Whether you’re a beginner seller or an established brand, ecommerce conferences are the perfect place to level-up your knowledge of how to sell on Amazon and on any other marketplace online.
Ecommerce conferences cater to any business model — whether private label, wholesale, retail arbitrage, dropshipping, and even handmade. They also add an interactive layer to your seller education and give you a live arena to discuss and explore what you’ve been learning from blogs, videos, and courses.
Lastly, conferences are an excellent way to stay up to date with the latest ecommerce industry practices for key aspects of your business, such as advertising and product research. You get a front-row seat to industry expert strategies for ecommerce challenges such as inventory management and competitor analysis, and being able to network and discuss matters with other sellers in real-time is an invaluable experience that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.
Read on for our primer on the best ecommerce conferences for 2024, and we’ll show you how to have a productive and enjoyable experience when you’re ready to attend.
And keep this page bookmarked as we will continue to add new shows to this list as they come up throughout the year!
The top ecommerce conferences for 2024
These are our picks for next year’s ecommerce conferences, and each one has its unique features and strengths. They all take place in the U.S. and are listed according to key dates and locations.
1. NRF 2024
Date: January 14 – 16, 2024
Location: New York, NY
Price: Free for all retailers
In their words:
“NRF 2024 is a retail tradeshow that brings together more than 6,200 brands from around the globe to New York City for three days of learning, collaboration and discovery. If you’re looking for the next big thing to revolutionize your business, you need to be here!”
Why you should attend:
- Learn and strategize with some of the industries top retail experts.
- 50+ NRF-curated keynote and featured sessions led by 170+ industry experts.
- 1,000+ exhibitors covering more than 300,000 square feet of Expo space.
2. Retail Fest USA
Date: January 24-26 2024
Location: Manchester Grand Hyatt – San Diego, CA
Price: Starting at $495
In their words:
“If you are over the enormity of events, join Retail Fest for a boutique approach that commits to connection, content and community that continues long after you’ve taken your flight home.
We are for the people who live, eat and breathe retail. If you are a brand owner, leader, professional or someone who wants to push the boundaries and do things differently, then this event is going to expand your networks, grow your knowledge and explode your brand.”
Why you should attend:
- Hear motivational and educational keynotes by retail industry giants.
- A chance to network with like-minded individuals, brands, and other though leaders.
3. Etail West 2024
Date: February 26 – 29, 2024
Location: JW Marriott Desert Springs – Palm Springs, CA
Price: Starting at $1,499
In their words:
“Since 1999, eTail has been the gathering place for top retail leaders, serving as the hub for cutting-edge eCommerce and digital marketing strategies. Here, you’ll experience the transformation of insights from leading retailers into actionable “how-to’s” that breathe life into your business. Designed to ignite ideas and foster meaningful conversations, eTail will help you achieve omnichannel excellence and increase profits. Join the excitement as we celebrate 25 incredible years together!”
Why you should attend?
- Meet, collaborate and learn from other industry leaders.
- It brings in 1,200 retailers and 600 different retail companies to address the trends and topics for retail in 2024.
- It brings in attendees with significant experience to enhance your networking experience.
4. Prosper Show 2024
Dates: March 4 – 6, 2024
Location: Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NV
Price: Starting at $399
In their words:
“Stay ahead of industry trends and meet solution providers who can help you drive profitability and efficiency for your marketplace business.
Engage with 1,000+ like-minded sellers to exchange invaluable insights and best practices. Harness actionable strategies from industry leaders through 2 1/2 days of advanced sessions, ensuring your business’s advancement.”
Why you should attend:
- Prosper is one of the biggest ecommerce conferences for Amazon sellers. Meet and network with some of the top marketplace sellers.
- Prosper Show is where established marketplace sellers (Amazon, Walmart, and beyond) network, connect, and learn how to make their businesses more profitable.
- Spend 2 1/2 days finding actionable solutions you can implement immediately in your business.
5. White Label Expo Las Vegas
Dates: May 8-9, 2024
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Price: $99
In their words:
“From product sourcing to online selling, White Label World Expo is the ultimate destination for online retailers & sellers, start-up businesses, entrepreneurs who want to take their business to the next level. The show is an unmissable opportunity that connects thousands of professionals with white & private label goods suppliers and manufacturers!”
