In the evolving retail technology arena, retailers need to stay on top of the latest innovations and developments in convenience store technology.
This year’s Conexxus Annual Conference, which will take place January 26-30, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona, will focus on “forecasting the retail journey” and offer an in depth look at some of the biggest topics in tech right now—artificial intelligence, retail media networks and data security and privacy, among others.
The conference brings together some of the most prominent tech experts and thought leaders in the industry, with committees and working groups that will dive into today’s biggest tech challenges and how to tackle them.
These are three major areas retailers are zeroed in on:
1. Artificial Intelligence
Retailers are already using AI in myriad ways, from voice analytics that can help them increase customer service, to programs that help streamline corporate processes and amplify loss prevention and store safety. By finding practical use cases for the technology, retailers can reduce labor burdens, increase efficiency, save time and enhance their business model.
The event will feature two AI-focused sessions.
Fueling the Future, AI-Powered Values for Fuels & Convenience: Discover what’s working, what isn’t, and how to overcome AI’s challenges while seizing the opportunities.
Accelerating the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR): Digitizing the physical world through Edge AI and sensor fusion for operations, insights and innovations: The digitization of the physical world will allow retailers to capture better insights into customer behavior and on-site activities. This includes the ability to detect unusual situations and activities early, helping to mitigate risks. Purpose-built Edge AI devices equipped with sensor fusion will analyze real-time data using industry-standard protocols, interfaces and APIs.
2. Retail Media Networks
Retail media networks are redefining c-store advertising and offer a unique way to monetize digital touchpoints and grow customer loyalty, both at the pump and inside the store.
“Building a retail media network isn’t about just grabbing dollars,” said Art Sebastian, CEO of convenience advisory firm NexChapter and former VP of digital shopping and e-commerce at Casey’s, in the October 2024 issue of NACS Magazine (read Revving Up With Retail Media Networks for more). “It’s about creating a seamless experience for your customer to help the CPGs see the return on investment on their ad spend. If they see return, they’ll invest more.”
Sebastian will lead the session Driving Success: The Power of CMO and CIO Collaboration, which will focus on how CMOs & CIOs must work together to make tech successful, with retail media networks being a prominent example to illustrate the partnership. The session will explore how aligning marketing and technology teams through shared goals, open communication and strategic collaboration drives innovation and customer engagement.
The Innovation Research Committee (IRC) Meeting (open to retailer attendees only) will include a deep dive into retail media networks.
3. Data Security and Privacy
Data privacy and security is at the crux of any successful tech implementation, and data breaches can be detrimental. A key focus of the event will be protecting both company and personal customer data, with a focus on protecting Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and meeting new PCI DSS compliance requirements. Data security and privacy will also be pivotal as companies begin to implement AI, which can leave them open to attack if not done properly and effectively.
Two sessions will cover data security and privacy:
PII Is Not for Everyone’s Eyes—How to Lock It Down and Meet Compliance Laws: Bluefin’s Sean Gately will discuss the importance of securing PII data and meeting PCI compliance laws, including an exploration into the true costs of a data breach.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to PCI DSS 4.0.1 Compliance to Meet March 31, 2025, Deadlines: Starting March 31, retailers will need to meet 52 future-dated requirements and Target Risk Analysis (TRAs) for PCI compliance. Don’t miss guidance on web page protection, client-side browser protection, scripts and script protection, structuring your vulnerability and patching SLAs to meet both your needs and compliance.
There will also be a data security committee meeting, a data privacy working group meeting and a meeting on data privacy state regulation updates. The information on data privacy state regulation updates is critical for retailers as it will provide a comprehensive guide of regulations by state—not just regarding where retailers are located, but where their customers live, too.