What Online Retailer does

Online Retailer Conference & Expo is Australia's largest dedicated ecommerce conference and expo, operated by RX Global (a division of RELX Inc.) through its Australian subsidiary RX Australia Pty Ltd, headquartered at Level 9, 201 Pacific Hwy, St Leonards NSW. The annual two-day event, held at ICC Sydney, brings together enterprise retailers, growing brands, small and medium businesses, and ecommerce solution providers for conference programming, exhibition, and networking. With a 15+ year operating history, the event draws approximately 3,800 attendees (target 4,000+ for 2026), 200+ speakers, and 150+ solution providers, supplemented by the Australia Post ORIAS awards program (19 categories) and the year-round Online Retailer 365 digital education platform.

The core product is the live conference and expo, structured around a multi-tiered attendee pass system (Show Floor Pass, B2B Ecommerce Unlocked Pass, All Access Pass) combined with exhibitor/sponsor fee tiers (Premier Industry Partner, Platinum, Silver, and track-specific sponsorships). Supporting the live event is a Digital Solutions suite for exhibitors, including Exhibitor Profile (online showroom), Lead Manager App (mobile lead capture with offline support), Colleqt QR Codes (paperless contact exchange), Lead Booster (pre-event email promotion to registered visitors), Exhibitor Dashboard (real-time analytics), and Benchmark Analytics (competitive performance tracking). The ORIAS awards gala and Online Retailer 365 content library extend monetisation beyond the two-day event window.

Revenue is generated primarily through exhibitor booth rentals and sponsorship packages, attendee ticket sales (Show Floor Pass free during earlybird; ORIAS single tickets at A$526.90 incl. GST and tables of 10 at A$4,552.90 incl. GST), digital solutions add-ons (Priority Profile, Priority Plus, Lead Booster), and a referral partnership with Ozaccom for discounted accommodation. Distribution is concentrated on direct website registration, supplemented by third-party ticketing via Leap Events for ORIAS. The event is positioned as the premier meeting place for the Australasian ecommerce industry and benefits from RX Global's broader infrastructure of approximately 350 events per year across 25 countries.

Name

Online Retailer

Legal name

RX Australia Pty Ltd

Website

https://onlineretailer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Online Retailer Conference & Expo is Australia's largest annual ecommerce conference and expo, operated by RX Global. It serves enterprise retailers, SMBs, and solution providers with 200+ speakers, 150+ exhibitors, and approximately 4,000 attendees at ICC Sydney.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Events and Conferences

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers (THAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA), Virtual Trade Shows & Expos (Digital Booths, Lead Capture) (MPAGAOAB)

Keywords

• Ecommerce conferences
• Retail expos
• Trade shows
• Digital events
• Industry awards programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor/Sponsor Fees: Revenue generated from companies renting exhibition space and sponsoring various event features. Sponsorship tiers include Premier Industry Partner, Platinum, Silver, and various track-specific sponsorships.
2. Event Tickets: Revenue from selling attendee passes including Show Floor Pass (free during earlybird), B2B Ecommerce Unlocked Pass, and Premium All Access Pass. ORIAS awards tickets priced at $526.90 single or $4,552.90 for table of 10.
3. Digital Solutions Add-ons: Additional revenue from Priority Profile upgrades, Priority Plus Profiles, and Lead Booster offers that boost exhibitor visibility and lead generation.
4. Accommodation Booking Services: Partnership with Ozaccom providing discounted accommodation rates with exclusive negotiated pricing for event attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Online Retailer organizes Australia's largest ecommerce conference and expo, an annual two-day B2B event held at ICC Sydney that brings together retailers, brands, and solution providers for conferences, exhibitions, networking, and awards. The core offering combines the live conference and expo with supporting digital tools (Online Retailer 365 on-demand education, exhibitor digital solutions including Lead Manager App and Colleqt QR Codes) and the Australia Post ORIAS awards program recognizing ecommerce excellence across 19 categories.

