eTail Asia 2026 set to converge APAC’s retail leaders as commerce landscape evolves
As the Asian retail sector braces for another year of rapid disruption, eTail Asia 2026—returning on 24–25 March 2026 at the Equarius Hotel, Resorts World Sentosa—aims to provide a steady compass for an industry where the rules are being rewritten every quarter.
This year’s edition brings together more than 100 speakers across two days, uniting C-suite leaders, brand innovators, eCommerce strategists and technology partners to confront the forces reshaping digital retail across the region.
Against a backdrop of platform volatility, supply-chain uncertainty, rising customer acquisition costs, and the accelerating influence of AI on discovery and decision-making, eTail Asia 2026 will explore how retailers can rebuild resilience while capturing new growth opportunities.
Day 1, March 24, 2026: Navigating a retail reality in constant motion
The opening day, themed “Mastering Momentum in APAC’s Fast-Moving Retail Reality,” focuses on how companies can stay agile as economic, technological and consumer forces continue to shift at speed. Panasonic’s CX Marketing Director Anton Smirnov sets the tone with a warning: the biggest threat for retailers is no longer a single disruptive trend, but the compounded acceleration of change across multiple fronts.
Forecasting for an unpredictable world
The morning plenary begins with senior leaders from Aditya Birla Fashion, HEINEKEN Vietnam, Panasonic and Moda Pacifica discussing new forecasting models that rely on real-time data, AI and scenario planning. With traditional models failing to keep pace, speakers will outline how retailers can plan in shorter cycles, build flexibility into operations and make decisions with greater confidence.
Another key session, a C-level chat featuring executives from PUMA, Samsung Asia (former), and The Ice Cream & Cookie Co., dives into the practical frameworks and team structures used by brands that successfully scaled from US$1 million to US$10 million and beyond.
The Rise of Adaptive Commerce and D2C 3.0
As AI-driven personalisation matures, eTail Asia will spotlight “Adaptive Commerce,” where retail journeys evolve in real time based on customer signals. Mastercard will lead a case study on smart, predictive experiences that merge offline and online behaviour into dynamic, highly responsive commerce flows.
Meanwhile, the D2C 3.0 panel explores how brands can reduce dependency on saturated marketplaces, reclaim margins, and prioritise owned channels. Leaders from Sari Suki, Panasonic, Haldy and Galderma will unpack pricing pressures, rising commissions and the urgency of building sustainable D2C ecosystems.
AI Across the Retail Value Chain
A series of sessions—led by New Aim, KrisShop, Dell Technologies and 2Stallions Digital Marketing Agency—go deep into AI deployment across product similarity modelling, API-first systems, and omnichannel personalisation. FairPrice Group’s Chief Customer Officer Karen Chan will share insights on AI as the new retail interface and the journey from first-party to third-party data intelligence.
Content, Livestreaming and Getting Found in an AI-First World
With discovery increasingly beginning on AI platforms rather than search engines, The Hour Glass will present new strategies for staying visible amid algorithmic shifts. Another highlight is the livestreaming panel featuring L’Oréal, Galderma, Metro, and TikTok Shop Singapore, which examines cost structures, fulfilment requirements and content frameworks that deliver consistent ROI.
Afternoon Tracks: Marketing, Expansion, AI Readiness and Leadership Clinics
Day 1’s track sessions provide practical, small-group learning:
- Marketing & Measurement: Panels on filtering through metrics overload and redefining media mixes.
- Global Expansion: eBay, Love, Bonito and Castlery share strategies for entering Western markets.
- Creative Boardrooms: Hands-on GenAI readiness workshops led by Singapore Management University experts and industry practitioners.
- Leadership Clinics: Senior leaders from PUMA and others guide participants through challenges such as premiumisation, pricing wars, and navigating luxury retail.
- No-Code Masterclass: A retailer-only session on building functional retail apps in under 60 minutes.
The first day concludes with a networking reception and “Roaming Magic” entertainment by event chair Aman Alhamid.
