More than 40,000 retailers, industry analysts, tech firms, brands and consultants from around the world will descend on Manhattan’s Javits Convention Center beginning Sunday for another“This is one of the largest shows we’ve ever produced,” said Matthew Shay, president and chief executive officer of the. He’s led the event for 15 years, and said this year’s edition will draw a crowd similar in size to last year’s.
There’s war in the Middle East and Ukraine, political unrest around the world, fires raging in Los Angeles, and heat waves and droughts of increasing intensity. Yet the backdrop for business remains mostly good, particularly after retailers posted midsingle-digit gains for the holiday season, with unemployment low, inflation on general merchandise coming down, and the economy in good shape.
Still, it’s a mix of opportunities and concerns driving retailers to the event. They’re hoping to gain a deeper understandings of how business this year could play out, aware that the gains they saw in 2024 will be tough to match in 2025. They’re hungry to learn more about AI and its applications, and the incoming Trump administration’s potential impact on taxes and tariffs.
In the following Q&A, Shay addresses what’s top of mind for the retail industry, the consumer mindset, and what’s to be expected at the Big Show.: There’s a lot of optimism about the state of retail, the state of the economy, and the opportunities for the year ahead. There continues to be enormous innovation in the industry. Consumers are in a good place economically. They’re responsive to the offerings from retailers.