Ecommerce Camp Birmingham 2025
After the incredible success of our previous events in Manchester, Chester, and Birmingham, we’re thrilled to bring Ecommerce Camp Birmingham 2025!
This event is designed for ecommerce innovators, business leaders, and digital enthusiasts eager to explore the latest trends, strategies, and tools that will drive success in 2025 and beyond.
Whether you’re looking to boost your online sales, refine your customer experience, or connect with industry experts, Ecommerce Camp Birmingham is where it all happens.
Key Highlights:
- 6 industry-led sessions sharing exclusive insights
- 2 fireside chats for Q&A with top ecommerce professionals
- Networking with fellow ecommerce business owners
- Practical, actionable strategies for scaling your brand
Date & Venue:
→ Fri, 9 May 2025 09:00 – 17:00 BST
→ Park Regis Birmingham, 160 Broad Street Birmingham B15 1DT
Event Sponsors
Reviews & Email Marketing Sponsor → Yotpo
Yotpo is a leading eCommerce retention marketing platform that empowers brands to maximize customer lifetime value through integrated solutions for reviews, visual user-generated content, loyalty programs, referrals, SMS marketing, email, and subscriptions.
Hosting Sponsor → Corefinity
Corefinity provides high-performance, fully managed cloud hosting solutions for e-commerce platforms like Magento and Shopware, leveraging top cloud providers such as AWS, GCP, and Azure. With focus on security, scalability, and 24/7 support, Corefinity ensures reliable and optimized hosting for mission-critical applications.
Security Sponsor → Sansec
Sansec is a leading expert in eCommerce security, helping Magento and Adobe Commerce merchants avoid cyber threats. Trusted by global brands, forensic investigators, and law enforcement, Sansec provides cutting-edge technology to protect against hacks, ensuring secure online transactions and data integrity.
Ecommerce Camp Birmingham Agenda
NOTE: The final schedule will change closer to the event date.
09:00 – 09:45
Registration and morning coffee
Enjoy your morning talking to other business owners. Grab a coffee and relax.
09:45 – 10:00
Welcome and introduction to Ecommerce Camp Birmingham
10:00 – 10:30 | SESSION
Using YouTube for Business Growth: How to Create, Engage, and Entertain Your Audience
Jonathan Shone
Managing Director | Shadow Foam
Jonathan has led the company since its founding in 2012. With an engineering background and leadership experience at Ornua and Morrisons, he drives operational strategy, ensuring efficiency and scalability.
Starting from zero subscribers and promoting one of the least “sexy” products, Jonathan launched a YouTube channel and grew it to 150K subscribers.
Jonathan will share his journey—from the very beginning to leveraging AI and multiple languages for massive growth.
Come and learn how to:
- Find ideas for new video content;
- Produce videos without being a professional editor;
- Create a content plan and maintain consistent audience engagement;
- Use YouTube for SEO;
- Repurpose content across social media and achieve 11M views and 1.1M likes on TikTok.
10:30 – 11:00 | SESSION
Instore experiences and ecommerce: omnichannel retailing in 2025
Robert Simpson
Retail & Operations Director | guitarguitar
Robert oversees retail and operations at guitarguitar, the UK’s largest guitar retailer, attracting 1.1 M website visitors. He manages 6 retail stores across the UK, leading operations, branch management, and the ecommerce team to drive growth and enhance customer experience.
“Buying a guitar isn’t just a transaction—it’s an experience. At guitarguitar, the UK’s biggest guitar retailer, we see it all the time: a customer falls in love with a guitar in-store but buys it online that night. Or they spend hours researching online, then walk in knowing exactly what they want—or at least what they think they want!
The lines between in-store and e-commerce aren’t just blurring—they’re disappearing. In 2025, the retailers who get this right will win big—whether they’re new to retail, looking to expand into physical stores, or already experienced in the space.
Join me to discover:
- 🔥 How immersive in-store experiences drive online conversions (and vice versa);
- 🔥 What customers really expect from omnichannel shopping (hint: it’s more than just a slick website);
- 🔥 The must-have tactics, tools, and touchpoints to create seamless shopping journeys;
If you want to turn browsers into buyers—wherever they are—this is the session for you.”
