ACRA/AMA 2027: 2027 American Collegiate Retailing Association/American Marketing Association Triennial Conference University of Georgia Athens, GA, United States, April 14-16, 2027

CALL FOR PAPERS

ACRA/AMA 2027 Triennial Conference

Seize the Momentum: Advancing Smart, Sustainable Retail with Innovation and Global Collaboration

The American Collegiate Retailing Association (ACRA), in collaboration with the American Marketing Association (AMA), invites submissions for the ACRA/AMA 2027 Triennial Conference, hosted on the campus of the University of Georgia, Athens. This conference brings together scholars, educators, undergraduate/graduate students, and industry professionals whose work advances retailing, marketing, fashion merchandising, consumer behavior, digital commerce, supply chain, hospitality, analytics, sustainability, and related disciplines.

Aligned with the conference theme, submissions are encouraged to address current and emerging issues influencing the future of retail industry. While topics such as artificial intelligence, sustainability, analytics, consumer-centered innovation, and global collaboration are particularly relevant to next year’s theme, submissions are not limited to these areas. We welcome rigorous empirical, conceptual, methodological, pedagogical, and practice-oriented work.

Submission CategoriesSubmission CategoriesSubmission CategoriesSubmission Categories

General Submission RequirementsGeneral Submission RequirementsGeneral Submission RequirementsGeneral Submission Requirements

• All submissions must be submitted through EasyChair by 11:59pm (US EDT), October 31, 2026.
• Submissions must be original and must not be published, accepted for publication, under review, or submitted elsewhere during the conference review process.
• Submissions should be prepared in PDF format and follow APA 7th edition style.
• Use 11-point font, 1-inch margins, portrait orientation, and double spacing unless otherwise specified.
• For blind review, do not include identifying author information in the main body of the submission.
• At least one author of each accepted submission must register for and attend the conference.
• Any substantive use of generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools in the preparation of submission should be stated in the manuscript, preferably in the acknowledgements.

Conference Tracks

Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following conference tracks. While a paper may be relevant to more than one track, authors should select the track that best fits the primary contribution of their work.

Track 1: Artificial Intelligence, Analytics, and Smart Retail Operations

This track focuses on the transformation of retail strategy, operations, and decision-making through AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, automation, big data, and intelligent systems.

• AI-enabled retail operations and decision support
• Predictive analytics for demand forecasting, pricing, inventory, and merchandising
• Generative AI applications in retail strategy, content creation, and customer engagement
• Algorithmic personalization, recommendation systems, and responsible automation
• Big data, IoT, computer vision, and smart-store technologies

Track 2: Sustainability, Circular Economy, ESG, and Responsible Retail

This track welcomes research on sustainable retail systems, circular economy models, environmental responsibility, ESG reporting, ethical sourcing, and responsible consumption.

• Circular fashion, resale, repair, rental, and re-commerce models
• Sustainable supply chains, carbon reduction, and waste minimization
• Consumer responses to sustainability claims, greenwashing, and transparency
• ESG reporting, corporate responsibility, and stakeholder accountability
• Sustainable packaging, product life cycles, and ethical sourcing

Track 3: Consumer and Shopper Psychology, Experience, and Behavior

This track addresses cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral processes that shape consumer and shopper decisions across physical, digital, and hybrid retail environments.

• Consumer decision-making, motivation, identity, and values
• Shopper journeys, loyalty, engagement, satisfaction, enjoyment, satiation/hedonic decline, and trust
• Price sensitivity, promotions, brand relationships, tipping, and service experiences
• Sensory cues, atmospherics, experiential retail, and place-based consumption
• Consumer well-being, vulnerability, privacy, and behavioral interventions

Track 4: Digital Commerce, Omnichannel Retailing, Social Media, and Influencers

This track examines digital and omnichannel retail environments, including e-commerce, mobile commerce, platform ecosystems, social commerce, influencer marketing, and online communities.

• Omnichannel integration and consumer journey management
• E-commerce, mobile commerce, platform retailing, and marketplace ecosystems
• Social media engagement, user-generated content, and digital communities
• Influencer marketing, creator commerce, livestream shopping, and social proof
• Online reviews, digital trust, conversion, retention, and customer experience design

Track 5: Global Retailing, International Collaboration, Culture, and Market Strategy

This track invites research on retailing and marketing across global, regional, and cultural contexts, with attention to international collaboration and market adaptation.

