Casual Living launches Online Technologies Conference

Proposed as an annual event to boost online sales

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 8/31/2010 9:25:00 AM

CHICAGO — Online technologies including websites, Internet marketing and software-as-service technologies are changing the way the home furnishings and gift industries operate. To help retailers and manufacturers better leverage these technologies, The Furniture/Today Group of Sandow Media (including Casual Living) will host a one-day conference focused exclusively on "Boosting Sales Through Online Technologies."

The event is set for Nov. 9 at the Merchandise Mart Conference Center in Chicago.

Attendees will hear from industry experts in online marketing, social media, research, mobile and Web development. Panelists from the gift and home furnishings markets will share their latest strategies and offer practical advice to their colleagues.

"The objective of this event is to provide retailers and manufacturers in the home furnishings and gift industries with actionable, real-world tips and ideas that they can use in their businesses," said Penny Schneck, online manager for Sandow Media.

The agenda includes global Internet industry experts who will discuss online trends and emerging technologies as they specifically impact the home furnishings and gift industries. Other speakers will present case studies on how they implemented and evaluated the success of their online programs.

A detailed agenda, speaker profiles and registration can be found at http://furnituretodayonline.com/onlinetechconference/

Early bird registration for the conference is $99 (through Sept. 30). Standard registration is $189. Conference fee includes lunch and conference notebook.

Conference sponsors include Myriad Software, Shopatron, Whereoware, SnapRetail and MMPI. Sandow Media's Furniture Group includes Furniture/Today, Home Accents Today, Home Textiles Today, Kids Today, Gifts and Decorative Accessories, Casual Living and Playthings.