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Happy New Year! We've finally made it. The year 2020 featured a global pandemic, an economic downward spiral, and an unforgettable presidential election. In the world of <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword>, 2020 was similarly grim, with a massive wave of <keyword id="17898" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Store">store</keyword> closures and industry bankruptcies defining much of the shopping landscape throughout the year.But, believe it or not, 2020 also had its good moments.Today, we'll take a look at the biggest events in retail in 2020, as we celebrate the turn of the year with a special edition of Insider Retail. We'll go through the ups and downs of 2020 - from store closures to the acceleration of <keyword id="35621" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="e-commerce">e-commerce</keyword> - and try to predict what's to come in 2021.Next week, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming. So if you haven't already subscribed, take the first step in making your 2021 much better than 2020 by <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/insider-retail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clicking here and subscribing.</a>Lastly, from all of us here at Insider Retail, thanks for sticking around throughout 2020! Here's to a happy - and hopefully more normal - New Year!Now onto the roundup:<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-pandemic-made-grocery-stores-winners-and-department-stores-losers-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Retail's winners and losers in 2020</a></h2><div type="image" title="walmart store shoppers" height="563" width="750" msid="80062231" hostid="261"></div>The pandemic had a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-pandemic-made-grocery-stores-winners-and-department-stores-losers-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polarizing</a> impact on retail. While some companies endured major losses due to store closures and mandated stay-at-home orders, others were galvanized by a boom in panic-buying and e-commerce.The winners: Big-box <keyword id="6566827" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="chains">chains</keyword> like Walmart, Costco, and Target saw major sales gains in-store thanks to their status as "essential businesses," which allowed them to stay open when other retailers and <keyword id="34615" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="restaurants">restaurants</keyword> had to close. In addition, digitally native businesses like Amazon and smaller direct-to-consumer companies witnessed surges in sales as well - particularly those focused on athleisure wear. The same can be said of at-home fitness companies like Peloton and Echelon.The losers: Many restaurants, <keyword id="6362766" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="apparel">apparel</keyword> chains, and department stores suffered large amounts of damage last year. About 40 major retailers <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retailers-filed-bankruptcy-liquidation-closing-stores-2020-2">filed for bankruptcy</a> in 2020 and more than 11,000 stores have closed, according to commercial real estate research firm CoStar Group. <h1><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/restaurant-trends-ma-consolidation-menu-cuts-to-escalate-in-2021-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How the pandemic may have permanently changed the restaurant industry</a></h1><div type="image" title="outdoor dining covid plastic tent" height="1529" width="2039" msid="80062232" hostid="261"></div>Forced closures and new safety regulations pummeled the restaurant industry in 2020.Twelve restaurant chains filed for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/8-restaurant-chains-that-have-filed-for-bankruptcy-during-pandemic-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bankruptcy</a> last year in the wake of the pandemic. In total, the National Restaurant Association said about <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-restaurant-industry-faces-down-apocalypse-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">110,000</a> restaurants locations have closed.Many chains were forced to quickly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/restaurant-trends-ma-consolidation-menu-cuts-to-escalate-in-2021-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adapt</a> their business models to stay afloat. Changes included menu cuts, increased automation, and a new reliance on third-party delivery services.According to some experts, these changes will likely <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/restaurant-trends-ma-consolidation-menu-cuts-to-escalate-in-2021-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persist</a> in a post-pandemic world.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-21-dtc-brands-are-hiring-with-competitive-salary-benefits-2020-12#winc-7">Americans shopped online more than ever before, leading direct-to-consumer brands to thrive</a></h2><div type="image" title="walmart ecommerce shop online customer" height="683" width="910" msid="80062233" hostid="261"></div>With stores temporarily shuttered early on during the pandemic, Americans turned to online shopping en masse for everything from essential goods to comfort buys. In November, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nrf-black-friday-isnt-dead-next-year-could-be-biggest-ever-2020-12">a record-breaking 100 million people</a> shopped online on Black Friday, with the percentage of people exclusively making purchases online increasing 44% from 2019. Looking ahead, experts anticipate e-commerce to only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/e-commerce-companies-that-are-poised-to-boom-in-2021-2020-12">continue to grow in the new year</a>. The rise in e-commerce <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-21-dtc-brands-are-hiring-with-competitive-salary-benefits-2020-12#winc-7">boded especially well for direct-to-consumer brands</a>, several of which reported massive growth in 2020. With limited brick-and-mortar store options and the fear of spreading the virus running rampant, shoppers sought out alternative ways to procure items like groceries and toiletries, flocking to companies like Imperfect Foods and Thrive Market. <keyword id="46888" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="DTC">DTC</keyword> <keyword id="31174" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="brands">brands</keyword> specializing in everything from alcohol and feminine products to pet food and furniture also saw major gains as the year progressed. <h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/17-digital-fitness-power-players-changing-how-americans-workout-2020-12">Virtual at-home fitness companies brought the gym experience to your living room </a><div type="image" title="peloton at home" height="1328" width="1770" msid="80062234" hostid="261"></div></h2>While Peloton emerged as one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-weigh-in-impact-of-pelotons-420-million-precor-acquisition-2020-12">clear winners of the pandemic</a> - with demand for its stationary bicycles and treadmills growing so high it struggled to keep up - fitness brands specializing in everything from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/virtual-fitness-streaming-subscriptions-exercise-program-peloton-pandemic-2020-9">at-home yoga to virtual kickboxing</a> also reaped the benefits of Americans being forced to stay home and skip the gym. And while the future of gyms and group fitness remains uncertain, many anticipate the virtual fitness trend is here to stay, as the pandemic makes lasting shifts to American lifestyles. According to the advisory firm <a href="https://www.lincolninternational.com/perspectives/trends-in-digital-fitness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lincoln International,</a> the global digital fitness market swelled to an estimated $27.4 billion in 2020, up 32.6% from 2017.Meanwhile, traditional brick-and-mortar gyms and studios felt the strain, leading to<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fitness-sporting-goods-retailers-filed-bankruptcy-liquidation-closing-stores-2020-9"> bankruptcies from major fitness companies</a> like Gold's Gym, 24 Hour Fitness, YogaWorks, and Flywheel.<h2>The wackiest new menu items to launch in 2020:</h2><div type="image" title="Spicy donut Dunkin' ghost pepper" height="810" width="1080" msid="80062235" hostid="261"></div><ul><li>Dunkin's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dunkin-ghost-pepper-donut-halloween-taste-test-in-photos-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spicy Ghost Pepper</a> donut</li><li>The $6 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-travis-scott-meal-promotion-review-and-analysis-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Travis Scott</a> meal from McDonald's</li><li>TikTok superstar Charli D'Amelio's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dunkins-tiktok-strategy-includes-charli-damelio-partnership-and-ugc-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"The Charli"</a> drink option at Dunkin'</li><li>Chipotle's <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/chipotle-launches-the-tony-hawk-burrito-offers-access-to-tony-hawk-s-pro-skater-1-and-2-warehouse-demo-1029487048" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tony Hawk Burrito</a></li><li>Chick-fil-A's Chocolate Fudge <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-new-menu-items-brownie-new-coffee-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brownie</a> and Mocha Cream Cold Brew</li><li>Burger King's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-impossible-croissanwich-where-to-get-it-2020-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Impossible Croissan'wich</a></li><li>KFC's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kfc-fried-chicken-sandwich-between-2-glazed-doughnuts-review-2019-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fried-chicken-and-donut</a> sandwich</li><li>Popeyes' <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/popeyes-launches-beignets-powdered-sugar-hersheys-chocolate-limited-time-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beignets stuffed with Hershey's chocolate</a></li></ul><h2>The wildest retail stories of 2020:</h2><div type="image" title="disney world mask wdw" height="1706" width="2275" msid="80062237" hostid="261"></div><ul><li>Whole Foods tracked its employees with a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-tracks-unionization-risk-with-heat-map-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heat map tool</a> to see which stores were most likely to unionize. </li><li>Inside McDonald's $1 billion <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-black-franchisees-file-lawsuit-against-fast-food-giant-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">racial-discrimination lawsuit</a> and Black franchisees' push for equality.</li><li>Hobby Lobby <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hobby-lobby-reopened-stores-in-states-with-coronavirus-lockdowns-2020-3">defied state-mandated orders</a> to close non-essential businesses, quietly reopening stores and endangering employees.</li><li>The company that makes Calvin Klein and Guess jeans <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apparel-workers-forced-return-to-office-face-firing-pay-cuts-2020-10#:~:text=According%20to%20email%20communications%20from,office%20five%20days%20a%20week.&amp;text=Business%20Insider%20verified%20their%20identities.ies." target="_blank" rel="noopener">forced workers</a> to head back into a full-capacity office or be fired amid the pandemic.</li><li>Ruby Tuesday Ruby <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ruby-tuesday-halts-retirees-pension-payments-during-pandemic-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stopped paying pensions</a> to more than 100 retirees.</li><li>A CVS district leader <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cvs-told-staff-to-hide-worker-covid-19-cases-from-patients-2020-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">instructed pharmacy staff</a> not to tell patients their medications were filled by someone who tested positive for COVID-19.</li><li>The pandemic affected how Disney World employees <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-workers-feel-safe-yet-distant-covid-cases-surge-florida-2020-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made magic at "The Happiest Place on Earth."</a></li></ul>

