20 Fun Scenes From Fall RetailVision

Everything Channel's Fall RetailVision 2008 promised to be an event filled with opportunity for vendors and retailers alike to form partnerships, learn about the industry, promote ther businesses and have some fun in the process. Here are a few lively scenes from the event.

Vision Events Managing Director Liz Madden gives a warm welcome to conference attendees to the revamped Fall 2008 RetailVision in San Diego. The marriage of Vision Events and Everything Channel promised to breathe new life into the consumer electronics retail industry with an enhanced and ambitious format, beefed up media coverage and a slew of new vendors and retailers eager to form new alliances.

RetailVision attendees, evident by their red and white bags, stream into the conference area at the Manchester Hyatt Regency in San Diego. Over the three-day event, hundreds of consumer electronics retailers forged partnerships with new vendors, while gaining insight from keynote speakers and seeing the latest gadgets on the showroom floor.

Oh my gosh. A yeti just entered the building. Where? Okay, maybe it wasn't a yeti. But the bathrooms are over that way.



At the RetailVision registration booth Everything Channel employees were always available to lend a helping hand.

Bobby Lee and Ming Ho from Gilsson Technologies enjoy a few drinks at the welcome reception in anticipation of a successful event.

We didn't really need that CD anyway. Kelli Krimmel, a representative of RetailVision vendor Fellowes, conducts demonstrations at their booth on the trade show floor, where more than 60 vendors displayed hot new consumer electronics products to hundreds of retailers.

Everything Channel Editorial Director Bob Demarzo gives a warm and often humorous speech at the RetailVision crowd full of new faces during the event's opening reception.

ChannelWeb Vice President and Editor Larry Hooper and Senior Editor Andrew Hickey pose with Kevin Jones, VP of merchandising for Micro Center. During the event, the consumer electronics retailer won numerous accolades that included "Retailer of the Year."

A RetailVision crowd, comprised of consumer electronics retailers and vendors, listens attentively to a keynote address. Keynote speeches ranged from broad retail industry trends to targeted niche subjects, such as how to promote extended warranties in the electronic consumer retail space.

Kicking off the event, Tim Herbert, senior director of market research for the Consumer Electronics Association, informs a RetailVision crowd about numerous trends to watch in the consumer electronics space. Retailers will likely have to become more innovative and flexible, he said, as the economy softens and as consumers gravitate toward the Internet while considering an array of non-traditional vendors for their electronics.

RetailVision attendees pour out of the ballroom after a keynote. Now it's onto boardroom appointments, networking and perhaps some free ice cream on the trade show floor. Yum.

Everything Channel News Editor Steve Burke poses with Nokia's Robert Pignataro who was awarded "Executive of the Year" following the Nokia keynote speech.

Beth Montemurro from the Neat Company shows off Neat's hot new portable scanner on the trade showroom floor. During the three-day conference, attendees were treated to a dizzying amount of new technologies and innovative gadgets from brick and mortar, click and mortar and direct vendors.

After a full day of one-on-one appointments, board room meetings and networking functions, this pooped out monkey from Plumchoice had to catch up on his R &R. If attendees didn't have time to put on shades and lounge in the San Diego sun during the conference, at least the monkey did.

It was a little like unleashing a bunch of kids in a toy store. Jose Valladarez from RSPA holds up a digital picture frame, one of the many hot new products attendees got to see, touch and experience on the RetailVision trade show floor. And really, what better way to force people to see scads of baby and Little League game pictures you took?

At the Spot booth, Luis Diaz holds up a brand new personal tracking device. Following with current trends, GPS was one of the hottest product genres at the show.

Which one? There are so many! Decisions, decisions. I'm looking for a phone that calls in sick to work for me with 10 new excuses on voice command.



At the Nokia booth, Iza Perez (right) demonstrates Nokia's cool smartphones and other products to Michael Eid from J&R Music and Computer World.

Following the Test Center recommended awards and Best of RetailVision awards gala dinner the final night of the event, attendees boogied to classics while gulping down cocktails at the after party sponsored by Ingram Micro. After three days of keynotes, boardroom meetings and lots of hand shaking, it was definitely a night to let loose.

CPG/Woot, raises their snow globe trophies to pose for a picture after accepting yet another award during the Best of RetailVision awards gala. Altogether, the newly-partnered companies accepted three honors, which meant a lot of photographs.

As the night progressed and the drinks flowed, well, so did the dancing. RetailVision attendees kicked up their heels during the Ingram Micro sponsored after party with funky chicken, mashed potato and Macarena. Some comments overheard by ChannelWeb included "I hope this doesn't end up on the Internet."