Reengineering Retail - by Doug Stephens (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Since the release of Doug Stephens' first book, The Retail Revival, change in the global retail sector has accelerated beyond even the boldest forecasts. As predicted, online giants like Amazon and Alibaba.com are growing at a dizzying pace. Hundreds of well-known brick and mortar retailers have closed their doors, and brands and retailers across categories are struggling to understand the shifting needs and expectations of a new consumer.

Picking up where The Retail Revival left off, Reengineering Retail explores the coming revolution in the global retail and consumer goods market, offering sales and marketing executives a roadmap to the future.

Author and internationally renowned consumer futurist, Doug Stephens, paints a bold vision of the future where every aspect of the retail experience as we know it, will be radically transformed. From online to bricks and mortar, the very concept of what stores are, how consumers shop them, and even the core economic model for revenue, will be will be profoundly reinvented; changes sure to affect not only retailers large and small but any business with a stake in the global retail industry.

Infused with real world examples and interviews with industry disruptors, Reengineering Retail illustrates the vast opportunities at play for bold brands and business leaders. Stephens' strategies will provide businesses with the foresight required to move quickly and effectively into the future.

From the Back Cover

In his first book, The Retail Revival, author and internationally renowned consumer futurist Doug Stephens correctly predicted the end of an era in retailing and the dizzying growth of online giants like Amazon and Alibaba.com. Change in the global retail sector continues to accelerate at an exponential pace, surpassing even the boldest forecasts. In fact, retail is being entirely reengineered--every aspect of the retail experience as we know it will soon be radically transformed. Picking up where Retail Revival left off, Reengineering Retail explores the coming retail revolution, which will affect retailers of all sizes--and any business with a stake in the global retail industry. Stephens paints a bold vision of the future, where the very concept of what a store is, how consumers shop and even what retail's core revenue model is will all be profoundly reinvented, and he illustrates the vast opportunities available for courageous brands and business leaders with the foresight to begin adapting to the new realities now. Hundreds of well-known brick and mortar retailers have already closed their doors, and brands and retailers across categories are struggling to understand consumers' shifting needs and expectations. Infused with real world examples and insights from industry disruptors, Reengineering Retail offers retail executives an essential roadmap to the future.

Review Quotes

"Doug Stephens sounds the alarm for brick-and-mortar retailers (and their landlords), and those who do not heed his advice do so at their own peril. Reengineering Retail is a survival guide for those of us navigating a sea change in physical retail." --Mark Toro, Founder and Managing Partner, North American Properties-Atlanta, Ltd.
"Ten years ago, walking into a cool boutique to see a DJ spinning was novel. Today, it's about the least a store can do to keep up with the times. Brands and retailers that are standing out are pulling out the stops to turn shopping into a rich and immersive experience that leverages technology. Doug's book sets out a roadmap for how to best compete in this new retail world" --Harley Finkelstein, COO, Shopify
"Disruption is facing every business. Retail is feeling the brunt of it. Technology changes everything. Software eats retail in a one-click and swipe-right world. Retailers talk about omnichannel and customer-centricity, but look at the landscape. It's hard to be optimistic. Still, big thinkers like Doug Stephens and his latest book, Reengineering Retail, draw the map and demonstrate what retailers need to think and do in this landscape. If you sell stuff, this is a must-read." --Mitch Joel, President, Mirum. Author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete.
"Retail is no longer linear--it doesn't live in a protected tower--and it's arguably facing its greatest disruption ever! Doug Stephens' latest book, Reengineering Retail, shines the spotlight on the new ecosystem, one that feeds off innovation, the redefinition and refinement of customer experience, authenticity, value, excitement and experimentation. Doug's book challenges us to look at disruption more than by assuming that one form of retail will win over another--simply put, the book forces us to understand the power of personalization and customer engagement--the lifeblood of our new retail world." --Diane J. Brisebois, President & CEO, Retail Council of Canada
"Doug Stephens paints a vivid picture of the massive disruption and reinvention that is occurring in the retail landscape. Reengineering Retail offers valuable insights into how the physical and the digital retailing worlds will augment each other and combine to create customer experiences that we can only imagine today. This book is a must-read and a wakeup call to any retailers that have been technological laggards." --Ramesh Venkat, Ph.D., Director, David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing, Saint Mary's University

About the Author

Founder of the international consultancy Retail Prophet, Doug Stephens is one of the world's most influential retail industry futurists. His intellectual work and thinking have guided many of the world's best-known retailers, agencies and brands including Walmart, Home Depot, Disney, BMW, Citibank, Google, Intel and WestJet. Prior to founding Retail Prophet, Doug spent over 20 years in the retail industry, holding senior international roles including the leadership of one of New York City's most historic retail chains. Doug is the author of The Retail Revival: Reimagining Business in the New Age of Consumerism (Wiley, 2013) and sits on the advisory board of the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retail & Services at St. Mary's University.