• Global retail strategy, localization, standardization, and market entry
• Cross-cultural consumer behavior and cultural identity in retail contexts
• International branding, global supply networks, and transnational commerce
• Emerging markets, diaspora markets, and culturally responsive retailing
• Global research collaborations, comparative studies, and policy implications

Track 6: Fashion, Apparel, Luxury, Merchandising, and Product Innovation

This track focuses on fashion, apparel, textiles, merchandising, luxury markets, product development, sourcing, and technology-enabled innovation in fashion systems.

• Fashion merchandising, retail buying, assortment planning, and trend forecasting
• Luxury retailing, brand heritage, authenticity, and consumer identity
• Apparel sourcing, product development, textile innovation, and transparency
• Digital fashion, virtual try-on, AR/VR, metaverse retail, and authentication technologies
• Counterfeiting, resale markets, circular fashion, and fashion supply chain innovation

Track 7: Retail Education, Pedagogy, Workforce Development, and Student Success

This track supports research and practice related to teaching innovation, curriculum development, experiential learning, career preparation, and workforce readiness in retail and related disciplines.

• Generative AI in teaching, assessment, advising, and student learning
• Curriculum innovation for retail, merchandising, marketing, and analytics programs
• Experiential learning, industry projects, internships, and career readiness
• Graduate student mentoring, research training, and professional identity development
• Universal design and learning, competency-based education, and workforce development

Track 8: Supply Chain Resilience, Sourcing, Product Development, and Retail Logistics

This track examines supply chain systems that support retail competitiveness, including sourcing, logistics, fulfillment, resilience, transparency, and operations management.

• Supply chain resilience, disruption management, and risk mitigation
• Retail logistics, last-mile delivery, fulfillment, and reverse logistics
• Sourcing strategy, supplier relationships, compliance, and traceability
• Product development, assortment responsiveness, and speed-to-market
• Technology-enabled supply chain visibility and decision-making

Track 9: Food, Grocery, Agribusiness, Hospitality, and Experiential Retailing

This track welcomes research on food-related retailing, grocery innovation, agribusiness, hospitality intersections, and experience-oriented retail environments.

• Grocery retailing, food marketing, food quality, and food security
• Local food systems, farmers markets, direct-to-consumer models, and agribusiness
• Hospitality-retail intersections, service design, sensory marketing, and consumer experiences
• Ethical sourcing, sustainability, and transparency in food systems
• Technology, delivery, convenience, and innovation in food retailing

Track 10: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Small Business, and Local Retail Development

This track examines entrepreneurial activity, innovation ecosystems, and retail development in local, regional, national, and niche markets.

• Retail entrepreneurship, start-ups, micro-brands, and small business strategy
• Local and regional retail development, placemaking, and community impact
• Innovation adoption by small and medium-sized retailers
• Digital entrepreneurship, platform-based ventures, and direct-to-consumer brands
• Economic development, competitiveness, and public-impact retail initiatives

Track 11: Ethics, Market Access, Discrimination, and Responsible Technology

This track focuses on ethical, social, policy, and governance issues associated with retail, marketing, technology, and organizational practice.

• Market access, discrimination, targeting, and belonging in retail organizations and consumer markets
• Fairness, bias, transparency, and accountability in AI and algorithmic retail systems
• Data privacy, surveillance, consumer protection, and technology governance
• Labor practices, accessibility, representation, and welcoming retail environments
• Public policy, regulatory issues, and responsible innovation in commerce

Track 12: Potpourri, Emerging Issues, and Interdisciplinary Topics

This open track welcomes innovative, interdisciplinary, conceptual, historical, methodological, or emerging topics that do not fit neatly into the other tracks.

• Future of retail and marketing research
• Interdisciplinary frameworks and cross-sector comparisons
• Historical perspectives and critical theory approaches
• New methods, datasets, measures, or analytical approaches
• Emerging issues with relevance to retail, marketing, fashion, supply chain, hospitality, or consumer research

Conference Proceedings, Awards, and Publication OpportunitiesConference Proceedings, Awards, and Publication OpportunitiesConference Proceedings, Awards, and Publication Opportunities

• Accepted abstracts may be included in the conference proceedings. Authors will be asked to submit a final formatted abstract for inclusion in the proceedings by the specified deadline.
• ACRA will recognize outstanding scholarship through awards such as Best Overall Research Paper, Runner-Up, Best Undergraduate/Graduate Student Paper, and Undergraduate/Graduate Student Runner-Up. To be eligible for undergraduate/graduate student paper awards, the submitting student is required to be the first author and present the paper at the conference. Selected best papers may be invited for publication consideration at the International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management (2024 Impact Factor: 5.5, 5-year Impact Factor: 5.9), ACRA’s established journal partner.
• Additional publication opportunities may be developed with journals focused on digitally driven e-commerce, brand innovation, and consumer engagement.

