Rising Above—Not Just Surviving—The Economic Storm
- 93 Conference Sessions on All E-Retail Topics
- 178 Speakers from Every Retail Channel
- 4 Workshops (Search Engine Marketing, Small Retailers' Survival Guide, M-commerce, Email Marketing)
When a market is growing at 25%, you don't have to be great to succeed. But when the market grows at 10% or even less, the challenges to success multiply. Those who want to succeed must keep their focus, invest wisely and take a long-term view of where the market and consumers are heading.
Today's economy offers online retailers challenges—and opportunities—that did not exist a year ago. When online suddenly faces the same constraints that all retailing is subject to, the competition for consumer dollars increases exponentially. Chains will be turning their focus—and their huge resources—to the Internet. Established web-only merchants will fight to preserve and grow their bases. Catalogers will seek to leverage their remote selling experience into new areas. And consumer product manufacturers will look for ways to squeeze costs out of their distribution systems by ramping up their direct-to-consumer online initiatives.
The economy will relentlessly separate the winners from the losers, so anyone whose livelihood depends on retail sales will be forced to become a better competitor in the online arena—the only arena where retail sales are holding steady and, in some cases, growing. The only place to get all the intelligence you need to succeed is the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition.
Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition 2009 will address the challenges that retailers face in a tough economy:
- How to market most effectively—and how to take advantage of the new marketing venues that have sprung up.
- How to prioritize investments in marketing, technology and all other areas.
- what new ways of selling—m-commerce, use of social sites, the power of consumer input, personalized product recommendations—offer the greatest promise for increasing market share.
- How to find the right people at the right price who can ensure that when the dust settles, you are still in the game.
- How to remain competitive in a world where the rules of retailing are changing every day.
- How to assure yourself that key vendors you rely on are financially sound.

The IRCE 2009 Keynote Presenter
Internet Retailer is honored to have as its keynote speaker at Internet Retailer 2009 Conference & Exhibition Patrick Byrne, Chairman & CEO of Overstock.com. With sales growing faster than the market, Overstock is a prime example of how consumers are turning more to the web for their shopping and buying.
Keynote Speaker—June 16 | |
![]() Patrick M. Byrne, Chairman & CEO, Overstock.com Patrick Byrne founded Overstock.com Inc. in 1999 when he recognized the potential of liquidating excess inventory through the Internet. The company has grown from $1.8 million in sales in 1999 to $760.2 million in 2007. In 2001, Patrick began Worldstock.com, Overstock.com's socially responsible marketplace for products handcrafted by artisans from developing nations and underprivileged artisans in the US. Before founding Overstock.com, Patrick held executive positions with manufacturing companies. |
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Featured Speakers—June 16 | |
![]() Bobby Beaver, Vice President & Co-Founder, Zazzle.com With his father Robert and brother Jeff, Bobby Beaver founded Zazzle.com, retailer of personalized merchandise, in 2003. Zazzle quickly grew to No. 211 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide. |
![]() Jeff Beaver, Vice President & Co-Founder, Zazzle.com With his father Robert and brother Bobby, Jeff Beaver founded Zazzle.com, retailer of personalized merchandise, in 2003. Zazzle quickly grew to No. 211 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide. |
Featured Speakers—June 17 | |
![]() Mark Kuhns, Vice President of E-Commerce, Under Armour Mark Kuhns heads up the global online properties at athletic apparel manufacturer Under Armour. Under Armour creates content that engages customers yet keeps them interested buying. |
![]() Stephanie Tilenius, General Manager, North America, eBay Markets Stephanie Tilenius will discuss eBay's new moves to become more attractive to sellers and buyers alike, how all retailers can take advantage of eBay's enhancements and how eBay will market itself to consumers. |

IRCE 2009 Agenda Outline
Listed below are the exact times for each event in the Internet Retailer 2009 Conference & Exhibition. To view the description of an individual session click on the "Session Description" buttons. Or, to view this list with all session descriptions visible please click the radio button below.
| You are currently viewing: Agenda Outline Complete Agenda |
| Day One—June 15, 2009: Two Workshops |
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7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Workshop Registration and Breakfast
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8:30 AM - 4:45 PM
Day-long "Search Engine Marketing: Advanced Strategies for a Competitive Market" workshop runs concurrently with "Small Retailers' Survival Guide" workshop. See separate Workshop Agenda page. |
| Main Conference Registration and Reception—June 15, 2009 |
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4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Opens for Champagne Welcome Reception Registration for Main Conference. Sponsored by SLI Systems. |
| Day Two—June 16, 2009: General Sessions |
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7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Conference Registration and Breakfast. |
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Welcome
Kurt Peters, Editor in Chief, Internet Retailer
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8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Rising Above the Economic Storm—How to Thrive in a Volatile Market
Patrick Byrne, CEO, Overstock.com
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9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
Understanding Consumer Behavior in an Uncertain Economy
Gian Fulgoni, Executive Chairman & Co-Founder, comScore Inc.
