Selfcare Summit 2019: GMDC Reimagines the Retail Experience for Today’s Wellness-Savvy Shoppers
February 12, 2019
GMDC launches Selfcare Summit to educate industry leaders about the
next disruptive consumer trend to revolutionize brick-and-mortar stores
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/GMDC?src=hash” target=”_blank”gt;#GMDClt;/agt;–Leading retail industry trade association Global
Market Development Center (GMDC) has announced it is launching a new
business development and educational event focused on the
consumerization of healthcare and its impact on the future of retail:
the Selfcare Summit. Taking place Oct. 3–7, 2019, at the JW Marriott in
Indianapolis, the summit will replace GMDC’s annual Health Beauty
Wellness Conference (HBW) in order to address the industry’s evolving
needs and new milestones that will transform the retail outlook into the
future.
In response to the unprecedented evolution around e-commerce and the
migration of core products from physical stores, the Selfcare Summit
focuses on helping industry experts address the shift in power from
retailers to consumers as well as leading businesses to untapped
markets. With the rise of healthcare costs driving new consumer habits
and buying patterns, research shows consumers are now opting to control
their lifestyle in part by seeking health and wellness solutions within
retail, with a concerted focus in grocery, drug and mass.
The launch of Selfcare Summit 2019 coincides with GMDC’s 50th
anniversary and represents its evolving focus from connecting suppliers
and retailers to fostering uncommon partnerships between retailers,
suppliers, technology innovators, market disruptors, healthcare leaders,
clinicians and nutrition experts, among others, to create more
opportunities for consumers to access the wellness-oriented products and
services they demand.
“Selfcare is a holistic lifestyle approach inspiring consumers to
embrace proactive care through investment in wellness methods focused on
food, movement, daily routines, work, relationships and better-for-you
living conditions,” said Patrick Spear, president and CEO of GMDC. “For
today’s consumer, selfcare is as much about information as it is about
products and services. Our unique research indicates consumers are
increasingly looking to retailers to guide their selfcare practices. The
result of listening to our members and uncovering new consumer behavior
trends through our Education Leadership Council and our Retail
Tomorrow platform, the Selfcare Summit is further proof of GMDC’s
commitment to innovation, reversing current retail trends and creating
sustainable growth.”
The Selfcare Summit will feature three days of learning tracks aimed at
educating attendees on the rise of the shopper and how to evolve from
their product-centric past to delivering value in ways that are relevant
to today’s consumers. Participants will explore such topics as “Selfcare
and The Store of the Future,” “The Shopper’s Roadmap to Selfcare” and
“Understanding Selfcare: Prevention, Maintenance and Recovery.”
The event will incorporate legacy portions of the former HBW Conference
that facilitate face-to-face meetings between retailers and suppliers.
It will also introduce industry-first offerings such as “Mic-Drop Quick
Pitches” during which new companies and innovators will present to an
audience of retailers and consumer panels. Each panel will have the
opportunity to score the products or services, providing real-time
ratings and insights.
“GMDC is uniquely positioned to lead the $100 billion selfcare
revolution within brick-and-mortar and online retail because we’re
member-driven by some of the highest-performing health, beauty and
wellness companies in North America,” said GMDC Board Chair Tim Buskey
of Intuity Medical, Inc. “Selfcare Summit 2019 bridges the gap between
industry experts and influencers so that they can stay ahead of the
unprecedented shifts in retail as consumers take back control of their
personal wellness journey.”
GMDC is also pleased to announce it has partnered with healthcare
strategic advisory firm Health:Further
to provide programming at the event. Health:Further will bring its
unique background of industry insight and connections with the
healthcare innovation ecosystem to the Selfcare Summit and will produce
a learning track focused on accelerating innovation and building
long-term partnerships that integrate healthcare solutions into existing
retail models.
For more information about Selfcare Summit 2019, please visit www.gmdc.org/conferences/selfcare-summit-2019.
About GMDC
Global Market Development Center (GMDC) energizes members and the
marketplace by advancing a culture of
Connect-Collaborate-Create-Commerce. As the leading General Merchandise
and Health Beauty Wellness trade association, GMDC is dedicated to
serving its ecosystem of more than 600 GM and HBW retailers,
wholesalers, suppliers and service/solution member companies by enabling
consumer-facing innovation and retail reimagined. GMDC’s combined member
volume represents more than 125,000 retail outlets and more than $500
billion in sales. To learn more, visit gmdc.org.
About Health:Further
Health:Further is a strategic advisory firm serving health care
providers, payers, large retailers, enterprise technology companies,
emerging innovators, and governments with innovation in healthcare
business models and care delivery. Health:Further is a division of
Briovation – a healthcare innovation catalyst company, specializing in
venture capital and strategic partnerships.
Contacts
Andy Boian
dovetail solutions for GMDC
720.221.9211 office
303.868.0085
cell
aboian@dovetailsolutions.com