Panel Topics

E-Tailing versus Retailing: Is the Internet Replacing Brick-And-Mortar?
The Internet would seem to be a fruitful market for retailers to penetrate, and yet some companies have been slow to embrace the Web. One reason for this slow uptake, particularly in the luxury sector, may be that the emotional connection between a customer and a product can be difficult to capture with the click of a mouse. Can retailers replicate the atmosphere and service customers experience in-store on the Internet? How will luxury goods and retail companies already competing in the online market combat the economic woes currently plaguing the retail sector? How can a retail firm differentiate itself and drive traffic to its site?

Beauty & Skincare Panel
The beauty & skincare panel will focus on the advantages and challenges of different channels of distribution for beauty and skincare products and services.  Panelists represent companies with a variety of different distribution formats (retail shops, wholesale, online, direct to consumer, etc.).

From Creative Concept to Reality: Entrepreneurship in Retail and Luxury 
This panel will explore how several entrepreneurs defied to odds and successfully started their own businesses in the retail and luxury space.  Each panelist brings a unique story of inspiration, challenges, perseverance, and achievement. They will discuss what it takes to compete in an industry where the odds are stacked against them and how they have had to adapt their strategies in light of the current economic environment. 

The Next Revolution: Differentiation in Today's Economy
As the economic landscape changes, how are companies reacting to the change in customer behaviors? Do consumers continue to seek luxury products or do they want a premium product at a reasonable price? How does one draw the line between the two? Is it just a price point or the feeling of affordable premium products? We want to explore how companies give their customers a feeling of everyday luxury.