Tentative Conference HighlightsTentative Conference HighlightsTentative Conference Highlights

Conference Chairs: Conference Organizers and QuestionsConference Chairs: Conference Organizers and QuestionsConference Chairs: Conference Organizers and QuestionsConference Chairs: Conference Organizers and Questions

• Conference Chair: Dr. Jewon Lyu, Associate Professor, Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia, jewon.lyu@uga.edu
• Conference Co-Chair: Dr. Jinjie Chen, Assistant Professor, Department of Marketing, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, chen.j@uga.edu
• General ACRA information: https://acraretail.org/default.aspx

ACRA/AMA 2027 Conference

Call for Special Workshop Session Proposals

Workshops should provide practical and research-driven insights that engage participants through discussion, hands-on learning, demonstrations, or collaborative activities. Each workshop session will be 90 minutes in length per session with two 45-minute presentations.

Session 1: Teaching in the Age of AI

• Innovative teaching strategies in retailing, marketing, fashion, and related fields
• Integrating AI, analytics, and emerging technologies into curriculum
• Experiential learning and industry collaboration using technology (AI, AR, VR, big data)
• Curriculum redesign for workforce readiness and digital transformation
• Assessment methods and learning outcomes, using advanced technologies

Session 2: Advanced Analytics and Emerging Research Methods

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in research
• Big data analytics and retail data visualization
• Experimental design and advanced statistical techniques
• Text mining, social media analytics, and digital ethnography
• Sustainability metrics and consumer analytics

Workshop FormatWorkshop FormatWorkshop Format

• Workshop duration: 45 min per workshop
• Interactive and application-focused sessions are strongly encouraged
• Presenters may include demonstrations, collaborative exercises, case studies, or hands-on activities
• Industry-academic collaborative workshops are highly encouraged

Submission Guidelines (2 page, excluding reference)Submission Guidelines (2 page, excluding reference)Submission Guidelines (2 page, excluding reference)

• Workshop title
• Presenter name(s), affiliation(s), and contact information
• Workshop track (Advanced Pedagogy or Advanced Methods)
• Learning objectives and expected outcomes
• Description of workshop activities and engagement strategies
• Technology or space requirements, if applicable
• Suggested length: 2 pages, double-spaced

Review ProcessReview ProcessReview Process

• Workshop proposals will be reviewed by the Conference Chairs. For workshop-related inquiries, please contact Conference Chairs, Dr. Jewon Lyu (jewon.lyu@uga.edu) or Dr. Jinjie Chen (chen.j@uga.edu).

ACRA/AMA 2027 Conference

Call for Undergraduate/Graduate Student Colloquium

ACRA is excited to share the first student colloquium during 2027 ACRA/AMA conference. This developmental session is intended for undergraduate and graduate students seeking constructive feedback on research that is still evolving. Unlike the conceptual paper presentation in the regular track, this colloquium provides a supportive environment for mentoring, discussion, and research development.

Participants will have opportunities to:

• Receive developmental feedback and suggestions for advancing research agenda
• Refine research and explore future direction for conference and journal publications
• Build professional connections with students and faculty

Submissions are welcomed across all stages of research development, including:

• Conceptual papers
• Early-stage research designs
• Research-in-progress projects
• Completed research studies

Submissions may align with any conference track related to retailing, marketing, merchandising, consumer behavior, digital commerce, sustainability, analytics, hospitality, supply chain management, and related fields.

Submission CategorySubmission CategorySubmission Category

General Submission RequirementsGeneral Submission RequirementsGeneral Submission RequirementsGeneral Submission Requirements

• All submissions must be submitted through EasyChair by 11:59 pm (US EDT), October 31, 2026.
• Submissions should be prepared in PDF format and follow APA 7th edition style, using 11-point font, 1-inch margins, portrait orientation, and double spacing unless otherwise specified.
• For blind review, do not include identifying author information in the main body of the submission.
• At least one author of each accepted submission must register for and attend the conference.
• Accepted colloquium papers will be presented in a feedback-oriented session intended to help students refine and advance their research.

Proceedings PolicyProceedings PolicyProceedings Policy

Undergraduate/Graduate Student Colloquium submissions will not be included in the conference proceedings.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and supporting the next generation of retail scholars.

Seize the Momentum: Advancing Smart, Sustainable Retail with Innovation and Global Collaboration