Insider Retail: The best retail stories of 2020 - and what to expect in 2021

Debates – both politically motivated and economy-focused – might be raging in India regarding <keyword id="44749" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Foreign-Direct-Investment">foreign direct investment</keyword> (<keyword id="44528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="FDI">FDI</keyword>) in the retail segment, but the <keyword id="44734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword> is constantly paving the path for global majors to enter the <keyword id="47445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-market">Indian market</keyword>. In its latest bid to attract foreign investment, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (<keyword id="6360345" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="FIPB">FIPB</keyword>) has given its nod to <keyword id="1130286" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="swedish-retailer">Swedish retailer</keyword> <keyword id="771163" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hennes-Mauritz">Hennes &amp; Mauritz</keyword> (<keyword id="150626" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="HM">H&amp;M</keyword>) who plans to open 50 stores across the country and <keyword id="47916" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="invest">invest</keyword> around Rs 700 crore under the single-brand retail format. 
 The FIPB approval will allow the world’s second biggest fashion retailer to set up a wholly owned subsidiary in the country, according to a government statement. Last year, the Indian government opened up the retail sector to foreign investors, allowing up to 51% <keyword id="405850" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="FDI-in-multi-brand-retail">FDI in multi-brand retail</keyword> and 100% for single-brand retail. The government eased the rules further in August this year to woo <keyword id="1965137" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Global-chains">global chains</keyword> such as <keyword id="46675" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Wal-Mart">Wal-Mart</keyword> and <keyword id="57606" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Carrefour">Carrefour</keyword> although the FIPB, nodal body for monitoring <keyword id="396143" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Foreign-investments">foreign investments</keyword>, had kept a stringent watch over some key deals. The FIPB can vet proposals up to Rs 1,200 crore and anything above that amount has to be referred to the <keyword id="120170" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Cabinet-Committee-on-Economic-Affairs">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs</keyword> (CCEA). 
 Interestingly, there is another Swedish retailer that has been quite active in the Indian market. The budget furniture chain <keyword id="6371031" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ikea">IKEA</keyword> was one of the first companies to receive an FIPB approval for its investment plans in May this year. IKEA is now planning to enter the country with an investment of around Rs 10,500 crore. But the company is yet to announce the location for its first store. 
 It is not difficult to understand why retail giants from all over the globe are targeting the Indian market. H&amp;M has strong interest in <keyword id="21718" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Asia">Asia</keyword> as the company posted rising profits in the September quarter due to its steady growth in this region. It recorded a third quarter net profit of $690 million, up 22% on the same quarter in 2012. Since India is the third-largest <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> in the continent and home to nearly 1.2 billion people, it is evolving as one of the biggest consumer markets that no <keyword id="62791" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="global-player">global player</keyword> can possibly ignore. 
 With the government seemingly doing its best to sweeten things up, global firms in India are looking at expansion as well. In November this year, UK retail giant <keyword id="46182" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Marks-and-Spencer">Marks and Spencer</keyword> opened its largest Indian store in Mumbai, a joint venture with <keyword id="196796" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="local-player">local player</keyword> <keyword id="58448" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reliance-Retail">Reliance Retail</keyword>. <keyword id="330888" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="MS">M&amp;S</keyword> also said in a recent announcement that it would be aiming to make India its second largest market by more than doubling its number of stores in the country to 80. That is quite heartening, to say the least. All we require now is a crystal clear, liberal and win-win approach (it should benefit both global and local partners) to pursue the FDI dream even further. 
 
Image: Wikimedia Commons

FDI
In Retail May Flourish More As One Of The Biggest Fashion Retailers Is Hitting Indian Shores