11:00 – 11:30
Networking Coffee Break & Expert Tables
Recharge with a coffee break and engage with industry experts at dedicated tables for insightful discussions and personalised advice.
11:30 – 12:00 | SESSION
Expanding Beyond Borders: Strategies for International Sales Growth
Richard Tanner
Executive Chairman | Outdoor 365 Group
Richard acquired Outdoor365 group ten years ago then started Farrar-tanner a couple of years later and has since grown F&T to £7 million turnover, including over £2 million of international sales.
Starting from a local market and expanding into international sales, Richard has successfully navigated the complexities of global business growth.
Richard will share his journey — from tackling market entry challenges to leveraging the right platforms and tools for seamless international expansion.
Come and learn how to:
- ✅ Identify the best markets for expansion and tailor your sales approach;
- ✅ Overcome common barriers to international sales, including regulations and logistics;
- ✅ Utilise digital platforms and technology to streamline global operations;
- ✅ Build a scalable strategy for long-term success in diverse markets;
- ✅ Leverage marketing tactics that drive engagement and sales across borders.
If you’re looking to take your business beyond borders or optimise your global sales strategy, this session is a must-attend!
12:00 – 13:00 | SESSION
Workshop Session #1
Want to have a chat with speakers? Need personalized feedback about your business?
We are the only event that makes it happen for you!
Join our interactive roundtable workshop sessions, where you’ll participate in six focused discussions with industry-leading speakers and experts.
Each session lasts 30 minutes, allowing you to rotate between different topics and gain valuable insights from specialists in:
- UI/UX Design – Enhance user experience and design for better conversions.
- SEO – Learn strategies to improve search rankings and drive organic traffic.
- Web Development – Get expert advice on optimizing your website’s functionality.
- Google Ads – Discover best practices to maximize ROI on paid search campaigns.
- Social Ads – Unlock strategies for high-performing ads on platforms like Meta & TikTok.
- Email Marketing – Optimize your email campaigns for better engagement and sales.
Bring your laptops, ask questions, take notes, and share details about your business for tailored advice.
This is a rare opportunity to sit down with experts, gain actionable insights, and walk away with a clear strategy to elevate your eCommerce success.
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch, networking & tools demo
- Enjoy the amazing catering menu from Park Regis Birmingham.
- Make sure you catch up with all the speakers and connect with as many business owners as possible.
- Continue your day by checking out some recent updates from Ecommerce Camp sponsors.
14:00 – 14:30 | SESSION
Scaling from 0 to a Full-Size ecommerce Business: Mistakes and Wins
Ivan Dobrev
Founder | Happy Gentleman
Started eCommerce journey in 2016 with various projects and companies. After three years of failure, launched Happy Gentleman as a dropshipping business.Today, Happy Gentleman serves 50,000 users, generates 100K monthly traffic, and is focused on expanding into the European and United States markets.
I started with various ideas, such as selling navigation systems and furniture products. Over the years, I have learned valuable lessons from every mistake.
In this session, we will walk through my original business ideas and explore how to push your own business forward with a minimal budget.
These business mistakes became the foundation for the success of Happy Gentleman.
We are gonna cover:
1) How to optimise eCommerce processes and reduce costs
2) How to leverage situational marketing
3) How to successfully enter the U.S. and European markets.
14:30 – 15:00 | SESSION
25 Years on the Digital Rails: 10 Lessons I’ve Learned in Ecommerce
Richard Davies
Managing Director | Hatton’s Model Railways Ltd
Richard Davies is the Managing Director of Hatton’s Model Railways Ltd, a pioneering ecommerce family business that served a global community of railway enthusiasts for over 25 years. Under his leadership, Hatton’s transformed from a small family business into a respected online retail brand — before closing its doors in 2024 due to market shifts.
What do model trains and global ecommerce have in common? More than you might think.
Since launching Hatton’s Model Railways online in the dial-up days of the late ’90s, I’ve spent over two decades riding the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of online retail. I’ve learned a thing or ten about building an ecommerce business in a niche market.
Join me to uncover:
- ✅ The evolution of online retail — from basic websites to global brand platforms;
✅ The power of community — and why your best customers should also be your biggest advocates; - ✅ The importance of adaptability — and how to thrive when the only constant is change;
- ✅ How staying customer-focused can turn a niche business into an international success story.
