8 Retail Conferences to Attend in Late 2026 and 2027
The best retail conferences to attend in late 2026 and 2027, with dates, locations, pricing, speakers and focus areas for retail leaders.
AI Summary
A planner-focused roundup of 8 retail conferences to attend in late 2026 and 2027, with context on event focus, audiences and which options may be worth attending.
Retail conferences cover much more than merchandising and store operations. The upcoming calendar includes events focused on ecommerce, grocery, convenience retail, supply chain, retail technology, physical marketplaces and executive leadership.
For this roundup, we focused on conferences taking place after the beginning of October 2026 along with major 2027 events that have already released meaningful information for prospective attendees. We compared dates, locations, registration costs, speakers and industry focus so readers can begin deciding which events are worth the investment.
Whether you work for a major retailer, consumer brand, independent grocer or technology provider, these are some of the retail conferences worth considering through 2027.
Top Retail Conferences in Late 2026 and 2027
NACS Show 2026
Dates: October 6–9, 2026
Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Price: Pre-show buyer full-conference pass $505 for members and $755 for nonmembers; buyer one-day pass $405 for members and $655 for nonmembers; non-exhibiting supplier full-conference pass $1,345 for members and $2,645 for nonmembers. Onsite rates increase to $655/$905 for buyer full-conference passes, $555/$805 for one-day buyer passes and $1,495/$2,795 for non-exhibiting suppliers.
Focus: Convenience retail, merchandising, foodservice and store operations
The 2026 program includes SNL producer Lindsay Shookus alongside retail and industry leaders such as Elizabeth Salceda of Family Express, Susie Engemann and Bria Troy of PepsiCo, Irfan Tejani of Pinnacle Oil & Gas Holdings and Brian Gray of Accenture.
NACS Show is one of the largest gatherings for convenience and fuel retailers. Beyond its expansive product expo, the conference covers foodservice, store growth, customer loyalty, artificial intelligence, fuel strategy, workforce management and the changing expectations of convenience-store customers.
DELIVER America 2026
Dates: October 7–8, 2026
Location: Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, Nevada
Price: Qualified senior retail, ecommerce, supply-chain, logistics and operations executives can apply for a fully hosted pass. Approved delegates receive two hotel nights, meals during the event and up to $300 in travel reimbursement.
Focus: Retail operations, ecommerce, logistics and supply chain
Featured speakers include Todd Soller of Patagonia, Opal Portis of Fabletics, Laurent Cohen of Rockstar Original, Michael Pietrunti of Mejuri, Patricia Marseille of The Walt Disney Company and supply-chain leaders from Walmart, Lacoste and Keurig Dr Pepper.
DELIVER America is structured differently from a large trade show. Attendance is curated around approximately 375 hosted delegates, with pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings, executive roundtables and sessions covering AI, inventory planning, fulfillment, returns, automation and the changing retail operating model.
Modern Retailing Conference 2026
Dates: November 15–17, 2026
Location: Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, Palm Beach, Florida
Price: Dealer tickets start at $595. Dealer groups can receive $300 off each ticket when purchasing four registrations with the published group promotional code.
Focus: Automotive retail, customer experience, digital sales and AI
Featured speakers include Aharon Horwitz of Fullpath, Danny Zaslavsky of VINCUE, Doug Betts of J.D. Power, Glenn Pasch of PCG Digital, Gray Scott of The Digerati Group and Jade Terreberry of Cox Automotive.
Modern Retailing Conference focuses specifically on automotive retail and dealership operations. More than 60 speakers and 30 sessions address digital retail, first-party data, sales processes, customer retention, AI automation and the technologies changing how dealerships communicate with and sell to customers.
ICSC NEW YORK 2026
Dates: December 9–10, 2026
Location: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City
Price: Advance registration is $875 for members and $2,175 for nonmembers through September 10. Standard registration is $1,100 for members and $2,275 for nonmembers through December 7. Onsite registration is $1,600 for members and $2,500 for nonmembers. Retailer members attend free when registering in advance or during the standard registration period. Student members pay $50.
Focus: Retail real estate, leasing, marketplaces and development
ICSC NEW YORK is built less around a traditional keynote program and more around dealmaking. Retailers, property owners, developers, brokers, investors and other marketplace professionals use the two-day event to discuss leasing, development, investment and the evolution of physical places where consumers shop, dine and gather.
For professionals working on the real-estate side of retail, the event offers a distinctly different value proposition from technology and merchandising conferences. Much of the schedule is devoted to Dealmaking and Retailer Central at the Javits Center.
