The future competitive environment for retailing will be very different from the past. The problems poised by this new environment can not, in the words of Albert Einstein, "be solved at the same level of awareness that created them." Expectations formed by looking through the rear view mirror will consistently misguide. A future vision of retailing will have to take into account changing technology, consumer expectations, productivity and competition.

As part of the planning process to create a briefing center for our clients, Deloitte undertook a very high level and qualitative interview/survey process. This survey interviewed select luminaries from the fields of technology, brand, store design, publishing, academia, Wall Street and key retail related trade groups. We discussed aspects of their future vision for a world where retailers found their competition, not only from other retailers, but from some very non-traditional sources such as banks, manufacturers and service companies. This study coupled with the author's own insights about the future of retailing, details some of the findings that were gleaned from these interviews. Read the full report, in the PDF below.

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