In-Store Asia 2013: Celebrating excellence at retail

Spread over 9,000 sq meters of exhibition space, 100+ exhibitors participated in the Expo in which world-class, state-of-the-art retail solutions, services, and ideas came together offering a glimpse of innovative possibilities at retail. Having grown by 40% last year, the expo was the perfect opportunity to retail solutions providers to network with potential customers and showcase their innovations.

The convention on Day I and Day II of the event was all about inspiration and the way to transformation at retail as witnessed in the thought provoking presentations made by national and international industry veterans including Chip Conley - Author & Joie de Vivre Founder, Mark Ashman - Chief Executive Officer- Hypercity Retail (India) Ltd, Keith Ware - Group Development Director - Dalziel and Pow Design Consultants Ltd, London, John Goodman - President, OgilvyAction Asia/Pacific; President, Ogilvy Noor, Natalie Coulter - Founder - Belle Flaneur, Ramashish Ray - Director - Retail - Samsung Electronics, Ambrish Arora -- Founder - Lotus Design Services, Tara Prabhakar -- Development Director - Retail & Shopper APAC, TNS, Alison Carr - Senior Associate and design leader - Gensler, Sunil Taldar - Director-Sales & International Business - Mondelez, Prof. Piyush Kumar Sinha -- Professor in Retailing and Marketing Chairperson, Centre for Retailing. From using psychological tools for success at retail to achieving perfect executions in store, from the value of design in retail to understanding how the male shopper shops, these speakers spanned a range of topics that inspired the audience on how various aspects of the retail business could drivetransformation.

According to Vasant Jante, MD, VJ MediaWorks - organizers of the event, "In Store Asia is the finale of a year's work of digging into the needs, challenges and possibilities at retail and in the process triggering inspiration, innovation and transformation. The whole idea was to offer a perfect platform to all stake holders, and I am happy the purpose was served. In the last eight years, In Store Asia has been growing in terms of participation from all stake holders. The convention is meant to be a thought leadership destination for the industry, while the Awards are a reiteration of excellence. The overwhelming response to both is a vindication of the need for such platforms.”

The event also celebrated the best in merchandising through POPAI OMA Awards, and the best in visual merchandising and retail design through the VM&RD Awards.

The VM&RD Awards which has been growing in popularity over the years seeing a 30% increase in the number of new participants, was backed by a power packed jury comprising 16 designers and retailers from a cross-section of the global and Indian retail industry who judged the entries for the awards that were given away on Day II of the event.

Another highlight of the event was the VM Challenge Contest anchored by Surender Gnanaolivu, EVP- Brand Experience and Store Development, Mahindra Retail Private Limited.

All in all it was three exciting days of retail exploration when the best minds converged and looked at the way forward.