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9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
FEATURED ADDRESS: How a small retailer harnesses the new power of the web
Jeff Beaver, Vice President & Co-Founder, Zazzle
Bobby Beaver, Vice President & Co-Founder, Zazzle
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Day Two—June 16, 2009: Track A: Managing Technology
Managing Technology: Cost-Effective Approaches in an Era of Tight Budgets |
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Backing retail expertise with technological know-how: The winning combination
Ken Burke, Founder & Chairman, MarketLive
Jason Marshall, Vice President Direct, Gaiam
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12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
5 Ways to get more out of your technology
Sahir Anand, Research Director, Aberdeen Group
Sherwin Socaransky, Vice President of Merchandising & Store Systems, New York & Company
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12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Build, buy, lease? What technology arrangements make the most sense
Scott Hardy, Executive Vice President, Business Management, GSI Commerce
Jeff Max, CEO, Venda
Bill Mirabito, Principal Analyst, Founder, B2C Partners
Bill Zujewski, Vice President, Product Marketing, ATG
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2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
The DIY approach: Why and how some retailers do it all in-house
Gene Alvarez, Vice President, Gartner Inc.
Paul Holstein, Vice President & COO, CableOrganizer.com
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Mitigating the risk, maximizing the benefits with outsourced software
TJ Ferrara, E-Commerce Director, L-R-G
Rebecca Wettemann, Vice President, Nucleus Research
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4:30 PM - 5:15 PM
Browser confusion: How to win the battle for web performance
Pete Hogan, Vice President, e-Commerce, Brown Shoe Co. Inc.
Matthew Poepsel, Vice President, Performance Strategies, Gomez Inc.
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5:15 PM - 5:45 PM
Getting deep into analytics—if you can understand what your analytics program is saying
Mike Fried, Director Strategic Analysis, Backcountry.com
Eric Peterson, CEO and Principal Consultant, Web Analytics Demystified Consulting
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5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Cocktail Party in the Exhibit Hall Sponsored by SLI Systems. |
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7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Networking Dinner Sponsored by Alibaba.com |
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Day Two—June 16, 2009: Track B: Corporate Management
Corporate Management: Building a Corporate Infrastructure for Tomorrow |
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
The web's growing importance—and what it means to chains and catalogs
Kevin Hillstrom, President, MineThatData
Lou Weiss, Chief Marketing Officer, Vitamin Shoppe
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12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
How winners keep up with a fast changing market
Steve Rowen, Partner, RSR Research
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12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Understanding web site financials: Managing to success
Brian Elliott, President & CEO, Alibris
Tracy Wright, Vice President, Chief Finance Officer, Drugstore.com
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2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
The cross-channel imperative
Susan Aldrich, Senior Vice President, Patricia Seybold Group
Eva Buschkrei, Director E-commerce and Branded Content, Vodafone
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
The future of the catalog when your customers are shifting to the web
Tracy Schneider, Vice President, E-Commerce, CWDKids.com
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4:30 PM - 5:15 PM
Developing your staff
Gordon Magee, Internet Marketing Manager, Drs. Foster & Smith
Jim Okamura, Senior Partner, J.C. Williams Group
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5:15 PM - 5:45 PM
Digging into the numbers to find the real value of online sales
Nikki Baird, Managing Partner, RSR Research
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5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Cocktail Party in the Exhibit Hall Sponsored by SLI Systems. |
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7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Networking Dinner Sponsored by Alibaba.com |
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Day Two—June 16, 2009: Track C: Merchandising and Web Site Content
Merchandising, Content & Design: Creating a Web Site for Success Today |
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Stealing from the small/Leveraging for the large
Lauren Freedman, President, the e-tailing group
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12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Creating credible e-mail marketing messages that motivate consumers
Kim Gnatt, Vice President, Internet Marketing, Benchmark Brands
Kara Trivunovic, Senior Director of Strategic Services, StrongMail
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12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
How product ratings and reviews affect more than just sales
Nathan Decker, Head of E-Commerce, Evogear
Stuart Wallock, Senior Manager Global Community & Personalization, Dell
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2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Site search: Beyond search results for improved traffic and conversions
Ed Hoffman, Vice President, Worldwide Field Operations, SLI Systems
Richard Sexton, President & CEO, Carolina Rustica
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Making product recommendations work for maximum conversion
Robert Cell, CEO, MyBuys
Erik Martinez, Director, E-Commerce, Peruvian Connection
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4:30 PM - 5:15 PM
Rich media: Who needs it?
