To frame it as a battle between brick-and-mortar and ecommerce is to miss the point.
The Limited, Wet Seal, Gander Mountain and Payless have all filed for bankruptcy. The head of Sears Holdings has admitted “substantial doubt” about the company’s ability to stay in business amid closing 150 stores. There are too many big-box stores in suburbs, and today the U.S. urban population is increasing faster than the national population overall. Meanwhile, Amazon is planning a three-day summit to try to lure consumer packaged goods brands away from their retail partners.
The shadow of ecommerce is overblown.
Related: Are Retail Brands Ready to Compete in the New Normal?
A mantra displayed at the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show convention and expo in New York City on Jan. 16, 2017.
Know what you’re adding is adding.
If you know your customers, you’ll be less likely to experiment with irrelevant gimmicks that many customers will find pathetic, such as a DJ in the middle of a men’s department.