Since the beginning of the century, traditional retailing has survived the dot-com threat and a great recession and all signs point to the sector thriving once again. Many industry analysts believe it will be one of the sectors driving commercial real estate development in 2015.
Physical stores are still the preferred method of shopping, so much so that several Internet only retailers are experimenting with physical storefronts. At the same time, 20th century formats, designs and technology won’t cut it with today’s tech-driven, speed-oriented, lifestyle consumers. Retail, after all, has always been about what’s new.
Here are several trends we’re witnessing in retail development: