Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Management

Retail Apocalypse's Impacts and Opportunities for Local Retailers

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Abstract

This study empirically assesses the impact of retail store closure on consumers and local retailers in small towns/cities. 16 individual and 3 focus group in-person interviews were conducted with 28 consumers living in two small cities located in the southeast region. The results suggest that the majority of participants indicated that they and their families were affected by store closures, elderly consumers are impacted more than young consumers by closing brick-and-mortar stores, and the small town/city consumers think local stores should focus on providing unique merchandise and shopping experiences to draw consumers to their stores.

Keywords: Retail apocalypse, local retailers, consumers in small towns and cities, apparel shopping

How to Cite:

Tong, X. & Su, J., (2024) “Retail Apocalypse's Impacts and Opportunities for Local Retailers”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 80(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.17370