organization advocates on behalf of its retail members, conducts industry and consumer research, markets forecasts and convenes its members for networking and information sharing. One of the important aspects of the NRF’s role is a once-a-year conference called Retail’s Big Show. Alongside Retail’s Big Show is the annual Expo, a showcase of new and emerging technologies that give a glimpse into the future of retail tech. This article is a review of the conference and its significance to the industry by keeping retailers abreast of critical innovations that enhance how they stay resilient, efficient and connected to the consumer. It contributes perspectives on the conference through a series of interviews and recent web highlights from key business sources.