Flash demand -- a catchy term synonymous with “Be careful what you wish for.” It is a new reality in an instant-gratification world, a blindside hit to retailers who have no idea a product has suddenly become the latest media-fueled must-have. It’s happened with products that don’t even exist like the red Swingline stapler with a starring role in “Office Space.” And while demand with no product is bad, and too much demand with not-enough product isn’t much better, if you know it’s coming flash demand can really rock the bottom line – in a good way. Start-ups and big retailers alike are figuring out the flash demand equation today, including which strategies to employ and what technologies to embrace. Attendees will walk away better prepared to deal with the impacts of social media and the deluge in data on demand, and recover from the flood if it all goes bad.