Field Trip

If you look at retail today, you’ll see an industry that’s on the verge of disruption. With headlines from Bloomberg such as “America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning”, it seems the future for brick-and-mortar retailers is grim. Boutiques, department stores, and even entire malls are shutting down, while e-commerce and the digital landscape are continuing to gain momentum. What we’ve discovered is that perhaps, retail is not dying, but is instead going through massive transformation. Take this headline from Forbes, for example: “Retail Apocalypse? The Sky Isn't Falling - The Sector Is Just Evolving.” For new age retailers, expectations have been set. Consumers are looking for higher levels of service, employees who have true domain expertise, and stores that provide an elevated experience - beyond just shopping. We sat down with Ron Tite, a speaker, author, and CEO of The Tite Group, to discuss the future of retail. What do today’s consumers expect? What does the future of brick-and-mortar look