- ✅ The evolution of online retail — from basic websites to global brand platforms;
If you want real-world ecommerce insights from the long haul, hop aboard — this session is for you.
15:00 – 15:30
Networking Coffee Break & Expert Tables
Recharge with a coffee break and engage with industry experts at dedicated tables for insightful discussions and personalised advice.
15:30 – 16:00 | SESSION
Scaling an International Ecommerce Brand with Viral Content & PR
Jennifer Bailey
Founder | Calla Shoes
Jennifer Bailey is the founder and owner of Calla Shoes, a company specialising in stylish and comfortable footwear tailored for women with bunions.
“Building a global brand doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank on ads. At Calla Shoes, we proved it: starting with a niche audience, we grew into an international powerhouse with customers in over 90 countries — all while keeping our ad spend lean.
The secret?
Strategic press coverage and viral content. In just one year, we skyrocketed our Instagram following from 15K to 180K, landed features in top-tier publications like The Independent and Cosmopolitan, and successfully expanded into the U.S. market — all without the deep pockets of big brands.
Join me to discover:
- 🔥 How to craft viral content that builds brand awareness (without feeling gimmicky);
- 🔥 The power of PR: securing media features that drive real revenue;
- 🔥 Lessons from scaling internationally while keeping marketing costs low.
Whether you’re a founder or marketer, this session will equip you with the strategies to think bigger, grow smarter, and make an impact — without overspending.
16:00 – 17:00 | SESSION
Workshop Session #2
Want to have a chat with speakers? Need personalized feedback about your business?
We are the only event that makes it happen for you!
Join our interactive roundtable workshop sessions, where you’ll participate in six focused discussions with industry-leading speakers and experts.
Each session lasts 30 minutes, allowing you to rotate between different topics and gain valuable insights from specialists in:
- UI/UX Design – Enhance user experience and design for better conversions.
- SEO – Learn strategies to improve search rankings and drive organic traffic.
- Web Development – Get expert advice on optimizing your website’s functionality.
- Google Ads – Discover best practices to maximize ROI on paid search campaigns.
- Social Ads – Unlock strategies for high-performing ads on platforms like Meta & TikTok.
- Email Marketing – Optimize your email campaigns for better engagement and sales.
Bring your laptops, ask questions, take notes, and share details about your business for tailored advice.
This is a rare opportunity to sit down with experts, gain actionable insights, and walk away with a clear strategy to elevate your eCommerce success.
17:00 – … | NETWORKING
Relaxed Networking in a PUB nearby
This is the perfect opportunity to unwind, connect with fellow attendees, and build new relationships in a casual setting. Grab a drink, share ideas, and make the most of this informal networking experience!
Join us & Get Ready to Be Inspired
Join us, learn from the best, and be part of the ecommerce revolution!
Benefits of Attending Ecommerce Camp Birmingham 2025
- Learn from industry experts: Our speakers are experienced ecommerce professionals who have a deep understanding of the industry and can provide you with valuable insights and practical advice.
- Gain new perspectives: Ecommerce Camp Birmingham brings together business owners and managers from a variety of industries and backgrounds, providing you with the opportunity to learn from your peers and gain new perspectives on ecommerce best practices.
- Stay up-to-date on industry trends: The ecommerce industry is constantly evolving, our conference will keep you informed and up-to-date on the latest developments in ecommerce.
- Network with other professionals: Ecommerce Camp Birmingham provides a great opportunity to network with other business owners and managers in the ecommerce industry. By building relationships with your peers, you can gain new insights and opportunities for growth.
Ecommerce Camp sponsorship package
If you are a huge retailer and your brand is already recognised – your tactics and marketing efforts will be very different compared to the one at a very starting point.
2) announcements about being a headline sponsor on the shows
3) information + logo on the event page
During event:
1) bring your branding – rollups, merchandising, etc
2) host a round table during workshop sessions – share e-commerce insights, your tools, demo, speak with e-commerce business owners face to face
3) announcements about being a sponsor of the event
Interested? Let’s discuss:
Need specific, targeted advice for your store?
Whether you need any help with your ecommerce business, want to inquire about our mentorship programs, or need assistance with a technical issues – just get in touch!