Retail Therapy

A detailed examination of a sector that employs millions of people worldwide - and one to which people would feel a connection (as everyone is a shopper on some level).Author has a high profile in the retail sector - speaking at 10-12 major conferences a year (combined audience in 2017 of more than 20,000 people) - plus his blog has around 12,000 views a month.Author's profile in the Middle East in particular - invitations already exist for him to talk about the book at both the Sharjah and Dubai book fairs in 2018-19. Author is an alumni of INSEAD, who would host a launch event for the book.Mark Pilkington is an experienced retail chief executive and strategy consultant, based in the UK. After graduating from INSEAD, he joined Courtaulds, later becoming CEO of Gossard where he was responsible for initiating the huge global success of Wonderbra. He then founded Splendour.com - the world's first direct-to-consumer ecommerce brand, with the backing of Marks & Spencer.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.An insightful review of the collapse of the traditional retail sector in the West, and a roadmap for its potential recovery.Introduction - an overview of the crisis Part 1: Retail A!pocalypse Now! 1.A tale of two bankruptcies 2.The great stores meltdown 3.No longer a nation of shopkeepers 4.Dark Satanic Malls 5.My kingdom for a horse - the knock-on impact on branded suppliers 6.The next big short? 7.Killing more jobs than China 8.A global problem 9.The impact of public policy Part 2: The Causes of the Crisis in Retailing 10.The classical retailing model 11.The rise of e-commerce 12.The broader impact of the technological revolution 13.The generational revolution 14.The death of brands 15.Passing peak consumption 16.Conquering the final mile 17.The dawn of a virtual world 18.This is your fridge talking 19.Algorithm'n'blues 20.Veni, Vidi, 3D 21.See you later, incubator 22.Direct is best 23.Retail derailed 24.Bankers away! 25.Can the last one out switch off the lights? Part 3: How to Save Retail 26.The importance of simplicity 27.Go with the flow 28.Cannibalise, cannibalise, cannibalise! 29.Lean and mean 30.Brand theatre 31.The third space 32.Re-tech 33.Becoming the conversation 34.The price is right 35.Inclusive is the new exclusive 36.Virtuous reality 37.The hacker way 38.Reinventing shared shopping spaces 39.Advice to governments 40.Summary - the new rules for survivalRetail Therapy bristles with alarming numbers. Before I finished the book I was recommending it to others, particularly because of his powerful analysis of the crisis. It is worth listening to the fixes - some of them controversial - he believes will cure the industry's ills.This is the book that many people will have been waiting for - an explanation of what is happening to retailing, and what can be done about it. For entrepreneurs, policy makers and everyone who has a strong interest in where and how they buy things, it will be fascinating reading.If you want to understand just how serious the crisis facing retail really is, look no further than Retail Therapy. For those who really care about the future of retail, this book is compulsory reading. Mark tells it how it is and doesn't pull any punches; a must-read.The most current, most thorough review of retailing I have read in a long time . . . a must-read for every retailer or wannabe retailer out there, whether a millennial or baby boomer. Read it now - you won't regret even a minute of this juicy story.Retail Therapy is crammed with telling insights, and Mark Pilkington provides a to-do list that every investor, retailer, employee, supplier and customer should read, learn and inwardly digest.An experienced retail operator and a very clear thinker, Mark Pilkington has described where retail is today and why and how it should adapt to rapid change.A well-written book, which offers a factual and insightful account of the retail landscape as it stands today, and importantly brings to life realistic and actionable solutions for tomorrow. A great read . . . I am convinced it is a winner!This book is a fascinating and timely approach. It is clear that the traditional high street is suffering, and some aspects of government policy are making things worse.