Big "ICYMI" energy in the newsletter today. Look, we get it. There was some other big news this week. But Insider's <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> team always has you covered when it comes to the biggest retail business stories.This week's edition covers retailers, like <keyword id="151277" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="CVs">CVS</keyword>, <keyword id="249296" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kroger">Kroger</keyword>, and Walgreens, rolling out vaccines. And we take a look at a startup that's turning vacant retail stores into micro-warehouses for <keyword id="35621" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="e-commerce">e-commerce</keyword> orders. If you haven't already subscribed to Insider Retail, <a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/free">click here</a> to get me, Gloria Dawson, senior editor of retail, and our associate editor, Danni Santana, in your inbox every week.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stores-prepare-for-100-million-covid-vaccines-including-cvs-kroger-2021-1">How Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, and other retailers plan to leverage tech, convenience, and public trust to get the chaotic mass vaccine rollout back on track</a></h2><div type="image" title="Coronavirus vaccine" height="1333" width="1777" msid="80376973" hostid="261"></div>It's no secret that the <keyword id="24209" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="vaccine">vaccine</keyword> rollout has been less-than-smooth. Could retailers help get things back on track? Well, they certainly hope so. It's not the craziest idea. As Alvin Tran, a social epidemiologist at the University of New Haven told our reporters, these brands lend name recognition, trust, and their own technology to the process. Drug stores also aren't the only retailers who want a piece of the vaccine story:<ul><li>Amazon's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-dave-clark-offers-biden-help-with-covid-vaccination-effort-2021-1">Dave Clark has some advice</a></li><li>Washington state recruits <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-covid-vaccine-starbucks-rollout-microsoft-2021-1">Starbucks to help with its COVID-19 vaccine</a> rollout</li></ul><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fabric-same-day-delivery-cheaper-small-fulfillment-centers-2021-1">Logistics startup Fabric has raised $136 million to build shipping warehouses in unused real estate like retail stores and gyms</a></h2><div type="image" title="Fabric MFC" height="1875" width="2500" msid="80376974" hostid="261"></div>Here's a trend for you all: Retail stores close as consumers flock to e-commerce during the pandemic. Logistics startups then use vacant retail space as micro-warehouses to fulfill e-commerce orders. Our Correspondent Madeline Stone wrote about Fabric, a big player in this particular retail life cycle story.Fascinated by the micro-warehousing trend? You've come to the right newsletter.<ul><li>Meet the 4 startups helping retailers compete with Amazon by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/micro-warehouse-startups-retailers-amazon-level-speed-2020-12">tapping into micro-warehouses</a> across the US</li><li>How a debilitating injury left this founder reliant on on-demand delivery and inspired to create a startup that helps <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/micro-warehousing-startup-ohi-offers-dtc-amazon-like-shipping-speeds-2020-12">DTC companies expedite shipping speeds by using micro-warehouses</a>Elsewhere in retail:</li><li>New year, new job? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-does-postmates-pay-engineers-data-scientists-2021-1">Here's how much Postmates pays</a> software engineers, robotics engineers, and data scientists at the last-mile delivery company now owned by Uber</li><li>The resale market is so hot right now. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/used-peloton-bikes-sold-online-delaying-company-resale-market-plan-2021-1">Used Peloton bikes are selling online through Facebook and Craigslist</a> within hours for the same price as a new machine.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bernie-sanders-wore-burton-meme-jacket-to-inauguration-2021-1">Bernie Sanders represented Vermont with his familiar Burton jacket</a> on Inauguration Day. Yes, there is always a retail angle.</li><li>As Oatly looks to IPO, experts say these <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/foods-brands-expected-ipo-2021-1">8 brands in the $813 billion packaged food industry could follow suit</a>, from Impossible Foods to Chobani</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retailers-drop-my-pillow-election-fraud-claims-mike-lindell-2021-1-">Bed Bath &amp; Beyond and Kohl's will drop My Pillow</a> products from stores after its CEO spread election conspiracy theories</li><li>A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-franchisee-attends-dc-protests-as-chain-condemns-trump-2021-1">McDonald's franchisee said he had 'an EPIC time' in Washington, D.C. amid the Capitol riot.</a> Now his posts are shining a light on the political struggle engulfing corporate America.</li></ul>

Insider Retail: Logistics startups look to micro-warehouses and the vaccine rollout hits retail stores

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This is an excerpt from a story delivered exclusively to Business Insider Intelligence Payments &amp; Commerce subscribers. </li><li>To receive the full story plus other insights each morning, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=top_text&amp;itm_term=bundle_subscription_text_link-amazon-makes-brick-and-mortar-play-in-india-2019-8">click here.</a></li></ul>The Seattle-based e-tailer has acquired a 49% share of Future Coupons, which handles digital payments for Indian <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> operator Future Retail, per <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud3NqLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlcy9hbWF6b24tZGVhbC1vcGVucy1kb29yLXRvLWJpZ2dlci1mb290cHJpbnQtaW4taW5kaWEtMTE1NjY1NDQwODA/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBf71f8e00" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud3NqLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlcy9hbWF6b24tZGVhbC1vcGVucy1kb29yLXRvLWJpZ2dlci1mb290cHJpbnQtaW4taW5kaWEtMTE1NjY1NDQwODA/5d233c18f730436f2414784fBf71f8e00&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1566994887690000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE1cpoofz9Z7PlMSupW8CcCFgAZRw">The Wall Street Journal</a>. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Future Coupons is "developing innovative value-added payment products and solutions such as corporate gift cards, loyalty cards, and reward cards primarily for corporate and institutional customers," an Amazon spokesperson told <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly90ZWNoY3J1bmNoLmNvbS8yMDE5LzA4LzIyL2FtYXpvbi1mdXR1cmUtY291cG9ucy8/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB25d25e3d" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly90ZWNoY3J1bmNoLmNvbS8yMDE5LzA4LzIyL2FtYXpvbi1mdXR1cmUtY291cG9ucy8/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB25d25e3d&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1566994887690000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH3H4qHdz9u7RWWfcNkyMGyHYWnSw">TechCrunch</a>, but the acquisition may serve as a stepping stone to a greater investment in Future Retail.The deal gives Amazon around half of Future Coupons' 7.3% stake in Future Retail and, after three years, the opportunity to acquire part or all of the share currently owned by Future Retail's founding family, which is worth over 40% of the company. Future Retail is likely an appealing investment for Amazon as it operates over 2,000 stores, including hypermarkets and supermarkets, in more than 400 cities in India.Here's what it means: Investing in Future Retail enables Amazon to work with its brick-and-mortar network, which could help it boost its performance in India.<ul><li>The deal will reportedly see Amazon sell Future Retail's brands on its marketplace and use its stores for grocery deliveries. Adding brands familiar to Indian consumers to its marketplace could convince some shoppers to come to Amazon for the first time. And utilizing Future Retail's sprawling brick-and-mortar network for grocery delivery could speed up the delivery times of Amazon's offerings, potentially attracting new users.</li><li>Building a stronger brick-and-mortar connection could help Amazon build Indian consumers' trust in e-commerce, allowing the e-tailer to capitalize on the market's potential. Just 25% of Indian internet users had purchased a product online in the previous three months according to a 2018 <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21pZHlhci5jb20vc2l0ZXMvZGVmYXVsdC9maWxlcy9VbmxvY2tpbmclMjBEaWdpdGFsJTIwRm9yJTIwQmhhcmF0X0ZpbmFsLnBkZg/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB3c7e89b5" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21pZHlhci5jb20vc2l0ZXMvZGVmYXVsdC9maWxlcy9VbmxvY2tpbmclMjBEaWdpdGFsJTIwRm9yJTIwQmhhcmF0X0ZpbmFsLnBkZg/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB3c7e89b5&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1566994887690000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG6gag-9fTuZp_CHKIX-9PZ6kyiIg">report</a> from Bain &amp; Company, Google, and Omidyar Network. Even if e-commerce has grown more popular in the past year in India, internet users' top reasons for not shopping online - a lack of trust and no opportunity to touch and feel products - likely remain. To alleviate some of these concerns, Amazon could offer buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS) services at Future Retail locations. This could encourage customer loyalty and enable Amazon to capture more of the Indian e-commerce market, which is <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaWJlZi5vcmcvaW5kdXN0cnkvZWNvbW1lcmNlLmFzcHg/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB4b79740a" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaWJlZi5vcmcvaW5kdXN0cnkvZWNvbW1lcmNlLmFzcHg/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB4b79740a&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1566994887690000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHAqk6tOzyi-7ah_9_sab-t6EVCfQ">projected</a> to surge from $38.5 billion in 2017 to $200 billion in 2026.</li></ul>The bigger picture: The Indian government's <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L3dhbG1hcnQtZmFjaW5nLW9ic3RhY2xlcy1vdmVyc2Vhcy0yMDE5LTI/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB9edf6948" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/17881044.3/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L3dhbG1hcnQtZmFjaW5nLW9ic3RhY2xlcy1vdmVyc2Vhcy0yMDE5LTI/5d233c18f730436f2414784fB9edf6948&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1566994887691000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE_C5mPhgueenALniF3MRvp3PxX0w">rules</a> regarding companies with foreign investment complicate the future of this investment.India's federal direct investment regulations restrict the actions foreign companies can take in the country, likely limiting what actions Amazon can take with Future Retail. The regulations impact firms' abilities to sell products through other companies they own, which could be a problem for Amazon as it adds a stake in Future Retail.Once the initial three years have passed, Amazon has a seven-year window to acquire a significant share of Future Retail, and it may be hoping to wait out these regulations before pushing forward with Future Retail.Interested in getting the full story? Here are three ways to get access: <ol><li>Sign up for Payments &amp; Commerce Pro, Business Insider Intelligence's expert product suite keeping you up-to-date on the people, technologies, trends, and companies shaping the future of consumerism, delivered to your inbox 6x a week. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/payments-and-commerce-pro?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=get_started_text&amp;itm_term=bii_briefing_text_link-amazon-makes-brick-and-mortar-play-in-india-2019-8&amp;vertical=payments-and-commerce">Get Started</a></li><li>Subscribe to a Premium pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to the Payments &amp; Commerce Briefing, plus more than 250 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. &gt;&gt;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=learn_more_text&amp;itm_term=bundle_subscription_text_link-amazon-makes-brick-and-mortar-play-in-india-2019-8">Learn More Now</a></li><li>Current subscribers can read the full briefing <a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/post/amazon-eyes-physical-retail-in-india-grab-to-invest-several-hundred-million-dollars-in-vietnam-key-us-congressperson-still-concerned-about-facebooks-libra-2019-8">here.</a></li></ol><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/payments-and-commerce-pro?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_subscription&amp;itm_content=ecommerce&amp;itm_campaign=payments-and-commerce-pro"></a>

