A serious retailer’s constant issue in growing income from shops open for greater than a yr signifies potential underlying points inside the enterprise. This metric, a key indicator of retail efficiency, displays an organization’s capacity to generate progress from its present buyer base and operational footprint. For instance, if an organization experiences this pattern over a number of quarters, it means that components past newly opened areas are negatively impacting general gross sales.
Sustained issue on this space can considerably influence profitability, investor confidence, and market valuation. Traditionally, constant downward traits immediate deeper evaluation into areas reminiscent of evolving shopper preferences, elevated competitors (each brick-and-mortar and on-line), ineffective advertising and marketing methods, or operational inefficiencies. Understanding the basis causes is important for creating efficient methods to reverse the pattern and regain market share.
The next evaluation will discover potential contributing components, assess the corporate’s strategic responses, and take into account the broader implications for the retail sector. Subjects coated will embrace aggressive pressures, macroeconomic influences, and inside operational changes geared toward addressing this persistent problem.
1. Shopper Spending Shifts
Shopper spending shifts signify a major issue doubtlessly contributing to a serious retailer’s issue in sustaining optimistic same-store gross sales. Discretionary earnings allocation choices immediately influence residence enchancment retailers. When shoppers prioritize journey, leisure, or different non-durable items and companies, funding in residence renovation and upkeep might decline. As an illustration, in periods of financial uncertainty or excessive inflation, shoppers might postpone or cut back bigger residence enchancment tasks, choosing important repairs or delaying purchases altogether.
The rise of experiential spending additionally influences the house enchancment sector. Youthful demographics, particularly, usually prioritize experiences over materials possessions, doubtlessly resulting in a lower in spending on home-related tasks. Moreover, elevated competitors for shopper consideration and wallets from different retail segments, reminiscent of electronics or vogue, can divert funds away from the house enchancment class. Efficient adaptation requires retailers to know these evolving spending patterns and tailor their choices and advertising and marketing to stay related.
In abstract, understanding the nuances of evolving shopper spending habits is essential for mitigating declines in same-store gross sales. Monitoring financial indicators, monitoring shopper confidence, and analyzing spending patterns throughout totally different demographics permits retailers to anticipate shifts and modify methods accordingly. This contains optimizing product assortments, enhancing customer support, and using focused advertising and marketing campaigns to incentivize spending on residence enchancment tasks amidst competing shopper priorities.
2. Aggressive Pricing Pressures
Aggressive pricing pressures considerably influence a retailer’s capacity to take care of or improve same-store gross sales. Within the context of a serious residence enchancment retailer experiencing constant declines on this key efficiency indicator, pricing dynamics warrant cautious examination.
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Elevated Competitors from On-line Retailers
The proliferation of on-line marketplaces and specialised e-commerce websites creates downward strain on costs. On-line retailers usually function with decrease overhead prices, permitting them to supply merchandise at costs brick-and-mortar shops wrestle to match. This intensifies value competitors, notably for commodity objects, forcing conventional retailers to both cut back margins or threat shedding gross sales quantity. Persistent value matching and promotional exercise additional erodes profitability and general income progress, immediately contributing to stagnant or declining same-store gross sales.
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Aggressive Pricing Methods by Rivals
Rival brick-and-mortar residence enchancment chains and smaller regional gamers might make use of aggressive pricing methods to realize market share. These methods can embrace loss-leader pricing on key objects, frequent promotional reductions, and membership applications providing unique pricing. Such techniques pressure rivals to reply in type, triggering value wars that in the end compress margins and cut back general income per retailer. This impact is amplified in markets with excessive saturation of residence enchancment retailers, resulting in a relentless battle for value competitiveness.
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Commoditization of Merchandise
Many merchandise inside the residence enchancment class, reminiscent of lumber, plumbing provides, and primary {hardware}, are basically commodities. This commoditization makes value a major differentiating issue for shoppers. Consequently, retailers are restricted of their capacity to command premium costs based mostly on model or perceived worth. Prospects usually tend to store round for the bottom value, resulting in elevated value sensitivity and decreased buyer loyalty. The strain to supply the bottom costs on these important objects can negatively influence general revenue margins and contribute to declining same-store gross sales.
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Worth Transparency and Shopper Consciousness
The widespread availability of value comparability web sites and cell purchasing apps has elevated value transparency for shoppers. Prospects can simply evaluate costs throughout a number of retailers in real-time, making it tougher for retailers to take care of pricing benefits. This elevated consciousness empowers shoppers to demand decrease costs, additional intensifying aggressive pressures and decreasing retailers’ capacity to take care of wholesome revenue margins. Because of this, even minor value discrepancies can result in misplaced gross sales and contribute to the general decline in same-store gross sales figures.
