In 2021, NRF was a virtual experience (remember that?!).

 In 2022, we were ready to slowly come back to trade shows, and though the crowd at NRF was smaller, everyone was hungry to shake hands (from a social distance, of course) after over two years of social distancing. In 2023, everyone said NRF was “back.”

It’s 2024, and NRF is bigger and better. This year?! It’s BUZZING. The show floor is more vibrant and loud and colorful than we can ever remember. The conversations are on fire. The most popular featured talk tracks have lines out the door, people sitting on the floor when there aren’t any seats available…. And the craziest part?! It’s only Sunday.

Let’s cover some of the top highlights from Day 1 of NRF 2024- we know this is going to be one for the books!

Zipline is the Retailer’s Favorite

The Vendors in Partnership (VIP) Awards are an industry celebration for the solution providers that are powering the retail ecosystem. We’re so excited, honored, and proud to share that we’re the Retailer’s Favorite!

This award is for the retail partner that is always there, in good times and bad, AND no drama, no friction.

At Zipline, our goal is to make our customers’ lives easier – and that shows up in our current net promoter score of 88 (which is unheard of in enterprise software!) or in the fact that we’ve retained 98% of our customers. So, why do our customers wish all of their partners were like Zipline?

We’ve built a solution that meets the needs of our users, solving customer pain points in terms of features, ease of use, and access to support. relies on strong customer relationships, built through support, for field buy-in and product feedback.

Our customers have plenty of opportunities to give us feedback, whether that’s through post-implementation surveys, regular calls with an Account Manager, or product beta programs. We take this feedback – along with our decades of retail expertise – to build a robust product roadmap full of cutting-edge feature enhancements. Zipline customers see improvements to the platform every six weeks. This unwavering reliability means our customers see us not just as a service provider, but as a partner.

After all, we have the best customers, and they deserve the best support.

Thank you SO much to everyone who made this possible. 

AI, everywhere you look

At NRF, everyone is trying to determine the best way to put AI in retail! “We’re leaning in, we’re investing, we’re learning, we’re experimenting. It’s not just a capability opportunity either. It’s a culture opportunity,” says Adrian Mitchell

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Macy’s, Inc. “At the end of the day, when we think about the way that human capital and technology intersect, how can we make these in sync? Are there things we do every day that we can automate and simply do better? It can make this simpler, help you execute better, make better decisions. You’ve got to invest a little bit to learn. There’s so much more to learn on so many different dimensions.”

Retailers everywhere are starting to scratch the surface of how AI can make retail teams more efficient. Zipline is currently beta-testing this capability with a select group of leading retailers, and the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. 

This brand-new feature is the latest way Zipline can empower every store team member by providing invaluable, in-the-moment AI-driven support.  Meet“Zippy:” Zipline’s conversational AI companion for frontline teams

Zippy is the frontline workers’ new go-to AI companion for every shift! Think of it as having a super-smark coworker right there with you, ready to give quick, reliable answers about policies, promotions, and products. Plus, it’s tailored to each person’s role and location, so the info you get is super relevant and helpful.

“What is the next best task for an associate in stores? Retailers are experts at building sophisticated processes and building data science, and now we’re adding AI on top of it,” says Yael Cosset, Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Senior Vice President (SVP) at The Kroger Co. “Rather than optimizing data sequencing, how do we help associates prioritize in the most impactful way. When it comes to tackling challenges in brick and mortar, how do your teams know what’s available, what’s on shelves, and how to best be there for customers?

Learn more about how your stores’ new AI companion can improve in-store execution, and increase time savings with personalized responses.

Goldilocks and the Three Retail Approaches

“Working with technology partners is crucial to generate the results we’re looking to generate,” says Marissa Jarratt, EVP, Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer at  7-Eleven Inc. “Technology innovation is not slowing down! How can we overcome perennial problems by working together? It starts with trust and clarity, agile collaboration is more important than ever.”

“Goldilocks and the three retailers,” says Dayna Quanbeck, COO and CFO of Rothy‘s. “One has too many stores, one is trying to make it online. And there is one in the middle that is balancing both and therefore can reach customers where they are and when they are there, and those are the retailers that will make it in the long run”

We’re seeing a definitive shift in how financial leaders are rallying teams around goals for profitability, and a renewed focus on innovation and technology that will balance short and long-term growth priorities.

“Some things have sure returns attached to them. And sometimes you have to make a bet and go with your gut,” says Dayna. “And if it doesn’t go like you expect, you’ve got to be agile and nimble.”

We reTAILGATED

Choosing between the NRF and the NFL is a thing of the past! We enjoyed Sunday afternoon Wild Card games with Legion, our partner, to host a reTAILGATE party! 

Just like winning teams on the football field, Legion and Zipline work together to provide labor optimization and superior employee engagement, all wrapped up in an easy-to-use interface that frontline workers love. Now that’s something worth cheering for!  🏈

Coming up tomorrow…

Grab a New York bagel from the famous Tompkins Square Bagels – toasted and schmeared to your liking at booth #5157

A conversation about AI that you *actually* want to hear

AI is making headline news, but with all of the buzz, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Join us as Melissa Wong, CEO and Co-founder of Zipline, and Sanish Mondkar, CEO and founder of Legion, share important truths about the impact of AI on Retail teams and dispel some prevailing myths. 

Hear some Big Ideas by American Eagle

Come to our Big Ideas Session, where Marc Lambo, VP Associate Experience & Customer Care at AEO will share how he’s helped create a resilient brand culture, ensuring every team member is aligned with the brand’s core values.

Zipline is how retailers bring brand strategies to life in stores – combining frontline communications, task management, resources, insights, and more to #KeepTodayOnTrack. 

Book a meeting with Zipline at NRF to learn more!

👋 See you at Booth 5157!