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When one door closes, the other one is "Always Open"

Strategic collaboration is finding the right partners to reach customers

Image Credit: pixabay.com

By Chris H. Petersen

If you ask friends about eBay, most remember it as the "old auction site" where you put your stuff up for bid. Yes, many sellers still post used items on eBay auctions. To remain competitive, eBay quickly evolved to a marketplace where brands and retailers post new items for sale. However, what many have missed is how eBay is also transforming to be collaborative partner for bricks and mortar retailers. EBay has unveiled a new "Always Open" program that enables retailers to continue to market and sell products after their stores close. Always Open will be a fascinating case study of how previous "competitors" are now strategically collaborating in new ways to meet the rising expectations of customers.

Why this is important: In responding to customers escalating demands, most retailers do not have the resources to do everything in house. Finding the right partners can bridge gaps to create win-wins that will be critical for future survival.

Lessons learned from two of the best brick & mortar retailers

How two of the best retailers thrive by doing more to help you buy

By Chris H. Petersen

I am as guilty as the rest of the bloggers and pundits. The latest headlines on Amazon's innovation for Go stores or Amazon delivery suck the air out the rest of retail. However, what if you are not Amazon, and don't have the profitability of cloud services to fund retail stores? Is the rest of retail doomed to an impeding apocalypse? No, but survival requires more than complacency. We miss, or often forget the successes of retailers who are thriving in spite of Amazon. The rest of retail would do well to re-examine their "secret sauce" of successes, which are not based upon free home delivery.

Why this is important: Retailers can never afford to be complacent. However, Amazon is not the only model of success. The rest of retail would do well to study the critical success factors of those who are thriving today in spite of Amazon's growth.

#notmyretailapocalypse – Fact, Fiction or pending Reality?

History may not predict the future of retail and critical success factors

Image Credit: Pixabay.com

By Chris H. Petersen

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the prediction of retail's demise is premature. While many pundits are talking about a "retail apocalypse", others are pointing to a resurgence of "retail" in the form of stores. Yes, retailers like Sears continue to struggle and close stores in the US. Even Walmart will close a number of Sam's Club locations this year. However, T.J. Maxx is bucking the trend and projects that they will open more than 1,000 new stores. So, who's right, and who's wrong? What is the best way to predict future retail success?

Why this is important: Rising consumer expectations are creating unprecedented demands disrupting traditional retail. CEOs not only must deliver quarterly profit, but also cope with a new reality - "the future ain't what it used to be".