NRF 2027: Retail’s Big Show
Dates: January 10–12, 2027
Location: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City
Price: Retail-member All-Access passes are $1,100 through October 2, $1,200 through November 19, $1,300 through January 7 and $1,400 beginning January 8. Retail-member teams of five to nine can register for $900 per person, while teams of 10 or more pay $750 per person. Retailers can also receive a free Expo Pass through December 30.
Focus: Retail technology, leadership, operations and customer experience
The 2027 speaker roster already includes Michelle Gass of Levi Strauss & Co., Bob Eddy of BJ’s Wholesale Club, Smita Katakwar of Wegmans, Lauren Brindley of Ulta Beauty, Dave Rinaldo of ALDI, Matt Navarro of Stanley 1913, Kate Rogowski of H&M and Jay Schottenstein of American Eagle Outfitters.
NRF’s Retail’s Big Show is one of the largest events on the global retail calendar, attracting more than 41,000 industry professionals. Programming combines executive keynotes with tactical sessions and an expo featuring more than 1,000 technology providers, along with dedicated programming around AI, supply chain and emerging retail technology.
Retail CEO Forum 2027
Dates: January 30–February 2, 2027
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Price: $5,495 for executives from RILA-member retail companies and consumer-product manufacturers; $6,995 for qualifying nonmembers and invited guests.
Focus: Retail executive leadership and long-term strategy
The 2027 speaker lineup is still developing. Previous featured participants have included Best Buy CEO Corie Barry, Meijer CEO Richard Keyes, Petco CEO Joel Anderson, Microsoft executive Shelley Bransten, Bret Taylor of Sierra and OpenAI and former Nordstrom CEO Erik Nordstrom.
Retail CEO Forum is intentionally much smaller than most conferences in this roundup. RILA’s invitation-only event is designed for chief executives from major retailers and consumer-product companies, with conversations focused on AI, uncertainty, organizational resilience, customer relationships and high-level leadership decisions.
The NGA Show 2027
Dates: January 31–February 2, 2027
Location: MGM Grand Conference Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Price: Early-bird retailer and wholesaler full-conference passes are $575 for NGA members and $845 for nonmembers through October 28. Standard rates rise to $745 and $995, while onsite rates are $845 and $1,095. Retailer expo-only passes start at $275 for members and $445 for nonmembers. Government and nonprofit passes start at $285.
Focus: Independent grocery retail
Featured speakers include Richie Morgan of North State Grocery, Bret Wiltse of Fareway Stores, Brandon Pasch of SpartanNash, Francisco Alberto of Wakefern Food Corp., Elliott Stone of Mollie Stone’s Markets and Sheila Ebanks of The Coca-Cola Company.
The NGA Show is specifically designed for independent grocers and the wholesalers and suppliers that serve them. The 2027 event is expected to offer more than 55 hours of education and 350 exhibitors, with programming spanning merchandising, technology, omnichannel marketing, operations, workforce development and grocery strategy.
GS1 Connect 2027
Dates: May 24–26, 2027
Location: Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Denver, Colorado
Price: Full-conference pass $2,025; discounted rate $1,722 through December 31, 2026. Groups of three or more from the same company save an additional $75 per attendee, while groups of eight or more save $100 per attendee.
Focus: Retail supply chain, product data, traceability and inventory visibility
The 2027 speaker roster is still being announced, but the event is open to professionals across retail, grocery, foodservice, healthcare and manufacturing. More than 400 organizations participated in the 2026 conference.
GS1 Connect focuses on some of the less visible systems that make modern retail possible. Sessions address product identification, standardized data, 2D barcodes, RFID, traceability, FSMA compliance, inventory visibility and how better supply-chain data can support emerging AI applications.
How to Choose the Right Retail Conference
The right event depends heavily on your role within retail. NRF offers the broadest mix of technology, strategy and operations, while The NGA Show is specifically built for independent grocery companies. NACS Show serves convenience retailers, and Modern Retailing Conference is tailored to automotive dealerships.
Executives looking for smaller peer conversations may find more value in Retail CEO Forum or DELIVER America. ICSC NEW YORK is a better fit for professionals working in retail real estate and physical marketplaces, while GS1 Connect is geared toward teams focused on product data, inventory visibility and supply-chain systems.
Registration structure matters too. Some events offer traditional paid passes, others provide free admission to qualified retailers and several use invitation-only or hosted-buyer models.
Retail Events to Watch Through 2027
The upcoming retail conference calendar reflects just how many disciplines now shape the customer experience. Artificial intelligence is becoming part of store operations and supply chains, physical retail continues to evolve and better data is increasingly central to inventory, fulfillment and personalization.
Several additional 2027 conferences have already announced dates but have not yet released enough current pricing, speaker or agenda information to make this roundup. As those programs develop, events such as Natural Products Expo West and World Retail Congress may become useful additions later in the year.
