Retail Workshop 2024: An unrivaled eventIntcomex continues to lead retail transformation, focusing on AI adoption this year

Miami, USA, August 23, 2024 - With over 150 in-person clients, around 30 participating brands, and a large virtual audience, Intcomex is once again setting the standard with its 19th Retail Workshop. This event remains the premier annual technology event in Latin America for the retail sector. The workshop facilitated around 500 business meetings, connections between leading regional retailers and top global manufacturers, with JBL as the main sponsor.

"What's coming up in the second half of 2024, besides AI and the cloud, is that devices are becoming sexy again and on-premise solutions are gaining relevance," said Nicolás Boffi, VP of Retail and Accessories at Intcomex. He also emphasized the need to "make AI easier for people to use. We're fortunate that brands like Microsoft - represented by Intcomex - are helping to simplify this message," highlighting AI adoption as a key focus for the company this year.

Nicolás Boffi also noted the transformative impact of AI PCs, expected to shake up the market this season. "All this surge will quickly lead to increased profitability and sales," he added during his talk at the event, which featured major brands including Microsoft, AMD, Intel, HP, Lenovo, Motorola, Starlink, Acer, Belkin, Epson, Forza, HyperX, Harman Kardon, Kaspersky, Klip Xtreme, Logitech, McAfee, Nexxt, Primus, Razer, Therabody, Wacom, Xiaomi, Xtech, Dell Technologies, and Amazon's Fire TV and Echo.

The primary goal of the RWS - held in early August at the luxurious Xcaret Arte hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico - was "to provide our clients and partners with insights into the technology distribution business for retailers in the coming months, and to highlight how we all play a crucial role in driving AI adoption. We needed to understand how the manufacturer, we - adding value - and the reseller - who delivers the product to the end customer - fit into this picture," said Bruno Durán, Regional Marketing Director at Intcomex. He also highlighted the innovative content showcased at the event, such as the introduction of the Starlink Mini, which aims to broaden access to satellite internet in the region.

The event featured three main speakers - Rodrigo Taramona, Digital Ambassador of the European Union; Alejandro Correa, Global Lead of AI and Data Science; and Roberto Butragueño, Retail Vertical Director Mexico at NielsenIQ. They shared their insights on how AI will affect the business in the medium and long term, focusing on consumer experiences and how AI can assist retailers with forecasting and inventory management.

Representatives from Microsoft, Intel, and AMD also presented practical solutions that will play a significant role in AI adoption, with Intcomex and retailers already at the forefront.

Regarding this year's RWS theme - accelerating AI adoption - Nicolás Boffi also discussed how Intcomex plans to drive this adoption in retail alongside industry partners. This effort will involve "education, messaging, and practical use," and he encouraged retailer representatives to think about "how to make AI feel more familiar to users" and ensure they have the right product assortment.