Day 2: Staying Relevant as Retail Reinvents Itself Every Quarter
Day 2 moves from agility to long-term relevance, opening with a high-energy panel on the future storefront. Leaders from JumpStart/NOD, Persona Theory Games, Minotaur PH and DFW Creative explore immersive, gamified digital experiences, spatial commerce, and the fusion of culture and AI.
Beyond GenAI Hype: Smarter Alternatives
Addressing growing “AI fatigue,” Amerinda Advisory will discuss why some organisations are pausing heavy GenAI investments in favour of machine learning, process automation and objective-first approaches that deliver measurable outcomes.
Retail Media, GEO and the New Discovery Funnel
FairPrice Group’s Bryan Choong presents a case study on building a powerful retail media network that enhances both brand performance and customer experience.
This is followed by a forward-looking keynote on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—a discipline focused on improving brand visibility within AI-driven search platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. As generative search replaces keyword-based queries, this topic is expected to be a major draw.
Data privacy sits at the centre of modern CRM strategy, and a panel featuring leaders from Masan Group, PropertyGuru and The Hour Glass will explore how to balance compliance with customer intelligence in a tightening regulatory environment.
Marketplace Revolution and the Rise of Niche Platforms
As Lazada and Shopee face growing competition from niche marketplaces, sessions featuring TEMU, Woolworths, Sharp Electronics and KrisShop examine how brands can diversify their channel mix and unlock incremental growth.
Afternoon Tracks: Logistics, Attribution, Loyalty and Retail Media
Participants can choose from several in-depth tracks covering:
- Attribution in a Cookieless World
- Fulfilment and Marketplace Operations at Scale
- SuperApp Loyalty Design and Retail AI Strategy Workshops
- Influencer and KOL Activation Frameworks
- Retail Media and Compliance Trends
The day concludes with a VC panel on capital strategies for modern retail and the eTail Visionary session, where audience-selected themes guide the final discussion on APAC’s retail trajectory for the next five years.
On Target Media’s presence at eTail Asia 2026
Manoj Aravindakshan, founder & Director of On Target Media, an established digital marketing consulting agency specialising in search and content marketing, will be moderating three diverse sessions at eTail Asia.
One of these will be an all-star panel discussion on accelerating growth beyond Asia and successfully capturing large Western markets (US, Canada, UK) and other emerging markets to unlock new revenue streams. The panel will explore strategies for scaling brands and share practical insights on navigating market entry challenges, optimizing supply chains, localizing marketing, and unlocking new revenue streams in diverse geographies.
The panel will comprise of: Vidmay Naini, General Manager, Global Emerging Markets, Ebay; Eldrid Tan, Commercial Lead (Growth), Castlery; Maxime Bodin, VP of International Expansion, Love, Bonito and Kshitij Aggarwal, APJ E-commerce & Modernization Lead at Dell Technologies.
Manoj will also moderate a ‘Pioneers Stories’ session in a bid to explore the secret sauce of some pioneering companies on what sets them apart in their ability to grow, innovate and command loyalty even in volatile times. This discussion will feature Susan Keating, SVP Digital Commerce at YSE Beauty; Gavin Pathross, formerly Digital & Technology Director at HEINEKEN Vietnam, and Surmeet Sukhija, Regional Head of Marketing, Heinemann Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
Lastly, he will host a fire-side chat on a topic that is quite close to his heart: Paid versus organic marketing. The chat will focus on the impact of organic content in brand growth and why/how brands should avoid over-reliance on paid advertising. The fire-side chat will feature Ena Louise Quitain, Chief Operations Officer, DMD Skin Sciences and Susan Keating, SVP Digital Commerce, YSE Beauty.
A Summit Built for an Industry in Transition
With a packed agenda spanning forecasting, immersive commerce, AI deployment, fulfilment, marketplaces and customer engagement, eTail Asia 2026 is positioned to be one of the region’s most comprehensive retail strategy summits. As APAC brands navigate a world where uncertainty is constant, the event promises practical, real-world solutions designed to help retailers stay relevant, competitive and future-ready.
Physical Attributes
Length
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