Product overview

Online Retailer Conference & Expo operates as a unified event platform offering multiple integrated components. The core offering is the annual two-day conference and expo (22-23 July 2026 at ICC Sydney) featuring 200+ speakers, 150+ solution providers, and 3800+ attendees. Supporting the live event are digital exhibitor tools including Exhibitor Profile (online showroom), Lead Manager App (formerly Emperia) for mobile lead capture, Colleqt QR Codes for paperless lead exchange, Lead Booster for promotional offers, Exhibitor Dashboard for real-time analytics, and Benchmark Analytics for competitive performance tracking. Year-round engagement is maintained through Online Retailer 365 (on-demand education platform) and the Australia Post ORIAS awards program. Visitor access is provided through tiered passes: Show Floor Pass (expo and workshops), B2B Ecommerce Unlocked Pass (specialized B2B content), and All Access Pass (full conference access with premium tracks).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Retailer Conference & Expo Australia's largest ecommerce conference and expo: a two-day annual event at ICC Sydney bringing together enterprise retailers, growing brands, SMBs, and ecommerce innovators for learning, networking, and business development with 200+ speakers and 150+ solution providers.
• Australia Post ORIAS (Online Retail Industry Awards) The premier ecommerce industry awards in Australia, celebrating excellence across 19 categories (e.g., Small Business Innovation, Sustainability Impact, Best Multichannel Retailer, Best Online Fashion Retailer, B2B Ecommerce Excellence), plus a Hall of Fame for sustained excellence. The program concludes with an awards gala evening with ticketed attendance.
• Online Retailer 365 A year-round digital education platform providing on-demand access to speaker presentations, podcast recordings, and conference content from previous Online Retailer events.
• Business Builder (Digital Solutions package for exhibitors) An integrated set of digital services for exhibitors comprising an Exhibitor Profile (online showroom), Lead Manager (including the Lead Manager App), and an Exhibitor Dashboard with real-time analytics for tracking profile views, leads, and visitor engagement, including matchmaking recommendations.
• Lead Manager App Mobile application enabling exhibitors to scan visitor badges, capture contacts, qualify leads on-the-go with offline support, share brochures digitally, and sync automatically.
• Colleqt QR Codes A QR code-based lead capture system where visitors scan exhibitor QR codes to receive business information in exchange for their contact details, enabling paperless lead collection.
• Lead Booster Promotional email tool that allows exhibitors to send offers to all registered visitors before and during the event to generate qualified leads and drive booth traffic.
• Benchmark Analytics Performance dashboard that tracks multiple market signals to benchmark an exhibitor's performance against competitors across product categories and regions, uncovering visitor behavior patterns and engagement opportunities.
• Show Floor Pass Entry-level visitor pass for retail attendees that provides curated access to the expo floor, keynotes, and show floor stages including Tech Talks, AI Workshop, SMB Stage, and Next Gen Skills Stage.
• B2B Ecommerce Unlocked Pass Specialized pass for B2B ecommerce professionals that delivers access to dedicated B2B acceleration and transformation conference streams, networking opportunities, and curated sessions.
• All Access Pass Premium conference pass offering complete access including 12 premium tracks, keynote theatre sessions, delegate catering, and all benefits of the B2B Ecommerce Unlocked and Show Floor passes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% Exhibitor Satisfaction Rating
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• RX GlobalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRX Global is the organizing company behind Online Retailer. RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses. With presence in 25 countries across 41 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is part of RELX, serving clients in 180+ countries with over 33,000 employees.
• Australia PostflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAustralia Post is the Exclusive Event Partner and Premier Industry Partner for ORIAS awards. They sponsor the Small Business Innovation Award, Sustainability Impact Award, and Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award categories as part of the Australia Post Impact Awards.
• OzaccomcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial accommodation partner providing exclusive discounted rates for Online Retailer attendees. Ozaccom+ handles accommodation bookings through their dedicated event portal with support available via phone and email.
• ICC SydneycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial venue partner located in the heart of Darling Harbour, Sydney. ICC Sydney provides state-of-the-art conference and exhibition facilities with comprehensive accessibility features including wheelchair access, hearing augmentation systems, and service animal accommodations.
• NORA Network x InvencocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPodcast partnership featuring industry discussions and event coverage. The NORA X Invenco Podcast Zone on the show floor offers unfiltered insights into trends shaping Australian retail, hosted by industry titans Mal Chia and Paul Waddy.
• Thread TogetherminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership for the 'Good Sorts' volunteer network event alongside Add to Cart, supporting retail community engagement and social impact.
• KlaviyocoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading solution provider exhibiting at Online Retailer with expertise in email marketing and customer engagement platforms for ecommerce brands.
• Global-ecoreTechnology or IntegrationCross-border ecommerce solutions provider helping retailers expand internationally with localized checkout, duties, and shipping solutions.
• BigCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationEnterprise ecommerce platform partner providing B2B and D2C solutions for retailers, featured in B2B commerce content sessions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Web Summit: One of the world's largest tech conferences, with content tracks covering ecommerce, retail, and martech. A broader incumbent that overlaps on the digital commerce audience and exhibitor ecosystem, though not ecommerce-exclusive.
• NRF Big Show (National Retail Federation): The largest US/annual retail industry convention run by the National Retail Federation. Overlaps in audience (retail executives) and exhibitor base but is a broader retail expo vs. Online Retailer's narrower ecommerce focus.

Direct peers

• InternetRetailing: UK-based research, events, and awards company running the InternetRetailing Awards and related ecommerce conferences. Direct comparable in terms of combining events with a year-round awards/research brand serving online retailers.
• Shoptalk: Premier US ecommerce and retail conference with a similar model — large annual expo + multi-track conference, 200+ speakers, and a focus on connecting retailers with solution providers. Closest direct equivalent in scale and structure outside of Australia.
• CommerceNext: US ecommerce conference focused on direct-to-consumer brands, marketing leaders, and ecommerce innovation. Mirrors Online Retailer's vertical focus on ecommerce growth, customer experience, and emerging tech, although smaller in scale.
• Ecommerce Expo (UK): Annual UK expo and conference dedicated to ecommerce technology, platforms, and operations. Similar format (expo + tracks + solution providers) targeting ecommerce teams; primarily serves UK rather than Australian retailers.
• eTail (Sailthru/WGSN): Long-running US ecommerce conference series with historical APAC editions. Competes for the same retail marketing and ecommerce professional audience and shares the B2B ecommerce/personalization content angle.
• K5 Conference: Major German ecommerce conference and expo featuring leading European retailers and solution providers. Mirrors Online Retailer's event-driven model around ecommerce thought leadership and solution-provider matchmaking.

Others

• DMEXCO: Leading European digital marketing and technology expo. Adjacent rather than direct — DMEXCO focuses on digital advertising/tech rather than ecommerce retail, but the exhibitor base and digital marketing audience partially overlap with Online Retailer's vendor mix.

Regional players

• RetailEXPO: UK retail and ecommerce expo covering omnichannel, payments, and store technology. Same retail-tech exhibitor base and audience structure as Online Retailer but geographically focused on the UK market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OnlineRetailerAUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/online-retailer-conference-expo
• Instagraminstagram.com/onlineretailer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Online Retailer