Executive Summary

• In retail, we have rapidly and without hesitation entered an age of shopping diversity, but many product and service offerings have yet to catch up with their customer. Regardless of the customer base, the demand is the same—people want products that reflect their uniqueness.
• From the mature customer (age 60+) to shoppers size 14 and up, to Millennials and post-Millennials, the common thread is self-expression through their purchases. Their self-identity is embedded in each purchase choice. And this is the great white space of opportunity for the perceptive and nimble retailer.
• E-commerce is becoming a more pervasive animal, with giants such as Amazon and Alibaba crossing borders and changing consumer behaviors. As mobile devices get smarter and connection speeds faster, shoppers are conducting product searches and comparisons, locating them offline or making the purchase directly online – literally all at their fingertips. This fluidity has huge potential to increase retail sales with the biggest competition being of all things, mobile gaming.
• In this report we explore the instigators of change that are shaping the retail sector. We reveal important trends that have caused new consumption patterns, and examine some of the likely impacts that these developments will have on future retail environments, and how retailers can better respond to these changes.