Amazon is aligning itself with Indian retail operator Future Retail

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/this-chart-shows-how-amazon-is-totally-crushing-its-retail-competitors-2016-5">Public enemy No. 1</a> in the <keyword id="6354851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Retail">retail</keyword> industry today is Amazon, but the biggest threat as we know it didn't begin with the internet. It began with Walmart. "Walmart destroyed retail," retail consultant Jan Kniffen said <a href="http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000543115&amp;play=1">on Monday on CNBC. </a>"They wrecked every other form of retailing because it was a race to the lowest price, and they were the lowest price."As Walmart beat out other discount retailers like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/08/business/kimco-buys-campeau-s-gold-circle.html">Gold Circle in 1988</a>&#xa0;and <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-01-21/business/9801210319_1_reorganization-plan-venture-stores-files">Venture Stores in 1998,</a>&#xa0;the company expanded rapidly across the country. Today, there are&#xa0;more than&#xa0;5,000 Walmart and Sam's Club locations in the US alone.Walmart's dominance has created an environment where it's difficult for retailers to compete in an overcrowded market. The issue is complicated by recent changes in the retail industry, with more shopping being done online - another factor that is creating more competition for retailers. According to job-placement firm <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/11/investing/retail-sector-job-cuts-macys-amazon/index.html">Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas</a>, retailers have cut almost 44,000 positions so far this year.Just last week, Macy's announced that would it shut down&#xa0;100 locations <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/macys-to-shut-down-100-stores-2016-8">early next year,</a>&#xa0;as mall traffic across the US <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/anchor-stores-are-changing-in-malls-2016-7">slows</a>. And&#xa0;Walmart closed&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-closes-hundreds-of-stores-2016-1">269 locations earlier this year</a>.The root of the problem, according to Kniffen, is that there are simply too many physical retail stores in the US.Kniffen isn't alone. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/macys-cfo-says-country-is-overstored-2016-8">Last week,</a>&#xa0;Macy's CFO, Karen&#xa0;Hoguet, said in an earnings call that&#xa0;"this country is over-stored, given evolving customer shopping habits."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Physical shopping locations can provide incentives for consumers to visit in the form of coffee shops, hair salons, and other things that&#xa0;<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-department-store-destinations-experience-20160812-story.html">boost the quality of the experience</a> - but, ultimately, there is a surplus of subpar stores and malls that consultants like&#xa0;Kniffen believe&#xa0;won't be open in a few years."We've never been this over-stored before," Kniffen said.Walmart did not reply to a request for comment.For more, watch the full CNBC interview below:<div></div>Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through hispersonal investment company Bezos Expeditions.