Peter Cobb, Senior Vice President, eBags.com
Larry Promisel, Vice President, E-Commerce, Barneys New York
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5:15 PM - 5:45 PM
Want a better site? Ask your customers
Bob Barrett, Director of Consumer Content Distribution, Hazelden Foundation
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5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Cocktail Party in the Exhibit Hall Sponsored by SLI Systems. |
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7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Networking Dinner Sponsored by Alibaba.com |
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Day Two—June 16, 2009: Track D: Small Retailers
Small Retailers: Beating the Big Guys Without Breaking the Bank |
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Small steps can create big results
Au-Co Mai, Founder and CEO, Emitations.com
Adele Sage, Analyst, Forrester Research
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12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
When and how to negotiate with vendors
Joel Lederhause, President/CEO, Discount Ramps .com LLC
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12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Search marketing for the resource-constrained
Arthur Frischman, Vice President, Business Development, PCSecurityShield, an IS3 Company
Daniel Yonts, Founder & President, PayingAttention.net
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2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
To socialize—or not to socialize
Tom Cox, President & CEO, Golfballs.com
Brian Walker, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
E-mail segmentation for beginners
Brett Brewer, Director of Strategic Services, ExactTarget
Chris Feldwisch, E-commerce Marketing Manager, Finish Line
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4:30 PM - 5:15 PM
How to right-size your fulfillment center
Spencer Chesman, Founder & CEO, iGourmet.com
Brad Eickmann, Vice President, Business Development, FFP Global
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5:15 PM - 5:45 PM
How we found our niche
Devon Rifkin, Founder & CEO, The Great American Hanger Co.
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5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Cocktail Party in the Exhibit Hall Sponsored by SLI Systems. |
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7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Networking Dinner Sponsored by Alibaba.com |
| Day Three—June 17, 2009: General Sessions |
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7:00 AM - 7:45 AM
Conference Registration and Breakfast. |
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
FEATURED ADDRESS: How a consumer manufacturer uses the web to tighten the customer relationship
Mark Kuhns, Vice President, E-Commerce, Under Armour
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9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
FEATURED ADDRESS: The new eBay: What eBay's evolution means to retailers
Stephanie Tilenius, Senior Vice President and General Manager, eBay North America and Global Platform
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9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
The Top 500 Guide: What the Guide tells us about the market to come
Larry Freed, President, ForeSeeResults
Jack Love, Publisher, Internet Retailer
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10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
BREAK - Top 500 Guide Giveaway in Exhibit Hall
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Day Three—June 17, 2009: Track D: Small Retailers
Small Retailers: Beating the Big Guys Without Breaking the Bank |
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Beyond e-retailing 101: Getting the most out of your third-party platforms
Paul Boisvert, Lead Product Manager, Yahoo Merchant Solutions
Todd Lutwak, Senior Director of Seller Development, eBay
Jack Sheng, CEO & Co-Founder, Eforcity.com
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12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
Finding talent: How can you attract top talent when you're small
David Redlich, Co-CEO, Co-Founder, Re-Stockit.com
Jared Tanner, Vice President, Marketing, PrintingForLess.com
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12:45 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Where could your site use improvement?
Ethan Giffin, CEO & Founder, Groove Commerce
Craig Smith, Founder and Managing Director, Trinity Insight LLC
David Wertheimer, Director of Strategy, Alexander Interactive
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Pay attention; Payment security is important to small retailers
Dhavid Cooper, Co-founder and CEO, FramesDirect.com
Adam Williams, Principal, Global Services Group, CyberSource Corp.
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4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Coming of age: Overcoming the biggest growing pain
Arash Fasihi, President & Founder, Cymax Stores Inc.