The interaction of those aggressive pricing pressures necessitates strategic responses from retailers experiencing declining same-store gross sales. Methods reminiscent of differentiation by means of value-added companies, unique product choices, and enhanced buyer experiences change into essential in mitigating the influence of value competitors. Failure to adapt to those dynamic market circumstances can exacerbate the destructive traits and additional erode profitability.
3. E-commerce Encroachment
The growing penetration of e-commerce represents a major headwind for brick-and-mortar retailers, immediately impacting same-store gross sales efficiency. For a serious residence enchancment retailer, this shift in shopper conduct necessitates a strategic response to mitigate income declines.
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Direct Competitors from On-line Retailers
On-line marketplaces and specialised e-commerce websites provide an enormous number of residence enchancment merchandise, usually at aggressive costs. This direct competitors erodes foot site visitors in bodily shops as shoppers more and more choose the comfort of on-line purchasing. As an illustration, shoppers can simply evaluate costs, learn evaluations, and buy objects from the consolation of their houses, decreasing the necessity to go to bodily areas. This shift in buying conduct results in a decline in in-store gross sales and contributes to destructive same-store gross sales progress.
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Expanded Product Assortment On-line
E-commerce platforms can provide a a lot wider vary of merchandise than a typical brick-and-mortar retailer because of fewer house constraints. This expanded assortment contains area of interest objects, specialised instruments, and hard-to-find parts that might not be available in bodily shops. The flexibility to entry a broader stock on-line attracts clients who’re looking for particular merchandise or have distinctive mission necessities, additional diverting gross sales away from conventional retail areas.
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Worth Transparency and Comparability Procuring
On-line platforms facilitate straightforward value comparisons throughout a number of retailers, empowering shoppers to seek out the most effective offers and reductions. Worth comparability web sites and cell apps permit customers to rapidly assess pricing and promotional affords from varied distributors, growing value sensitivity and decreasing model loyalty. This elevated value transparency places strain on brick-and-mortar shops to match or beat on-line costs, doubtlessly impacting revenue margins and general income.
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Comfort and Accessibility
The comfort of on-line purchasing, together with 24/7 availability, residence supply, and straightforward returns, appeals to busy shoppers who worth time financial savings and effectivity. The flexibility to buy at any time, from any location, eliminates the constraints of retailer hours and geographical limitations. This comfort issue attracts clients who might have beforehand relied on bodily shops however now choose the convenience and accessibility of on-line buying, contributing to a gradual decline in in-store gross sales.
The confluence of those components underscores the numerous influence of e-commerce encroachment on a retailer’s same-store gross sales efficiency. To counteract this pattern, strategic investments in on-line platforms, omnichannel integration, and enhanced in-store experiences are essential for attracting and retaining clients in an more and more digital market.
4. Stock Administration Points
Inefficient stock administration can considerably impede a retailer’s capacity to generate optimistic same-store gross sales. Misalignment between provide and demand immediately impacts product availability, buyer satisfaction, and general income, thus contributing to gross sales declines.
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Stockouts and Misplaced Gross sales
Insufficient stock management resulting in frequent stockouts ends in speedy misplaced gross sales alternatives. When clients are unable to seek out the specified merchandise in inventory, they’re more likely to buy them from a competitor, negatively impacting income. As an illustration, if seasonal objects are usually not adequately stocked throughout peak demand intervals, potential gross sales are forfeited. Constant stockouts erode buyer loyalty and harm the retailer’s fame for reliability, resulting in additional gross sales declines.
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Extra Stock and Holding Prices
Conversely, overstocking stock ties up capital and will increase holding prices, together with storage, insurance coverage, and potential obsolescence. Extra stock can result in markdowns and clearance gross sales, decreasing revenue margins. Moreover, outdated or slow-moving stock occupies helpful shelf house that might be used for extra well-liked and worthwhile objects. This inefficient allocation of sources can negatively influence general profitability and contribute to declining same-store gross sales.
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Inefficient Replenishment Methods
Poorly designed replenishment programs can lead to both stockouts or overstocking, relying on the accuracy of demand forecasting and the responsiveness of the provision chain. If replenishment cycles are too lengthy or order portions are usually not aligned with precise gross sales traits, the retailer dangers mismanaging stock ranges. For instance, if a retailer experiences a sudden surge in demand for a selected product, however the replenishment system fails to reply rapidly, stockouts might happen. In distinction, if the system overestimates demand, extra stock can accumulate. Environment friendly replenishment methods are essential for sustaining optimum stock ranges and maximizing gross sales.
