The retail market in the UK is worth more than £400 billion annually and employs over 3 million workers, while in the US 29 million people create over USD $4 trillion of revenue through the industry. Despite the challenge to establish stores and big-box retailers, there's a rapid increase in the number of retail start-ups and consistent growth in the independent sector. From beard shops and barbers, through cafes and coffee shops, to 'retailment' concept stores and boutique consumer-focused experiences, the specialist retail sector is booming. The Retail Start-Up Book provides clear guidance and advice on how to develop a winning retail strategy that seamlessly merges online and offline tactics. Introducing the science of shopping and how to understand customer behaviours and needs, it explores the essential steps of developing a business plan, marketing and promoting a business and advising on buying and visual merchandising. Building on years of retail experience nationally and internationally, in large groups and with independent retailers, The Retail Start-Up Book meticulously provide invaluable practical insights to help new retailers hit the floor running, or more established organizations grow their business and nurture their profits.

YOU CAN COMPETE WITH THE BIG-BOX STORES! Whether you're a seasoned merchant or retail newbie, Retail 101 is the guide you need to successfully manage, market, and grow your retail business, brick and mortar or online. From two of today's top retail thought leaders, Retail 101 serves both as a strategic planning guide and as a hands-on practical reference that answers your critical questions along the way. "The ultimate how-to guide for independent retailers. Each chapter addresses a vital ingredient for retail success, including helpful ideas, useful lists, and action guides." -- Ted Teele, Chief Executive Officer, SnapRetail "While small retailers may feel like an endangered species, those who read this practical guidebook to retail survival will come away confident that they have unique assets they can turn into sustainable profits." -- Molly Love Rogers, President and CEO of Internet Retailer "If you've ever felt alone or frustrated building your business, read this book today!" -- Joe Abraham, founder of BOSI Global, author of Entrepreneurial DNA

It's one of the toughest economies in years, but don't fear-the doctor is in Are you among the thousands of retailers frustrated by market challenges and looking for ways to take control of your business? Are you looking for the advice of an expert consultant, but unable to spend the money? Then The Retail Doctor's Guide to Growing Your Business is for you. By providing a step-by-step approach to evaluate your current business practices, The Retail Doctor offers professional guidance Redesign your organizational structure Reap the maximum returns on your investment Keep your business financially healthy Following the advice in these pages will help you devise a sound strategy to accomplish your goals and outperform your competitors. You'll also gain clear insight into all areas of human resource management, sales training, merchandising methods, and marketing. While your competitors are looking for a magic bullet to solve their problems, with The Retail Doctor's Guide to Growing Your Business, you can be making changes that will guarentee enormous returns and financial success.

What are my start-up costs? How much will my store make? Should I sell online? How can I compete with larger stores? If you've ever considered owning a store but don't know where to start, The Everything Guide to Starting and Running a Retail Store is perfect for you. This resource will help you recognize the importance of an independent retail store in community life and the opportunities it offers for a rewarding lifestyle. This comprehensive guide shows you how to: Spot and capitalize on small retailer trends Conduct your own market analysis Research and select the most appropriate retailing software Run your business day to day Attract customers with effective advertising Make the leap to online selling This helpful handbook offers practical advice on retail store planning and management with valuable guidelines and real-world examples that can make the difference between your store's success and failure. This guide provides all the tools you need to run a store that your customers--and you--will enjoy for many years to come!

Few crises in modern history have so completely disrupted every aspect of daily life as has the Covid-19 pandemic. What began as a small medical ripple in Wuhan, China, a city many of us had never heard of, quickly erupted into a tsunami of epic proportions. Every market, industry, vertical, profession, service, and category of product was in some way rocked by its impact. And, for the first time in recorded history, every wheel, cog and gear in the global retail industry ground to a virtual halt. From two-time, international best-selling author and futurist Doug Stephens, Resurrecting Retail is not just a riveting story of the unprecedented crash of an industry during this time of crisis but a roadmap for its rebirth. Meticulously researched in real time from inside the crisis, Resurrecting Retail provides a comprehensive and surprising vision of how Covid-19 will reshape every aspect of consumer life, including the very essence of why we shop.

Almost weekly, the news is full of stories about disappearing retail chains. From House of Fraser and BHS to Toys'R'Us and Sears, recognised names are vanishing overnight – as such large organizations disappear, so the malls, shopping centres, high streets and main streets become emptier and less appealing to visit. The retail sector is hugely important in terms of job numbers: in the US, it employs around 30 million people (directly and indirectly); in the UK, around 10 million. As such, anything that jeopardises the retail sector will have a deep and lasting impact on millions of lives, as well as on public policy. While many blame the 'Amazon effect', this is an oversimplification. Deeper forces are at work that are changing people's relationships with brands, the balance of power between producers and consumers, and the whole nature of the supply chain that has existed since the industrial revolution. Retail Therapy offers a comprehensive analysis of these forces and their impact on the world of retailing. More importantly, it presents a cogent analysis of the longer term trends that are shaping retailing, and outlines a clear road map for sustainable success in the future.

How small, one-of-a-kind businesses can break through among giants Megachains like Walmart, Starbucks, Home Depot, and The Gap attract Americans to thousands of outlets by offering a large selection of goods and services. But this doesn't mean that independent stores can't compete with the big guys-and win. Retail expert George Whalin identifies and explores twenty-five highly popular and profitable independent stores from around the country. Unlike the mom-and-pops of yesteryear, these businesses embrace technology and innovation, generate word of mouth, and turn their size into an advantage. They include: ? ABC Carpet and Home in New York City ? Powell's City of Books in Portland, Oregon ? The Junkman's Daughter in Atlanta ? Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, Ohio Readers will be inspired by how these independent stores are thriving and take away lessons they can apply to their own businesses.