Credit: Getty Images by bernardbodo Anyone who has walked down Main Street or through a shopping mall recently has seen it. Store after store shuttered. Big-name retailers gone. Even anchor-store locations decamped. These are challenging times for brick-and-mortar retailers. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence , 50 well-known store chains have filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017, among them such iconic brands such as Toys"R"Us, BCBG Max Azria, and Gymboree. Moody’s Investors Service reports that 13.5 percent of their retail and apparel portfolio is distressed — close to the 16 percent seen during the Great Recession a decade ago. What’s behind this gutting of America’s brick-and-mortar stores? And what can retailers do to ensure the future of their brands and safeguard the in-store experience? No single factor is responsible for the bloodletting. Big-box retailers like Walmart and Target have played a role, as has “ fast fashion ,” which appeals to younger consumers who want a constant array of new options. But perhaps the biggest challenge for brick-and-mortar sales has been online shopping — call it the Amazon Effect. With fast, inexpensive and sometimes even same-day delivery, the e-commerce leader knows how to deliver personalized service online and match the consumer desire for great deals that are always a click away. You could be forgiven for jumping to the conclusion that consumers today only want to buy goods online. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Amazon is now opening storefronts and has acquired companies like Whole Foods in order to have a physical presence in many cities across the country and around the world. Why? Because Amazon knows that 90 percent of retail spending still takes place in physical stores, and that 54 percent of consumers still prefer brick-and-mortar stores over shopping online . Stop Thinking […]