Ascend Australia
May 15, 2025
Request to attend
37.8202° S, 144.9556° E
Melbourne, Hyatt Centric
Why attend?
Ascend 2025 will equip you with intelligence and innovation to expertly navigate ecommerce risks, act decisively, overcome challenges, and seize new opportunities. You will:
- Discover how other merchants reclaim control over their ecommerce experience by leveraging data-driven insights to craft intentional, strategic customer journeys
- Learn why collaboration with other merchants is critical to strengthen collective defenses against fraud and combine diverse data sources for more nuanced, proactive, and accurate risk assessment
- Master best practices to make accurate and adaptive fraud decisions while minimizing friction and improving the customer experience

Agenda
Registrations and coffee
Plenary sessions
Welcome to Ascend Melbourne 2025
Ecommerce uncharted: Growth, risks, and opportunities
More than ever, businesses need to balance profitable growth with managing complex risks in a rapidly evolving ecommerce landscape. What do merchants need to unleash growth with confidence in this environment? This session will introduce strategies underpinned by brand new technologies to optimize revenue, safeguard profits, and unlock new pathways to success.
Elevating ecommerce: Innovative ways to boost your conversions
A customers’ checkout experience should depend on their specific profile. The best customers should be able to breeze through, but when there are risk signals the checkout should adapt accordingly. Riskified and Wayfair will discuss how they’re working together to expand Wayfair’s ability to adapt checkout and review flows to every individual customers’ risk profile, shopping history and more.
Merchant Success Story
This session will explore groundbreaking innovations that are transforming the merchant industry, showcasing success stories that thrive in today’s dynamic environment. We’ll dive into the challenges and opportunities merchants face and examine how innovation and technology are driving ahead-of-the-curve customer experiences. Join us to discover how forward-thinking strategies are shaping the future of commerce and redefining what’s possible for merchants.
Coffee break
Combating the $103 billion omnichannel returns and claims abuse problem
With returns fraud soaring to $19 billion in first-world countries, being prepared for the evolving threats of omnichannel return fraud has never been more crucial for retailers. Join us for a discussion where we will tackle the pressing issue of omnichannel return fraud. Discover how fraudsters exploit vulnerabilities in the return process, taking advantage of loopholes that can lead to significant losses for retailers. Our experts will share strategies for how AI is now able to effectively identify high-valued customers versus serial return abusers, both online and in-store, while ensuring a seamless shopping experience. You’ll leave this session equipped with the knowledge to resolve the true identity of a good consumer and adapt your return strategies to improve loyalty while protecting your shop.
The enemy of my enemy: Uniting against fraud in the age of AI
As fraud becomes more sophisticated, organizations must leverage as much insight and data as possible to stay ahead and mitigate fraud and policy abuse. No sector is entirely immune, making it essential to have deep insights into potential threats, and to develop proactive strategies to mitigate risks. In this session, we’ll take a look at the best ways to leverage data to gain deep insights into fraud patterns, as well as how to use this knowledge to develop effective prevention strategies. With the right knowledge and proactive approach, we can stay ahead of fraudsters and protect both our organization and our customers.
Merchant Success Story
This session will explore groundbreaking innovations that are transforming the merchant industry, showcasing success stories that thrive in today’s dynamic environment. We’ll dive into the challenges and opportunities merchants face and examine how innovation and technology are driving ahead-of-the-curve customer experiences. Join us to discover how forward-thinking strategies are shaping the future of commerce and redefining what’s possible for merchants.
Lunch
Optimizing Security and Customer Experience with Advanced Fraud Prevention
In an era where fraud threats continue to evolve, businesses are investing heavily in advanced fraud prevention strategies to protect their operations and customers. This panel will explore the key challenges organizations face, such as identifying critical problems to solve, optimizing internal processes, and improving efficiency with external fraud prevention solutions. We’ll also discuss the financial impact of these technologies and their influence on the customer experience, offering insights into striking the right balance between security and seamless service.
Round Table Discussions
Cocktail and Networking with Piano Duel
Join the global community
Ascend 2025: A vibrant city setting
Hyatt Centric Melbourne
Ascend 2025 will bring guests to the centrally located Hyatt Centric on Downie Street in Melbourne’s CBD. It is just minutes from Docklands and Southbank precincts — and did we already mention? The 25th-floor bar is the place for networking, signature cocktails and stunning views across the Yarra River.
FAQs
What is the dress code?
The dress code is business casual. Best to layer up to be comfortable in Melbourne's Autumn!
How do I get to the hotel from the airport?
You can reach Hyatt Centric using rideshare apps such as Uber, taxi, or airport shuttles.
The venue is close to tram stops and Flinders St train station.
Is there parking at the venue?
You have two options:
- The nearest paid parking is at Secure Parking (522 Flinders Ln), which is 50m from Hyatt Centric
- The venue provides valet parking options