Walmart destroyed retail

<ul><li><keyword id="152661" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mandeep-Singh">Mandeep Singh</keyword>, CEO &amp; MD, <keyword id="4307007" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="CPM-India">CPM India</keyword> writes how Coronavirus, albiet devastating in many ways, also brought with it the much-needed push for <keyword id="860946" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-transformation">digital transformation</keyword>. </li><li>He further highlights how <keyword id="9549432" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="predictive-shopping">predictive shopping</keyword> became a reality where we knew exactly what the consumer would be looking for and when.</li></ul>As we come to the end of 2025 and talk about the next five years in retail and consumers, let’s reflect on how the last five years came to become perhaps the most interesting years Indian retail has ever seen. It has been a time of rapid transformation. Our industry has been on a transformational path for quite some time but the year 2020 turned out to be a real change maker for the world, and especially for retail. Along with destruction to life and livelihoods, the COVID19 pandemic of 2020 brought with it, questions that the industry had never even considered until then. Never had we imagined a time when shopping malls would have to close their doors for months on end, or a point when manufacturing would come to a grinding halt. Nevertheless, halt it did. While I believe a dynamic sector like retail would have found ways to innovate and embrace change anyway, the pandemic five years ago definitely accelerated the pace. The last 5 years have seen the rapid emergence of the new retailing. This period has seen the emergence of some interesting global platforms that have begun to dominate the retail landscape, both, digitally and physically. It is amazing to see how these giants have created an ecosystem along with local stores, start-ups and large format stores with the super empowered consumer at the centre of it all. Today the lines of retail have blurred. It is no more about value chain but instead a mix of multi layered apps, personalized curation, data and analytics, digital engagements and payments. Retail learnt some important lessons while it remained shut for months five years ago and these lessons should not be forgotten. Here are some key drivers of retail that helped us bounce back five years ago and will continue to do so for coming period as well: The post COVID-19 tech boom The coronavirus pandemic was devastating in many ways. However, it also brought with it the much-needed push for digital transformation. Consumers needed contactless easy solutions, and those were going to be possible only by bringing in some tech-based solutions. Owing to this, early 2020 was when we first spotted a robot, scanning the aisles in supermarket and at the checkout counter. Today, retailers and brands are reaping the benefits of this forced technological transformation that has transformed the very core of how we do business. The digital was not only limited to solutions for shopping. Safety became a key factor for consumers and a measure of their shopping trust/comfort. We at CPM enabled retailers to have the latest version of our AI merchandizing and POSM solutions along with maintaining digital record of the ACNV ratings of their staff and reflect the same to their consumers. <keyword id="9549433" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="cross-channel-shopping">Cross Channel Shopping</keyword> For the first time ever, online and offline stopped fighting for dominance and instead came together to give rise to unique cross channel shopping experiences to consumers. This opened up a completely new set of opportunities for retailers making the sector even more exciting. Merging the offline and online, CPM was at forefront with retailers to ensure that the consumer journey was never compromised, and the quality of stewardship remained high. A click of a button led to a direct consultation with an expert, where the consumer needed and how he wanted it. The essential became visible The pandemic did what decades of business pitches failed to achieve – a strong focus on people who were going to be the final frontier – the interface between the brands and the consumers. Brands started investing more in up-skilling the retail staff, updating them to face newer realities. Moreover, retail staff were trained in skills that went beyond stocking and reporting (which the robots could do) so that they could now go on to become consumer experience specialists, instead of only focusing on sales. For the first time ever, hygiene and health became a part of the training module. The entire staff now had to be a Health A1 holder. CPM India identified the changes that COVID-19 was going to bring to the industry early on and began investing in upskilling the workforce through a multi-pronged training approach. Interactive digital learning and assessment, which led to greater efficiency and aided in optimization or clients. Predictive analytics to predictive shopping Analytics solutions helped many a retailer and brand help navigate this deluge of data and brought into the picture the use of predictive analytics, which helped clients and partners safeguard their businesses against unknown and sudden events while enabling learning on a daily basis. Post the pandemic, predictive analytics found applications in several scenarios where businesses started analyzing historical facts and made predictions on future and unknown events. Greater restrictions and cost sensitivity catalyzed the adoption of predictive analytics. Axis the analytics entity of CPM has played a key role in developing and enhancing their predictive capabilities, which has helped retailers, predict when a resource, product or communication needs to be deployed for the greatest return. In addition, the newer version has used consumer insights to give customized individual predictive recommendations to them. Predictive shopping became a reality where we knew exactly what the consumer would be looking for and when, what were must have stock at homes (MHS) and good to haves, which made planning a breeze! Contactless everything With the pandemic, consumers became more cautious about who was selling to them. They needed to know whether the right safety and health standards were being followed. This gave rise to contactless retail. Today, at the store, a digital POSM guides me to the correct aisle and helps me make the right choice. Also, I no longer need to lug back products from the store. They are delivered to my house in self-driving vans. Changing the way we shop Five to seven years ago, e-commerce was the buzzword. And while online shopping as we knew it had its advantages, we all have had those times when the wrong product (or even bars of soaps) turned up instead of the phone that we ordered. Today, we can use our hand held and wearable devices we not only get to size up the product through holographic 3D touch technology but also get to track its journey through every stage – from our specific customizations to the time when it is drone delivered to our doorsteps. With the technology at hand, it was possible for the consumers to shop from the comfort of their homes. In order to enable brands to capitalize on the e-commerce boom, Detail the online tool of CPM ensured that the right product was in the right place with the right offer and message. Coupled with the ability of a virtual consultation by an expert, a brand was able to communicate their promise to the consumer. Shopping in-store became shorter and with the need for limited contact. In 2020, the challenges seemed impossible to overcome. However, today while I key in my grocery requirements, customizing them largely, knowing that they will be delivered perfectly packaged by driverless vans, I know we as an industry acted quickly to help turn the situation around. Retail, being the resilient sector that it is pulled through by doing everything that was required for retailers to do in response to the disruptions to ensure business continuity and emerge successfully in the post-pandemic world. Today, five years later, it would do us all good to remember that we need to constantly keep innovating and calibrating and recalibrating risk in order to stay ahead of the curve, so we do not have to wait for another extraordinary event to ‘force’ us into changing. *** What you read above is what I hope to write five years from today. A happy account of lessons learnt from a difficult period. While I may not exactly be a clairvoyant with the ability to look into the future, I am hopeful. With each passing day as we are getting back to what is being called ‘The New Normal’, new learnings are emerging. Never before had we had to evolve so quickly. But evolve we must. It’s time we take the learnings this pandemic has brought us and put them into practice and be prepared, always, so we are better able to serve our customers who have deemed us as ‘essential’ in their lives. - By Mandeep Singh, CEO &amp; MD, CPM India

The new age of retail

<ul><li><keyword id="2971959" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="FCB-India">FCB India</keyword> and <keyword id="9092785" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="networkbay">Networkbay</keyword>'s initiative, ‘Retail: Day 1’ will help brands and retailers ‘manage, redefine and transform’ their retail experiences in the post-COVID era.</li><li>It is aimed at creating enhanced new retail virtual experiences which are engaging and at the same time fulfilling business requirements of conversion and sales for brands.</li></ul> FCB India has collaborated with Networkbay to launch an initiative, ‘Retail: Day 1’, that’ll help brands and retailers to ‘manage, redefine and transform’ their retail experiences in the post-COVID era. Considering the changes we are seeing in today’s world, owing to social distancing, it is being anticipated that consumer behavior might undergo a sea change in the post-Covid era. People might still want to opt for contactless experiences. The launch of ‘Retail: Day 1’ therefore beckons the first day of contactless retail experience. Through this collaboration FCB India and Networkbay will work with brands and retailers to quickly adapt to this new scenario. By leveraging digital tools and spatial design innovation, ‘Retail: Day 1’ is aimed at creating enhanced new retail virtual experiences which are engaging and at the same time fulfilling business requirements of conversion and sales for brands. A recent survey by <keyword id="454085" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Retail-Federation">National Retail Federation</keyword> (NRF) deduced: <ul><li>9 in 10 consumers have changed their traditional shopping habits</li><li> More than 50% of consumers have ordered products online that they would normally purchase at the store</li><li> Nearly 6 in 10 consumers say they are worried about going to the store due to fear of being infected</li></ul> Some of these changes would be temporary while others will be permanent. As the community moves beyond the survival mode, the digital-adoption momentum is likely to carry forward and become permanent. As a matter of fact, consumer behaviour will be dependent on 2 factors - the reluctance to mingle in crowded public places and higher propensity for digital adoption. While the survey by NRF represents finding in America, but the human sentiments resonate with the changing behaviour across the globe. A study by Deloitte published on March 30, 2020 shared an outlook on the retail industry with the emphasis on changing behaviour. Non-contact demand during the pandemic is expected to boost sales at smaller stores that can host smaller crowds at a time. However, supermarket chains have ensured supply of products at regular prices Due to the pandemic‘s impact on consumer behaviour and habits, “online-sales” are expected to witness a significant surge, even after the industry recovers The establishment of online platforms is expected to become indispensable for offline stores, and online–offline service integration is expected to increase. A Nielsen study unveiled in March 2020 looked at the retail purchase in traditional, modern and e-commerce channels, and evaluated consumer attitudes. It tracked this behaviour for several weeks from the time the disease first surfaced in India till the country went under a lockdown. First, it observes an increase in consumer interest in health and hygiene products, leading to purchase of safety items such as hand sanitizers and face masks. As the disease spread, consumers started stockpiling their pantry with shelf-stable food and broader assortment of health and safety products. Store visits went up and the basket size expanded. The quarantine stage, followed by restrictive living, led to a rise in online shopping, fewer store visits, purchase of essential goods. A recent Mckinsey study in China suggests consumers are likely to opt for online shopping even after the outbreak ends, especially for categories such as groceries and personal care. This trend is likely to continue long after the lockdowns are called off as people would still be apprehensive to visit crowded areas like malls or supermarkets. The aforesaid data and research excerpts imply that it is time for contactless retail experience for brands and it is here to stay. Even after the lockdown is lifted, consumers will still be apprehensive about stepping out and visiting stores. The footfall would be very low. China is a precedent of this consumer behaviour pattern. With the emergence of the online platforms that empower the consumer whilst ensuring their safety, engagement will be driven more on the basis of the ‘experiential’ rather than ‘material’. The post-covid retail environment will surely be a default online retail preference. And with the launch of ‘Retail Day: 1’, we announce our day 1 at the new normal, as we adapt to the new game. Speaking on current challenges, <keyword id="268920" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rohit-Ohri">Rohit Ohri</keyword>, Group Chairman and CEO, FCB India said, “This lockdown period will change our world forever. When we emerge on the other side of this crisis, retail experiences will be redefined. Our research shows that shopper behaviour will dramatically change. Even though retail stores may be open, customers who shop there will not engage with the stores as they used to. Retail needs to urgently reinvent itself for the post-COVID world. We’re hoping that our RETAIL DAY 1 initiative, we are able to help our clients rapidly build back their business” Adding, <keyword id="9092786" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hozefa-Attari">Hozefa Attari</keyword>, Co-Founder, Networkbay said, “Our platform combines the strengths of some of the leading retail design, technology and service brands to develop every retailer’s Store of the Future. Project ‘Retail: Day 1’ will allow us to work closely with FCB, taking advantage of their deep expertise in brand and customer behaviour, to develop radical customer journeys, be it contactless automotive dealerships, virtual stores or even connected packaging and Augmented Reality.”

