It doesn’t take an expert to tell you that consumer confidence has dropped dramatically over the past year. Consumer spending has followed suit. The headlines tell the story all too well – retail closures, bankruptcies and lackluster profits are occurring at an alarming rate.
But the media is telling only a part of this industry’s story. Retailers aren’t giving up; they’re re-trenching and looking at strategic alternatives in dealing with an economic downturn. And mergers, acquisitions and divestitures are playing an increased role in future planning and taking advantage of a unique opportunity to gain market share.
Whether these tactics involve retailer-to-retailer transactions or outside investors and buyers, the transition can be complex – assimilating cultures, brand image in the marketplace, merchandising and store operations practices, key business processes, applications and infrastructures.