Shop! Marketplace 2025: The Only North American Trade Event Focusing on the In-Store Experience

(PRESS RELEASE) MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Shop! Association, the global trade organization dedicated to building retail environments and enhancing the in-store experience, will bring the third annual Shop! MarketPlace trade show and conference to Charlotte, North Carolina, next April 8 – 10, 2025, in partnership with SmartWork Media.

Shop! MarketPlace, a boutique trade show focused on elevating the in-store experience, will offer retail design professionals and representatives from consumer-packaged goods companies three full days of inspiration, innovation and collaboration, as well as product sourcing from industry leading vendors and service providers.

The three-day program provides an immersive platform for retailers, brands, design firms, consultants, manufacturers and suppliers to gain valuable insights and build strategic partnerships through learning and interactive networking opportunities.

“We are excited to bring Shop! MarketPlace to Charlotte, North Carolina next spring, a perfect place to host this unique event” says Murray Kasmenn, Executive Director of the Shop! Association. “Shop! MarketPlace is the only North American trade show exclusively focused on the in-store experience. MarketPlace offers retail professionals from every sector of the industry a chance to come together face-to-face. It’s a must-attend opportunity for anyone wanting to experience where the future of retail is headed, as well as to keep a pulse on the latest trends and to source new innovations for upcoming projects.”

The agenda will feature educational sessions, immersive show floor experiences, interactive networking and a chance to celebrate industry greats:

• Networking Opportunities: Connect with retail creators, decision makers and potential partners from across the country on and off the show floor during receptions, offsite inspiration tours, Shop! Awards Gala and other exciting networking events and parties.
• Inspirational Exhibits: Discover the latest products and services that are helping to shape the future of retail across 15,000+ square feet of exhibit space.
• Immersive Experiences: Check out interactive Experiential Zones that boost your creativity and leave you inspired.
• Educational Keynotes and Power Presentations: Industry experts will take the stage for keynote sessions, panel discussions and 20-minute Smart! Talks covering emerging retail trends.
• Industry Celebrations: All Attendees are encouraged to come together to network and celebrate industry greats during the Shop! Awards Gala where the winners of the 67th annual Outstanding Merchandising Achievement (OMA) Awards & Global Awards will be honored. The OMA Award is the Marketing at Retail Industry’s most prestigious, largest and longest-running awards contest. New for this year’s gala, we will also honor the winners of Shop’s 2025 Design Awards.

Registration will open later this fall. Be the first to know when registration is live and subscribe to program updates by joining the MarketPlace Insider list here.

To learn more about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, download the 2025 Exhibitor Prospectus here.

About Shop! Association

Shop! Association is a global trade association dedicated to building retail environments and promoting retail brands and merchandise. The association brings value to the global retail marketplace through its industry leadership, research programs, certifications, education and networking events. The OMA Awards are owned by Shop! Association, and are part of the Shop! Awards program which also includes the Shop! Design Awards and Shop! Global Awards.

About SmartWork Media

SmartWork Media is dedicated to the idea that business media should strive to inform, excite and inspire business readers, and that a good business magazine can (and should) have the energy and compulsive readability of a top consumer publication. The company publishes INSTORE, INVISION, PETS+, VMSD, Signs of the Times, Big Picture and Screen Printing, as well as its respective websites and events — The INSTORE Show, the International Retail Design Conference (IRDC), Shop! MarketPlace, Shop! Ideation & Retail Challenge and the Garden Center Show. Learn more at smartworkmedia.com.