FCB India and Networkbay’s initiative to help brand and retailers transform retail experience in the post-Covid world

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image"><a title_source="BI Intelligence" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56a96a6558c32397008b5d21-960/bii-us-m-commerce-forecast2.png"></a>BI Intelligence</div></div>No time offers a clearer window into how consumer and retailer shopping trends are shifting than the holiday season. The fourth quarter is always the busiest time of year for brands and retailers - it's when many of them move from red to black.This holiday season indicated that there's never been a better time to be a consumer. The rise of online and mobile shopping has given consumers more choice, flexibility, and often better service, and retailers are shifting their strategies to keep up.In a new report from BI Intelligence, we look at some of the top trends affecting retailers at each stage of the purchase funnel and how they're responding to those shifts.Here are some of the key takeaways:<ul><li>Within digital, consumers are spreading out their <keyword id="6354851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Retail">retail</keyword> purchasing across channels, forcing retailers to spread out their online marketing budgets. Paid search, affiliate marketing, and email all increased their share of e-commerce referrals last year, according to Custora. </li><li>Mobile continues to drive the most sales growth for retailers, but sales still aren't keeping up with retail traffic. IBM found that smartphone traffic beat both tablet and desktop, making up 53% of all online traffic. But mobile still only accounted for 29% of all online sales.</li><li>Retailers only have themselves to blame for underperformance on mobile, as many still aren't using best practices for mobile websites and apps. Only 60% of the top 100 global retailers currently have a dedicated mobile website, according to The Search Agency.</li><li>The increase in online shopping has put stress on the shipping and logistics industry. The number of UPS ground packages delivered on time during the holidays fell from 97% in 2014 to 91% in 2015, according to ShipMatrix. </li><li>Retailers that can't afford to invest in alternative shipping options are offering consumers more fulfillment options using what many of them do have - brick-and-mortar stores. Buying online and picking up in-store, also called click and collect, made up about 30% of e-commerce sales at Sam's Club in 2015.</li></ul>In full, the report: <ul><li>Looks at how retailers are shifting their ad spending and marketing efforts to keep up with online retail behavior.</li><li>Identifies which channels are top performers for referral traffic and new opportunities for reaching consumers.</li><li>Analyzes how retailers are responding to the rise of mobile purchasing and where they're falling short.</li><li>Examines the evolving delivery landscape and the aggressive moves retailers are making to become their own shipping carriers.</li></ul>Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:<ol><li>Purchase &amp; download the full report from our research store.» <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/research-store?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=report_teaser&amp;utm_term=report_teaser_store_text_link_the-new-retail-the-top-trends-disrupting-retail-at-each-stage-of-the-purchase-funnel-2016-1&amp;utm_content=report_store_teaser_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=report_teaser_store_link#!/The-New-Retail-Report/p/59687895">Purchase &amp; Download Now</a></li><li>Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally.» <a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=report_teaser&amp;utm_term=report_teaser_subscription_text_link_the-new-retail-the-top-trends-disrupting-retail-at-each-stage-of-the-purchase-funnel-2016-1&amp;utm_content=report_teaser_subscription_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=report_teaser_subscription_link">Learn More Now</a></li></ol> <div class="KonaFilter image-container float_left click-to-enlarge"><div class="image"><a title_source="BI Intelligence" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/560d7831bd86ef20008be865-960/devices_only.png"></a>BI Intelligence</div></div>PS. Did you know...Our BI Intelligence INSIDER Newsletters are currently read by thousands of business professionals first thing every morning. 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THE NEW RETAIL: The top trends disrupting retail at each stage of the purchase funnel