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Lack of Visibility and Knowledge Analytics
Insufficient visibility into stock ranges throughout the provision chain hinders efficient decision-making. With out correct and well timed knowledge on gross sales traits, stock turnover, and product efficiency, retailers wrestle to optimize stock allocation and replenishment methods. Moreover, the absence of sturdy knowledge analytics makes it troublesome to establish slow-moving objects, predict demand fluctuations, and reply to altering market circumstances. Improved stock visibility and data-driven decision-making are important for streamlining operations and enhancing gross sales efficiency.
These stock administration points underscore the vital want for retailers to spend money on sturdy programs and processes to optimize stock ranges, enhance forecasting accuracy, and improve provide chain effectivity. Addressing these challenges is important for mitigating gross sales declines and enhancing general profitability.
5. Advertising effectiveness decline
A decline in advertising and marketing effectiveness can immediately contribute to a serious retailer’s constant struggles with declining same-store gross sales. When advertising and marketing campaigns fail to resonate with goal audiences or fail to drive site visitors to bodily shops, the result’s usually a discount in gross sales income. The next factors elaborate on particular sides of this decline.
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Decreased Model Consciousness and Recall
When advertising and marketing campaigns fail to seize consideration or create a long-lasting impression, model consciousness and recall undergo. Customers could also be much less more likely to take into account a selected retailer when making buying choices if its model just isn’t top-of-mind. For instance, if a retailer’s promoting campaigns are perceived as generic or unmemorable, shoppers might overlook the model when contemplating residence enchancment purchases. A decline in model consciousness interprets on to decreased buyer site visitors and decrease gross sales volumes.
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Ineffective Concentrating on and Segmentation
Advertising campaigns that aren’t correctly focused to particular buyer segments usually end in wasted sources and poor return on funding. If a retailer’s advertising and marketing efforts are directed in direction of demographics or geographic areas with restricted potential, the ensuing gross sales could also be underwhelming. As an illustration, if a house enchancment retailer runs promoting campaigns that focus solely on new building tasks in areas the place most residents are engaged in transforming, the campaigns will probably be much less efficient. The flexibility to focus on particular buyer teams with tailor-made messaging is essential for maximizing advertising and marketing effectiveness.
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Failure to Adapt to Digital Channels
In an more and more digital panorama, retailers should successfully leverage on-line channels to achieve shoppers. If a retailer’s advertising and marketing efforts are primarily centered on conventional media, reminiscent of print or tv, it could miss alternatives to interact with clients on-line. For instance, a house enchancment retailer that doesn’t have a strong social media presence or a well-optimized web site might wrestle to draw youthful demographics who primarily eat content material on-line. Failure to adapt to digital channels can considerably cut back the attain and influence of promoting campaigns.
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Lack of Measurable Outcomes and ROI
Advertising campaigns that aren’t tracked and measured successfully make it troublesome to evaluate their influence and optimize future efforts. With out clear metrics to judge the success of campaigns, retailers might proceed to spend money on methods that aren’t producing outcomes. As an illustration, if a house enchancment retailer launches a promotional marketing campaign with out monitoring web site site visitors, in-store visits, or gross sales conversions, it will likely be troublesome to find out whether or not the marketing campaign was profitable. The flexibility to measure advertising and marketing effectiveness and exhibit a return on funding is essential for justifying advertising and marketing expenditures and enhancing future marketing campaign efficiency.
In conclusion, a decline in advertising and marketing effectiveness can have far-reaching penalties for a retailer fighting declining same-store gross sales. The interaction between decreased model consciousness, ineffective focusing on, failure to adapt to digital channels, and lack of measurable outcomes can create a downward spiral in gross sales efficiency. Addressing these advertising and marketing deficiencies by means of strategic investments and data-driven decision-making is important for reversing the pattern and restoring sustainable progress.
6. Buyer expertise gaps
Deficiencies in buyer expertise are immediately correlated with declining same-store gross sales for main retailers. When buyer expectations are usually not met, or when experiences are destructive, buyer loyalty erodes, and gross sales are negatively impacted. Addressing these gaps is essential for reversing downward traits in gross sales efficiency.
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Inconsistent Service High quality
Variations in service high quality throughout totally different retailer areas and worker interactions can result in destructive buyer perceptions. When clients encounter unknowledgeable workers, lengthy wait occasions, or unhelpful help, their general satisfaction decreases. For instance, if a buyer looking for recommendation on a posh residence enchancment mission receives inaccurate or incomplete data, they might select to buy the required supplies elsewhere. Constant and dependable service is important for constructing buyer belief and loyalty, and inconsistencies can result in buyer attrition and decreased gross sales.
