The End Of Shops

Shops are facing tough times: recession, local legislation, parking problems, competition from the internet and the strong position of suppliers. Buying on the Internet 24/7 has become a real alternative to the local shop with its rigid opening hours and limited choice. So is there still a future for the traditional retailer? What are the latest developments in this environment and how can these be translated into significant business models? Cor Molenaar analyses the struggle and the risks to describe the opportunities and potential for the retail trade to turn the tide. He looks at the new buying behaviour of consumers (the new shopping), the evolution of retail (how it used to be, how it is now and what it has to become) and shows what the future for the shop will actually look like. Shops need to change, to reassess their unique customer appeal and work in new ways with suppliers and customers if they are to survive. Online retailing is often seen as the panacea, but is that really the case? The internet will undergo many changes, too. Many e-retailers will disappear or end up surviving on the margin of the mainstream. Only the most canny suppliers and webshops, those that can make best use of the opportunities offered by the Internet will survive.

Shops are facing tough times: recession, local legislation, parking problems, competition from the internet and the strong position of suppliers. Buying on the Internet 24/7 has become a real alternative to the local shop with its rigid opening hours and limited choice. So is there still a future for the traditional retailer? What are the latest developments in this environment and how can these be translated into significant business models? Cor Molenaar analyses the struggle and the risks to describe the opportunities and potential for the retail trade to turn the tide. He looks at the new buying behaviour of consumers (the new shopping), the evolution of retail (how it used to be, how it is now and what it has to become) and shows what the future for the shop will actually look like. Shops need to change, to reassess their unique customer appeal and work in new ways with suppliers and customers if they are to survive. Online retailing is often seen as the panacea, but is that really the case? The internet will undergo many changes, too. Many e-retailers will disappear or end up surviving on the margin of the mainstream. Only the most canny suppliers and webshops, those that can make best use of the opportunities offered by the Internet will survive.

Retail is going through difficult times and is suffering the consequences of both the economic crisis and the digitization of society. Fundamentally, there is a bigger problem: stores cannot keep up with the changing behavior of customers who are connected 24/7, customers for whom there is no distinction between online and offline.The End of Online Shopping: The Future of New Retail in an Always Connected World describes how the smart, the sharing, the circular, and the platform economy are shaping a new era of always connected retail. Retailers urgently need to innovate if they want to stay relevant in a world dominated by marketplaces and sharing platforms. The book contains inspiring examples from different industries — which include the usual suspects such as Amazon, Alibaba, and Google, but also local startups — and covers all aspects of the customer journey, from orientation and selection to delivery.The End of Online Shopping provides an excellent overview of shopping trends and developments worldwide, and offers readers indispensable insights into the future of retail.

As China evolves, so does the global marketplace—all the way down to the consumer The End of Cheap China is a detailed look at the rise of China, and how it will affect the global marketplace. A thorough exploration of the changes taking place in the Chinese economy, the book explains how much of the Western consumerist culture is built on the back of cheap Chinese factory labor, and warns that the era is coming to a close. Readers will learn why the cheap labor pool is beginning to dry up, what that means for the rest of the world, and how businesses will have to adapt to stay afloat. This updated second edition includes new statistics, the latest news on the Chinese economy, and additional case studies that illustrate the ways in which China has developed—into a brand-new potential market. China's social, political, and economic evolution will affect the entire world. Rising incomes are building pressure on the global commodities market, inflation is only just beginning, and consumers are experiencing sticker shock as cheap labor is becoming harder to find. The End of Cheap China explains the factors driving these changes, the impact that can be expected, and the opportunities that constitute a major silver lining for businesses panicking about the coming paradigm shift. Readers will: Discover the eight mega-trends changing China, and how far the ripples will spread Learn how rising costs in China will dramatically affect the American way of life Examine the rise of Chinese consumption, and the friction it engenders Consider the changes businesses must make to remain profitable in a changing world The global marketplace is evolving, and it's up to businesses to keep pace with the changes. The End of Cheap China provides a roadmap for navigating these changes, helping businesses lead the charge toward a more affluent global economy.

“REIN MASTERFULLY CAPTURES WHERE [CONSUMERS] HAVE BEEN AND WHERE THEY DREAM OF GOING.” —FORTUNE PRAISE FOR THE END OF CHEAP CHINA “Brilliantly written.” —Financial Times “Rein combines elegant writing and methodical research. Years of working in China have given him access to important players. Incisive interviews with billionaires, business executives, government officials, and migrant workers guide the pulse of the narrative . . . essential reading.” —USA Today “Engaging. Full of vivid anecdotes from Chinese billionaires to senior party officials and even prostitutes. For any foreigners thinking about doing business in the Middle Kingdom, The End of Cheap China is a good place to start.” —Reuters “Must-read.” —Consulting Magazine “A lively read.” —Straits Times “An inside look.” —Industry Week “Compelling, engaging, informative.” —The Cayman Islands Journal “Lively, well-written book.” —South China Morning Post “Engaging, highly readable style with real-life examples from vast catalog of China research. For good measure, Rein wedded into China’s elite, marrying the granddaughter of 1980s Politburo chairman Marshal Ye Jianying” —Asia Times