<ul class="summary-list"><li>US private equity firm <keyword id="6354544" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kkr">KKR</keyword> will invest $755 million in <keyword id="58448" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Reliance-Retail">Reliance Retail</keyword>, owned by <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>’s biggest company <keyword id="6355199" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="reliance-industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, for a 1.2% stake.</li><li>This is KKR’s second <keyword id="6355120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="investment">investment</keyword> in Reliance Industries — in May it invested $1.5 billion in Jio Platforms, Reliance’s digital arm that includes India’s largest mobile network.</li><li>The new investment values Reliance <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">Retail</keyword> at 4.21 trillion rupees ($57 billion).</li><li>Reliance has courted investors about its retail arm in recent months, including Silver Lake and, reportedly, Amazon.</li></ul>US private equity firm KKR will invest $755 million in the retail unit of India's biggest company, Reliance Industries, <a href="https://www.ril.com/getattachment/006e6f9c-d074-4fa3-81e9-a74a7a841079/KKR-TO-INVEST-%E2%82%B9-5,550-CRORE-IN-RELIANCE-RETAIL-VEN.aspx">it said on Wednesday</a>. KKR's investment for a 1.28% stake in Reliance Retail values the company at 4.21 trillion rupees ($57 billion), Reliance said.This is KKR's second investment in Reliance Industries — in May, it invested $1.5 billion Jio Platforms, Reliance's digital arm, which includes India's largest mobile network.It means that investors have poured $1.78 billion into Reliance Retail within a month. Tech investor Silver Lake will invest <a href="https://www.ril.com/getattachment/ae325405-1207-4f86-8874-3f24111b2b16/Silver-Lake-to-Invest-%E2%82%B9-7,500-Crore-in-Reliance-Re.aspx">$1.02 billion</a> in Reliance Retail, it said on September 9, after making a <a href="https://www.ril.com/getattachment/2cc98337-9b5b-4896-817f-524a69097b53/Silver-Lake-to-Invest-%E2%82%B9-5,655-75-Crore-in-Jio-Plat.aspx">$1.35 billion</a> investment in Jio Platforms in May.As India's biggest retailer, Reliance Retail owns around 12,000 stores, including convenience shops, supermarkets, apparel stores, and electronics stores. Most are in India, but it also owns Hamleys in London — the oldest and largest toy shop in the world.It turned over around $20 billion in the year to March 2020, an increase of 27% on the year before. Reliance struck a $3.38 billion deal last month to acquire rival Future Group's retail business.<h3>Reliance lined up other investors</h3>Reliance Industries, controlled by Asia's richest man <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, has been lining up investors for Reliance Retail in recent months.Reliance Industries <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-reliance-retail-offers-amazon-stake-worth-20-billion-report-2020-9">offered to sell Amazon a 40% stake</a> in Reliance Retail in a deal that could be worth $20 billion, a source told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-10/reliance-said-to-offer-20-billion-stake-in-retail-arm-to-amazon?srnd=premium">Bloomberg News</a>. Reliance later called this "speculative" and <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/reliance-terms-reports-of-stake-sale-to-amazon-speculative/article32579297.ece">said</a> it "cannot confirm or deny any transaction which may or may not be in the works."It follows an investment drive for Jio Platforms, which includes India's largest mobile network operator as well as streaming services and a video-conferencing app. Reliance has received $20 billion this year from global investors, including Facebook, for Jio Platforms, and has approached many of those same firms about Reliance Retail, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN25R1U4">Reuters reported</a>.Reliance Retail and Jio Platforms launched <keyword id="35621" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="e-commerce">e-commerce</keyword> platform <keyword id="8506093" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jiomart">JioMart</keyword> in May. It plans to expand beyond groceries and is becoming a major, fast-growing rival to Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart in India.

India's biggest retailer Reliance Retail is now valued at $57 billion, following a fresh investment from KKR

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="2317900" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Five-Below">Five Below</keyword>, <keyword id="3739805" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Home-Goods">Home Goods</keyword>, and other discount stores are opening new locations in 2021.</li><li>Dollar stores have done particularly well over the last year during the pandemic. </li><li>Discount stores are defying the larger trend of <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> stores closing in favor of e-commerce.</li></ul>As many stores close around the US, a few retailers are thriving and opening new locations in 2021.Discount retailers Five Below, Home Goods, <keyword id="749009" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="TJ-Maxx">TJ Maxx</keyword>, and dollar store chains all plan to open new stores as the rest of the industry struggles.The COVID-19 pandemic made online orders surge, but it wreaked havoc on brick and mortar retailers. Coresight Research found that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retail-store-closures-could-hit-10000-in-2021-amid-coronavirus-2021-1">major retailers closed 8,741 stores</a> in 2020, and predicts as many as 10,000 will follow this year. Other retailers that didn't close <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retailers-filed-bankruptcy-liquidation-closing-stores-2020-2">filed for bankruptcy</a>, including J Crew, Nieman Marcus, and JCPenney.<keyword id="3038142" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="TJX">TJX</keyword>, which owns - TJ Maxx, <keyword id="1814335" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="marshalls">Marshalls</keyword>, Home Goods, Sierra, and Homsense - <a href="https://investor.tjx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tjx-companies-inc-reports-q4-and-full-year-fy21-results-reports">announced</a> plans in February to open 81 stores across its brands in 2021, and plans to nearly double Home Goods from 821 current stores to 1,500 over the next few years. The off-price retail brands owned by TJX, which sell discounted goods from other retailers, have benefitted from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tj-maxx-ross-benefit-pandemic-disruption-but-not-long-term-2020-11">supply chain issues</a> over the past year. Despite a harsh retail climate in 2020, the company <a href="https://investor.tjx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tjx-companies-inc-reports-q4-and-full-year-fy21-results-reports">opened 43 stores through the year</a>, with the rest of planned openings shifted into 2021.Like much of the industry, TJX's were down in 2020, but the discount store owner sees possibilities for a rebound. "We see many opportunities to leverage our flexible business model, gain more customers, and continue driving the successful growth of TJX for many years ahead" <a href="https://investor.tjx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tjx-companies-inc-reports-q4-and-full-year-fy21-results-reports">chief executive Ernie Herman</a> said in a February call. Dollar stores like <keyword id="1764044" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dollar-Tree">Dollar Tree</keyword> and <keyword id="361289" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dollar-General">Dollar General</keyword> are also benefitting from the retail climate. In the fourth quarter of 2020, <a href="https://www.dollartreeinfo.com/news-releases/news-release-details/dollar-tree-inc-reports-results-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-year-4">Dollar Tree - which also owns Family Dollar - added a net 79 new stores</a> and renovated another 106. It plans to open 600 new stores in 2021, and renovate 1,250, <a href="https://www.dollartreeinfo.com/news-releases/news-release-details/dollar-tree-inc-reports-results-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-year-4">the company said earlier in March.</a> Sales increased 7.2% year-over-year.Dollar General also plans to open <a href="https://investor.dollargeneral.com/download/companies/dollargeneral/Quarterly%20Reports/Dollar%20General%20Corporation%20Reports%20Third%20Quarter%202020%20Results.pdf">1,050 stores in 2021</a> after opening 1,000 stores in 2020. While Dollar General hasn't yet released fourth quarter results, third quarter sales were up over <a href="https://investor.dollargeneral.com/download/companies/dollargeneral/Quarterly%20Reports/Dollar%20General%20Corporation%20Reports%20Third%20Quarter%202020%20Results.pdf">17% year over year.</a> Both dollar store chains have focused on <a href="https://www.dollartreeinfo.com/news-releases/news-release-details/dollar-tree-inc-reports-results-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-year-4">rural markets,</a> a strategy that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dollar-general-opens-where-walmart-isnt-pays-off-in-pandemic-2020-5">paid off in 2020</a> as people shopped closer to home.Five Below is another discount chain with openings planned this year. It plans to <a href="https://chainstoreage.com/five-below-open-170-180-stores-2021">open 170 to 180</a> new US stores in 2021, after <a href="https://investor.fivebelow.com/news/press-release-details/2020/Five-Below-Inc.-Announces-Third-Quarter-Fiscal-2020-Financial-Results/default.aspx">opening 120 in 2020.</a> Like its dollar store competition, Five Below is doing well with a <a href="https://investor.fivebelow.com/news/press-release-details/2021/Five-Below-Inc.-Announces-Holiday-Sales-Results-for-Quarter-To-Date-Through-January-2-2021/default.aspx">net sales increase of 21.1%</a> over the holiday period from November 3 through January 4.Big name retailers continue to announce store closures for the coming year. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/macys-to-close-45-stores-in-2021-2021-1">Macy's</a> is already in the process of closing 45 stores this year, and Disney recently announced plans to close 60 North America stores and focus on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-closing-stores-for-e-commerce-2021-3">e-commerce.</a>Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at <a href="mailto:mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com">mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com</a>.