Erika Feinberg, Chairman & CEO, ActiveForever
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Day Three—June 17, 2009: Track E: Operations
Payments, Fulfillment and Customer Service: How to Do More With Less |
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
10 easy ways to squeeze costs out of fulfillment—and become more efficient
Bob Betke, Vice President & Partner, F. Curtis Barry
John Rice, Vice President, Operations, PetEdge
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11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Greening your fulfillment operation: A good idea that creates a market benefit
Joe Alexander, Director, Keetsa Mattress
Paul Comey, Vice President. Environmental Affairs, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
Damon Schechter, CEO & Founder, Shipwire.com
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12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
What to do when your fulfillment provider goes south
Anne Kelly, Founder and Chairwoman, Junonia
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12:45 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Making PCI real—the cost to retailers
Steve Mott, Principal, BetterBuyDesign
David Taylor, Founder, PCI Knowledge Base
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2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
The true cost of a security breach
John Dozier, President, Dozier Internet Law P.C.
Colin Sheppard, Forensics Practice Manager, TrustWave
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Merchandise returns—managing in tough times
Vibhav Prasad, Senior Director, Web Marketing and Merchandising, 1-800-Flowers.com
Cayce Roy, President, Commercial Division, Liquidity Services Inc.
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4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Finding and fostering call center stars
Leslie Agerland, Director, Online Program Development, ShopNBC.com
Greg Fettes, President & CEO, 24-7 INtouch
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Day Three—June 17, 2009: Track F: Nothing but Net
Nothing but 'Net: Vive la Difference: How Online Retailing Changes Retailers' Success Metrics |
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Building your brand online
Brian Elliott, President & CEO, Alibris
Ron Rogowski, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research
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11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Unlimited shelf space = unlimited opportunity for disaster
Brian Bradley, Executive Vice President, HSN.com and Advanced Services
Kasey Lobaugh, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP
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12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
Understanding the e-commerce ecosystem
Tom McFadyen, President, McFadyen Solutions
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12:45 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Getting others to sell your merchandise for you
Fred Pritchard, Vice President, Golda's Kitchen
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2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
How do you compete when you can't compete on price
Evan Cirelli, InterWorld Highway (touchboards.com)
Jack Kiefer, President, BabyAge.com
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Getting the goods—Convincing suppliers that you're in the game to stay
Dennis Boudreau, President, 1st in Video-Music World Inc.
Kelly Sang, General Manager, Alibaba.com (U.S.)
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4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Designing the unique experience
Larry Becker, Associate Director, Marketing and Admission, MBA for Executives, University of Virginia
Cheryl Kaplan, Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, Rue La La
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Day Three—June 17, 2009: Track G: Marketing
Marketing: Measuring Success in a Competitive and Uncertain Market |
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Balancing audacity with caution: marketing in a time of uncertainty
Tom Heffernan, Internet Marketing Specialist, Allied Trade Group
Andreas Roell, President & CEO, Geary Interactive
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11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
When there are so many marketing vehicles, who gets the credit for the sale?
Jennifer Kwiatkowski, Director, Circulation and Analytics, Plow and Hearth
George Michie, Co-Founder, COO, The Rimm-Kaufman Group
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12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
Tracking keywords to determine ROI
Steven Broussard, Director, Marketing & E-Commerce, Golfballs.com
Bill Lan, Vice President, Account Development, Efficient Frontier
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12:45 PM - 2:00 PM
LUNCH
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2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Social media: If not now, when?
Ilana Rabinowitz, Vice President, Lion Brand Yarn Co.
Paull Young, Social Media Strategist, Converseon Inc.
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2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Everything you always wanted to know about ad networks—but didn't know where to begin
Laura Christine, Vice President Direct Marketing & E-Commerce, Skechers USA
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3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
BREAK
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4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Rewards and relationships in affiliates
Stacey Georgoulis, Affiliate and Partnership Marketing Manager, PETCO Animal Supplies
David Lewis, CEO and Founder, Cashbaq
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4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Making marketing work across channels
Jon Kosoff, Director of Ecommerce & Direct Marketing, The Wet Seal Inc.
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| Day Four—June 18, 2009: Day-Long Workshop |
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7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Workshop Registration and Breakfast
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8:30 AM - 3:45 PM
Day-long "M-commerce" workshop. See separate Workshop Agenda page. |
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8:30 AM - 3:45 PM
Day-long "Email Marketing" workshop. See separate Workshop Agenda page. |









