If you’ve been keeping up with headlines about the retail industry, your outlook could be pretty grim. Sales aredeclining, malls and department storesare shuttering, and retail employees are experiencingmass layoffs.
From all this negative news, it’d be easy for retail merchants to think that no one was shopping these days. But don’t give into any pessimism — the seismic shifts in the retail industry are actually benefitting many small businesses and specialized merchants.
That’s why we chatted with one industry expert: to dispel any feelings of doom and get a more realistic perspective on the changes transforming retail. So, read on for more details on how these changes may actually benefit your business.
Shoppers Voting With Their Dollars: A Shifting Industry
While we’ve been told repeatedly that theretail apocalypseappears to be on the horizon, that reality is far from true. In fact, most of the doom and gloom isgrossly exaggerated, and just as there are retailers closing, many continue to open.
The difference lies in which retailers are willing to adapt to technology and new consumer experiences, and which ones don’t.
“I’m a firm believer that retail isnotdying,” says Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, the founder ofRetail Minded, a trusted source for independent retailers across North America. “Retail is changing the way it always has, but because of tech and innovation, that change is much more extreme than in the past.”
Reyhle launched Retail Minded in 2007, at a time when department stores and big-box retailers were still thriving. For instance, Sears Holding Corp., which owns Sears and Kmart, had over 900 Sears locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico a decade ago. In 2013, the company beganclosing many of its stores, resulting in just open 700 locations at the start of 2016. This year, they’ll continue to shutter more than 40 stores and lay off hundreds of employees.
Doors shutting is a direct response to how consumers are choosing to shop.
“When a consumer spends their money, they’re saying, ‘This is how I like to shop.’ If you look at some of the retailers that are successful, it gives us insight into how consumers like to shop and engage,” explains Reyhle.
That being said, there are plenty of new merchants opening their doors and other who are expanding. For example, Dollar General has announced it will open1,000 new locations, and discount apparel retailers TJMaxx has plans for almost 200 new stores in 2017.
Moving Toward Niche Retail and Immersive Experiences
Big-box retailers are obviously feeling the pinch as consumers shift their spending habits, but more small businesses are luring in these shoppers with more interactive experiences.
For instance, independent and specialty merchants are outpacing big-box stores because many of them are creating unique shopping experiences for their customers. According to aPixleearticle, these smaller retailers have an advantage because they’re able to build a strong, engaged community around their unique products and develop dedicated followings.
In fact, for many of these retailers, their indie status is what makes them so desirable to begin with.
“Consumers no longer want the brands that everyone else has. They want to be the trendsetters, trailblazers, and nonconformists,” according to the article.
According to a 2016 retailreportfrom PricewaterhouseCoopers, younger shoppers expectpersonalized in-store experiencesthat go beyond traditional retail. More consumers, especially Millennials, want tailored offers, personalized promotions, and ways to directly engage with a brand. And smaller retailers are responding to this demand with in-store cafes to keep them around longer, technology-driven experiences to engage and delight customers, and consumer interaction on social media for an additional branded touchpoint. It also includes a rethinking of what constitutes a shopping space.
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“If you take a closer look at the environment for which these stores are placed, for example, a traditional mall isn’t as exciting as it was in the 1990s,” says Reyhle. “Outdoor shopping centers that mimic more of a traditional main street environment are more exciting for consumers. There’s a lot of variations to how retail exists and how consumers respond to retail.”
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