Why you should attend:
- With over 400 exhibitors you can find new product ideas
- Meet the suppliers and ask them all the questions you need about price, margins, minimum orders, etc.
- 200 seminars to learn new skills and strategies to grow your ecommerce business.
6. White Label World Expo NYC
Date: May 30 – 31, 2024
Location: New York City, New York
Price: Free
In their words:
“The White Label World Expo is the biggest gathering of online sellers in one place in the world. Thousands of leading Amazon, Ebay, and online sellers meet to hear from world-leading experts on the latest ways to steal a march on the competition, learn new tricks, and become inspired with the hottest new trends. It is also the date in every online seller’s calendar to go to the only place to find thousands of white label products and meet the manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors.”
Why you should attend:
- Entrance is free!
- With over 400 exhibitors you can find new product ideas
- Meet the suppliers and ask them all the questions you need about price, margins, minimum orders, etc.
7. CommerceNext
Date: June 11 – 13, 2024
Location: New York City, New York
Price: $995 – $1,295
In their words:
“CommerceNext is a community, event series, and conference for marketers at retail and direct-to-consumer brands. We harness the collective wisdom of our community to help marketers grow their businesses and advance their careers.”
Why you should attend:
- The 2-day conference brings together 1,200+ attendees, and sessions from leading and innovative retailers, direct-to-consumer brands, and tech companies
- It aims to help top-tier retail and ecommerce brands share, learn, and evolve their customer acquisition strategy
8.eTail East
Date: August 12 – 15, 2024
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Price: $999+
In their words:
“eTail is a four-day conference designed to help you increase the profits from your business. You’ll get action-packed stories, disruptive strategies, strategic conversations, and connections with top minds at America’s most successful retailers. No commercials. No egos. We cut out the fluff to give you hundreds of strategic takeaways.”
Why you should attend:
- It brings in 1,200 retailers and 600 different retail companies to address the trends and topics for retail in 2023
- It brings in attendees with significant experience, with over 59% of attendees being directors and above
9. eCommerce Summits
Rather than relying on large crowds, many event management organizations have shifted their ecommerce conference focus to quality vs. quantity. Here’s one such organization.
In their words:
“eCommerce Summits provide a focused and local alternative to walking the floor and national trade shows, retailers are engaged, panels solutions-focused, and connections natural. Topics of the day are sourced from conversations with retailers, and the diversity of the audience and their problem set is evident.”
Why you should attend:
- These one-day conferences are designed for high-impact impressions, education, and networking
- Each is regionally focused and attracts ecommerce experts and decision-makers from retailers, brands, merchants, and solutions providers local to the area
| Phoenix eCommerce Summit | Date: February 13, 2024 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Price: $200 |
| Minneapolis eCommerce Summit | Date: March 6, 2024 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Price: $200 |
| Denver eCommerce Summit | Date: April 11, 2024 Location: Denver, Colorado Price: $200 |
| Los Angeles eCommerce Summit | Date: May 16, 2024 Location: Los Angeles, CA Price: $200 |
| New York eCommerce Summit | Date: June 27, 2024 Location: New York, NY Price: $200 |
| Seattle eCommerce Summit | Date: July 18, 2024 Location: Seattle, WA Price: $200 |
| Columbus eCommerce Summit | Date: August 14, 2024 Location: Columbus, OH Price: $200 |
| Austin eCommerce Summit | Date: October 3, 2024 Location: Austin, TX Price: $200 |
How to prepare for your ecommerce conference
Okay, now that you’ve picked which conference you’ll be attending in 2024, let’s go over some practical strategies to get the most out of each one. First, let’s do some pre-conference planning and begin with the end in mind by asking the following questions:
What’s your budget?
- Registration. Be sure to register early as all conferences start at a lower price (“early bird special”) and as the conference draws nearer the price increases. Sometimes, it’s worthwhile to go with a premium registration package as it gives you access to VIP seating, networking events, exclusive dinners with speakers, etc. Weigh out the pros and cons.
- Travel. Plan to fly in a day early and stay a day later as many networking events occur during these hours, plus you’ll be nice and rested for opening day and not stressed about missing your return flight home.
- Lodging. If the conference is in a hotel, plan to stay there. Book a room with two single beds just in case you can convince your business partner or a friend to join you. Lastly, ship any extra/overweight luggage directly to the hotel mailroom to save a few bucks and any strain on your back.
