retail future

September 13, 2010

Who Needs Retail Anyway?

By Doug Stephens If we’ve learned anything from the advent of online social networks, it’s that ordinary people can be quickly organized around a common idea, […]
August 2, 2010

The Problem With What You Do Best

By Doug Stephens One of the first lessons I was taught in marketing was that when times were tough and sales were hard to come by, […]
January 8, 2010

6 Big Ideas for a New Decade in Retail

By Doug Stephens I had coffee recently with a friend who works in the mobile technology sector.  We were talking about how much progress had taken place […]
September 30, 2009

The Courage to Let Go

Real and lasting change can only take place when we let go of our long-held beliefs and paradigms. But this is easier said than done and in fact, in many cases the very people who are responsible for leading change are the least willing to let go of the past.
August 8, 2009

7 Years for 7 Reasons: The Decline of the Power Center

From its inception as a commercial real estate concept in the 1980’s, the long-term viability of the power center has been a topic of running debate. Many have wondered how something so aesthetically displeasing could possibly survive the test of time. And while they may be ugly, the decline of the power center will have much less to do with aesthetics and much more to do with powerful social and economic forces beyond their walls.
April 2, 2009

Shift: Trends in Retail 2010-20

We're in the final stages of writing a major presentation on retail trends 2010-2020 and have identified 6 major, emerging trends in retail which we see carrying through the coming decade. What’s impressed me as we've compiled the research is how many of these projected changes can actually work to the advantage of the independent retailer.