Discount retailers like TJ Maxx and dollar stores are opening new locations in 2021, bucking the retail apocalypse trend

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images for RESERVED</div></div></div><ul><li>Retailers must offer differentiated product and a unique customer experience to fend off the threat of Amazon.</li><li>Even then its tough to compete with Amazon because of its scale.</li><li>Retailers won't ever be able to compete with Amazon on price.</li></ul> <keyword id="6354851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Retail">Retail</keyword>ers have watched Amazon uproot established industries with trepidation, but they can still compete with the ecommerce behemoth by offering items and services that it doesn't have or can't provide. That's according to Keith Jelinek, the managing director at Berkeley Research Group's retail and consumer practice unit.He sees retailers developing private labels and private brands that the consumers can't find on Amazon. Target has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/private-label-hurting-traditional-brands">seen some success</a> with its private label brands, for example.Retailers can also bank on the customer experience, particularly at brick-and-mortar locations. Jelinek said that the way the product is presented or the way trained staff can help a customer brings them into the store, and gives them more incentive to keep returning.Walmart is doing a good job of this by creating spaces in its stores <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-holiday-shopping-plan-2017-11">dedicated to trying out toys</a> and a whole area for gifting and picking up. The big-box retailer is also increasing its online assortment and <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/walmart-stock-price-popping-on-news-it-will-host-holiday-parties-in-its-stores-2017-11-1006464075">offering free two-day shipping</a> for purchases valued over $35. Target has followed suit with its <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/target-stock-price-pops-on-news-of-its-latest-acquisition-to-fend-off-amazon-2017-12-1011270438">Shipt acquisition</a>, a same-day delivery service aimed helping fend off the Amazon-Whole Foods merger. While some of the big box retailers are doing their best to stay afloat and remain relevant, there has been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/retailers-bankruptcy-filings2017-9/#toys-r-us-3">a wave of companies</a> this year who just could not hold its weight against Amazon. Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, even <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/toys-r-us-bankruptcy-is-a-warning-for-kohls-amazon-deal-2017-9">after announcing a partnership</a> with the ecommerce giant. Payless and RadioShack have filed their own Chapter 11 bankruptcies, prompting <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-american-retail-apocalypse-in-photos-2017-3/#as-customers-increasingly-shop-online-malls-are-suffering-the-consequences-2">hundreds of store closings</a>.Yet Jelinek said that it will still be hard for retailers to compete because of Amazon's scale. "There's only one game that you're never going to win and that's price," Jelinek said.<h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/emty-new-retail-etf-launched-bet-on-death-of-brick-and-mortar-2017-12">To read about how you can bet on the retail apocalypse and probably win, click here.</a></h2> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-kleintop-charles-schwab-investment-chief-2018-equity-outlook-2017-12">The chief global strategist at Charles Schwab says stocks will keep soaring in 2018</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

There are 2 ways retailers can fight off the retail apocalypse and counter the Amazon threat

<ul><li>We bring to you a series of columns from industry expert, looking back at the last 10 years</li><li>The columns will explore how the media, marketing and advertising industry has transformed in the last decade</li><li>Ravinder Singh, Founding Director, 1-India Family Mart pens down the changes the <keyword id="188491" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-industry">retail industry</keyword> has witnessed between 2010 and 2020 </li></ul>Retailing in India has emerged as one of the most vigorous and fast-paced industries after travelling through different phases over the years. In fact, India is the fifth largest preferred retail destination globally and embraces a very strong position as far as its market potential is concerned. Retailers are consistently trying to tap the gravity of this potential by using the latest technologies along with new generation tools like data analytics, social commerce, CRM solutions, etc, which form the backbone of modern retailing. Bolstered by healthy economic growth, changing demographics, increasing disposable incomes, urbanisation, changing consumer tastes and preferences, and higher consumer confidence, year 2019 experienced strong retail sales. While traditional and unorganised retail formats continue to dominate the retail market, organised retail is growing at a faster pace driven by technology intervention. The industry is now expected to reach $1400 billion by FY2024 from $790 billion in FY 2019, growing at a CAGR of 12%. The dawn of technology in the retail space has transformed the traditional business model into a ‘Phygital’ experience with in-built metrics to comprehend customer needs. Emerging technologies like AR, VR, Artificial intelligence, IoT, cloud platforms, etc. take into consideration multiple consumer interactions through digital platforms in the form of reviews, suggestions and AI-based product assortments, to make in-store digitization possible. By connecting with the consumers at all possible touch points, these techniques are also enabling the retailers to influence consumer behaviour. With technology being a key facilitator in driving engagements and with existing consumers and acquiring new customers, retailers can foresee increased sales and reduction in the cost of operations. Meanwhile, considering the growing consumer consciousness and their preference for choice and convenience, retailers are leveraging data-driven technologies to meet their expectations. Key learning for the retailers to emerge as game changers in 2020 The evolving mind-set of Indian consumers expecting seamless shopping experiences across every channel; brick and mortar stores, e-commerce platforms or mobile apps, demand the retailers to work consecutively towards acquiring competitive advantage in 2020. This can be done by using these innovative retail formats and technologies: <ul><li>Experiential retail: Millennials tend to make the majority of their choices based on their experience instead of the products. So, retailers must focus on developing a customer-centric approach in their businesses, where the consumer can interact with the product or brand and give their feedback as well. An interactive methodology would enable the retailers, especially in the brick-and-mortar circle, to initiate a better brand recall and increased sales. </li></ul><ul><li>Immersive technologies: While online players specifically in fashion &amp; lifestyle and beauty &amp; personal care segment are already making it big by embracing the concept of experience-based shopping using AR/VR, offline stores too are joining the bandwagon by implementing these immersive technologies to redefine convenience for consumers. This means consumers can now simply walk in, find their preferred products/outfits through a virtual inventory and try the outfits via virtual mirror without actually having to do it physically. This combination of technology in stores would facilitate seamless experience to the consumers. In fact, by 2020, the retail industry will emerge as the top spending industry on AR and VR. </li><li>Big Data: Leveraging Big Data to observe and evaluate buying patterns, trends, etc, has been quite revolutionary in the online retail industry. It is now making its way into the offline retail space to create a significant effect on its future. Big Data can enable retail businesses to understand their customer expectations by predicting the popularity of products and identifying the relevant customers for each one of them. </li><li>Social commerce: Millennial consumers are becoming more demanding with time and this can pose challenges for the retailers in future to get their brand noticed amid all the traffic. Social commerce platforms can enable retailers to raise brand awareness and drive direct engagement with customers through pictures and videos of products or brands posted by the latter. Retailers can capitalise on the consumers sharing their experiences and stories on the web in the form of reviews and recommendations. </li></ul>The expectation from modern retail has transformed completely, as the idea here is not just to enhance the experience but also being able to guide the consumers towards making the right purchase decisions by understanding their profile. Having realised the tremendous scope of mass digitization in the retail ecosystem, retailers now must take proactive steps to streamline their day to day operations in 2020, making it exciting and rewarding time for all the stakeholders in the industry.

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