- Expenses. Have a way to track your expenses, as many of your incurred costs may qualify for a tax deduction. An excellent option is to use an app like Expensify and make the entire expense tracking process painless. Note: take a picture of your receipts as soon as you receive them; you’ll have so many things going on that you may lose a few of them in the process.
What measurable outcomes can you use to validate the time and money spent for this conference?
Create a list of what success should look like for you and your business. It could be the number of keynotes you attended, the number of business cards collected, or the discovery of new products and ideas — or all of the above! Having conference goals will help keep you focused, and you’ll come away productive.
What talks and keynotes are a must-attend?
Research all keynote speakers online. Check out the conference’s agenda to discover which presentations resonate with you. Start scheduling your days using a good ol’ day planner (technology is great, but sometimes the internet at conferences can be spotty, and electrical outlets are likely inaccessible). Lastly, get a floor plan and start mapping out your days.
Who do you want to meet in person?
What partnerships do you plan to make?
The best place to meet like-minded people is at networking events. Everyone is on the same page and is eager to meet you. For this reason, you need to plan to attend networking events, meetups, cocktail hours, and whatever is available. Also, this is an excellent time to remind you that you need to plan your meals and never eat alone.
What is your elevator pitch?
Say I bumped into you in the elevator and asked you what you do for a living. What would you say? You must rehearse your short and long-form pitches. It also doesn’t hurt if you have your company’s pitch deck on standby. Bonus points: have a one-pager brochure readily available that highlights your company’s value proposition (make sure it has a QR code).
What to focus on while at your ecommerce conference
Awesome! You’ve done an excellent job preparing for your conference, and now you are ready to hit the ground running, but let’s start with the most critical factor in this equation: YOU!
We know conferences are all about making connections and putting others first, but if you aren’t in the best mental and physical state, you will not make the best of your travel journeys. This is why you must keep your health a top priority. Here are some things that need to be top of mind while at your conference:
- Make sure you get plenty of sleep
- Eat healthily
- Drink plenty of water (not just coffee)
- Exercise
- Get up between presentations, stretch, and go for brisk walks
Now that we’ve got that out the way, let’s talk about some other things you can do to optimize your time and navigate the conference efficiently. Here’s our shortlist:
- Charge up. The night prior, make sure all your devices are fully charged and connected to the internet (laptop, mobile devices, smartwatch, etc.). We would also recommend bringing a portable charger and a power strip.
- Be punctual. Show up early and get a front-row seat so you don’t miss a second. Get out of your comfort zone and start talking to everyone around you. Remember, attendees are just as nervous as you are. Have some conversation starter questions at the ready and make your chats about them, not you.
- Be a sponge. Live in the moment and absorb as much of the content as possible. You can take pictures of the slide presentation at some conferences, save yourself time and snap photos, then take detailed notes.
- Connect. Stay involved and connected with the conference. Use the conference’s social media hashtags. Create tons of content to share. Pictures of speakers. Pictures with attendees. Make tons of noise! Get to know everyone!
- Reflect. At the end of each day, go over your notes and attach the corresponding photos. Reflect on what you learned and who you met. How do you plan to implement the things you learned? How do you plan to follow up with the new contacts you made?
How to end your learning experience on a high note
Wow! We’re all so proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone and taking full advantage of everything your conference had to offer. What’s next?
Now it’s time to put all that hard work into action. Here’s how:
- Debrief. Write about your experience and upload all your files to the cloud (we want this information readily available to share with our newly made contacts).
- Follow up. Follow up with your contacts. Thank them for their time and share the content you created while at this conference. You must give before you receive. Create mastermind groups with the individuals you met.
- Report back. If you need to present to your team, provide them with all relevant information. Go the extra mile and put your key learnings into a visual presentation.
- Act. Lastly, begin taking massive action!
Harness the benefits of each ecommerce conference
In-person conferences are optimal learning opportunities and a powerful way to create long-standing relationships and partnerships. Always plan ahead, and ensure that you document everything you experience. All documented material will serve you in planning out your next steps and will make a great reference for future events.
Be sure to step outside of your comfort zone and make earth-shattering relationships. Remember, being prepared is the key to a successful conference.
Now go out and make some noise! Got any questions about e-commerce conferences? Let us know in the comments below!