FAQs
General • Speakers • Exhibitors/Sponsors
General FAQs:
Where and when is the IDEA E-Biz Forum 2011?
The 2011 Forum will be held in St. Louis, MO on September 26-28, 2011.
What is the expected attendance?
Expected attendance is between 175-200 people.
What is the dress code?
Business casual attire is recommended for attendees and business professional attire is required for presenters.
What is included in my registration fee?
Your registration fee includes access to all conference activities, scheduled meals, social functions and conference program materials.
Do you have daily rates?
No. Our standard registration fee includes access to the Tech Fair and Welcome Reception and 1.5 days of educational and training sessions.
What is the profile of the typical attendee?
The Forum has evolved into an essential training and educational event for everyone who takes advantage of IDEA’s business-to-business solutions and professional services. Our attendees include top level executives from the electrical supply chain and other related verticals including retail. This is your chance to connect and interact with C-level executives, mid-managers, eBusiness professionals and front line IT staff. Here is the profile breakdown:
- Manufacturers – 35%
- Distributors – 30%
- Service Providers – 25%
- Association guests/media – 10%
Of which are:
- 33% eBusiness/EDI
- 20% Senior Executives
- 15% IT Professionals
- 12% Sales/Marketing
- 20% Other - job functions including data sync, operations, pricing and product managers
Are there group discounts or other specials? Yes.
- Register early and save $75! Early bird rate: $525, Regular rate: $600
- Buy two registrations and get the third half-off! (all registrants must be from the same company)
- New customers (joined IDEA after September 1, 2010) get one free registration.
- Get travel discounts and promotions on the Location page
Can I make a registration substitution?
Yes. Registration substitutes are welcome at any time. Please email with substitutions. Be sure to include the initial registrant’s name and email along with the replacement registrant’s full name, email, title, phone number and mailing address.
What is your cancellation policy?
Requests for cancellations must be made in writing. There is a $50 cancelation processing fee per registration. From July 25 to August 26, 2011, 75% of fee paid will be refunded. After August 26, 2011, no refund will be given. Substitutes are welcome at any time.
What manufacturers can I expect to meet?
Some examples of manufacturers who typically send company representatives include: Rockwell, Siemens, Eaton, General Electric, OSRAM SYLVANIA, Inc., ILSCO, Panduit Corp., Hubbell, Inc., Thomas & Betts and Philips Electronics.
What distributors can I expect to meet?
Some examples of distributors who typically send company representatives include: Rexel, WESCO, Graybar, Crescent Electric Supply, Border States Electric, Platt Electric Supply, McNaughton McKay Electric Co., North Coast Electric, Van Meter Industrial and Wabash Electric.
Is my company eligible for the Richard Buzun Award for Leadership and Innovation in eCommerce?
All manufacturers and distributors in the electrical supply chain are eligible for the Forum’s prestigious eCommerce award. You may nominate your company online using our online nomination form and indicate who we may contact to conduct an in-depth interview about your company's past, current and future eCommerce efforts and accomplishments. A panel of judges will review all interview results, and winners will be notified prior to the Forum.
Speaker FAQs:
How do I become a speaker?
If you are interested in speaking, please review the agenda topics below and submit a topic title and a 1-2 paragraph abstract in English that includes your presentation summary and objectives to .
Exclusive opportunity for exhibitors and sponsors - This year IDEA will again offer four lunch educational sessions. Available exclusively to exhibitors and sponsors, these limited speaking opportunites are designed to give you more time to share your eBusiness expertise with an attentive audience of influential professionals in the electrical supply chain and other related verticals including retail. After your exhibit booth or sponsorship is secured, you can email your speaking abstract to to qualify. Hurry… spots will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.
Seminar presentations should be approximately 45 minutes long. The Forum committee will carefully review all abstracts.
As a speaker, do I need to register?
To ensure we have your correct contact information, we ask that all speakers register with the individual registration form and check the “pay by check” option so no payment is required. Online registration will open spring 2011.
What are some recommended topics for 2011?
This year’s theme is “Gateway to Change: Shift Ideas to Results" Here are some topics requested by 2010 attendees:
- Integrating social media into your business strategy; engaging the next generation of employees and customers
- Success stories/examples of how distributors are utilizing and leveraging manufacturer product information including catalog/marketing data and attributes
- Manufacturer best practices for maintaining brand loyalty across various sales channels
- Trading partner relationships that work – how manufacturers and distributors are working together to meet shared goals and objectives
- Organizational solutions for adopting and implementing the Electrical Attribute Schema from distributor and manufacturer perspectives
- Utilizing eCommerce to accomplish green and sustainability alternatives for your business; how to prepare your data for building information modeling (BIM)
- Best practices on how to build and maintain relationships with retailers (e.g. Walmart, Lowe’s, Wegmans)
Please keep presentations focused on best practices and “how-to” so that attendees receive the maximum benefits that can be directly applied in their business.
Sponsor/Exhibitor FAQs:
As a sponsor/exhibitor, how do I register my complimentary attendees?
If your company receives a complimentary registration(s), register your attendees with our individual registration form select exhibitor or sponsor and check the “pay by check” option so no payment is required. Online registration will open April 2011.
What is the Tech Center?
The Tech Center is a mini-tradeshow where technology companies can demonstrate their products and meet 1-on-1 with prospective customers. All breakfasts, lunches, and breaks are held in the Tech Center as well as our Welcome Reception. This year the Tech Center will open the evening of September 26th and will close the evening of September 27st.
What types of exhibitors will be in attendance?
Our exhibitors provide products and services that can help companies in the electrical supply chain and other related verticals cut costs and increase profits through business process automation. Some specific areas of focus for past exhibitors include: data management & solutions, product information management, cataloging, B2B & eCommerce solutions, cash flow and billing, and supply chain performance and sales.
Some past exhibitors include: LG CNS Global, BlueVolt, Stibo Catalog, BillTrust, Datalliance, Computer Pundits, Infor, Sterling Commerce, SMP, Activant Solutions, Faxinating Solutions, DATAgility, Lawson Software, Diamond Mind, epaCUBE, Unilog Content Solutions and SAP.
Can I purchase more than one exhibitor booth?
Yes. This year you have the option to purchase a maximum of two concurrent booths to create double the exposure for your company. Purchase two booths side-by-side and get $100 off your second one. Second booth – only $950 (one additional registration is included)