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Inefficient Retailer Structure and Navigation
Poorly designed retailer layouts and complicated navigation can frustrate clients and make it troublesome to seek out desired merchandise. When clients wrestle to find objects, navigate crowded aisles, or perceive retailer signage, they might change into discouraged and depart with out making a purchase order. As an illustration, if a buyer is unable to simply discover the precise sort of paint they want because of unclear labeling or disorganized shelving, they might decide to buy at a competitor with a extra user-friendly retailer atmosphere. Streamlined retailer layouts and intuitive navigation are important for making a optimistic purchasing expertise and maximizing gross sales alternatives.
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Lack of Personalised Suggestions
Failure to supply customized suggestions and tailor-made options could make clients really feel undervalued and neglected. When retailers deal with all clients the identical, no matter their particular person wants or preferences, they miss alternatives to construct relationships and improve gross sales. For instance, if a buyer is buying supplies for a loo renovation, offering related suggestions on complementary merchandise or providing custom-made design recommendation can improve their purchasing expertise and encourage extra purchases. Personalised interactions exhibit a real curiosity in buyer wants and may foster loyalty and repeat enterprise.
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Troublesome Returns and Change Processes
Sophisticated or restrictive return and alternate insurance policies can create destructive buyer experiences and discourage future purchases. When clients encounter difficulties returning undesirable objects or exchanging merchandise, they might change into annoyed and dissatisfied. For instance, if a buyer is required to supply extreme documentation or navigate a prolonged approval course of to return a faulty product, they might be much less more likely to store at that retailer once more. Streamlined and customer-friendly return insurance policies are essential for constructing belief and inspiring repeat purchases, and overly restrictive insurance policies can deter clients and negatively influence gross sales.
The connection between buyer expertise and gross sales efficiency is plain. Retailers experiencing declining same-store gross sales should prioritize addressing buyer expertise gaps by means of enhanced service high quality, improved retailer design, customized interactions, and streamlined return processes. Investing in these areas won’t solely enhance buyer satisfaction but in addition drive income progress and foster long-term buyer loyalty.
7. Macroeconomic headwinds
Macroeconomic headwinds exert vital affect on the efficiency of shops, and a sustained problem associated to same-store gross sales usually displays these broader financial pressures. Elements reminiscent of inflation, rate of interest hikes, and fluctuations in housing market exercise can immediately influence shopper spending habits, particularly inside the residence enchancment sector. For instance, elevated inflation reduces disposable earnings, main households to postpone or cut back discretionary spending on renovations and upgrades. Rate of interest will increase, in flip, can dampen demand for brand spanking new houses and large-scale transforming tasks, as borrowing prices rise. These financial forces signify a considerable obstacle to income progress for companies reliant on shopper funding in home-related items and companies.
The housing market’s situation acts as a number one indicator for residence enchancment spending. When housing gross sales decline or residence values stagnate, owners are much less more likely to spend money on main renovations. Conversely, a strong housing market usually spurs elevated spending on residence enhancements as new owners search to personalize and improve their properties. A latest occasion includes intervals of financial uncertainty the place housing market slowdowns coincided with decreased gross sales in classes like lumber, paint, and huge home equipment. Understanding these interdependencies permits for higher forecasting and strategic planning to mitigate potential losses throughout antagonistic financial cycles.
In abstract, macroeconomic components signify a vital exterior affect on a retailer’s capacity to maintain optimistic same-store gross sales. Monitoring key financial indicators, reminiscent of inflation charges, rate of interest traits, and housing market statistics, is important for assessing the potential influence on shopper spending inside the residence enchancment sector. Strategic changes, together with promotional campaigns, price administration initiatives, and diversification of product choices, might help companies navigate these financial headwinds and stabilize gross sales efficiency. The constant incapacity to develop income from present shops usually alerts a deeper interaction with these overarching financial realities.
8. Regional market variances
Regional market variances considerably contribute to the general same-store gross sales efficiency of enormous retailers. Disparities in financial circumstances, demographic traits, and shopper preferences throughout totally different geographic areas immediately influence retailer efficiency. A nationwide retailer experiencing difficulties in sustaining optimistic same-store gross sales is probably going encountering various challenges throughout its regional markets. For instance, a retailer positioned in a area experiencing financial downturn and excessive unemployment charges will probably underperform in comparison with a retailer located in an space with a thriving financial system and rising inhabitants. This variance can skew general gross sales figures, masking pockets of success whereas amplifying areas of weak point.
Shopper preferences, influenced by regional tradition and local weather, additionally play a vital position. A retailer in a coastal area would possibly see increased demand for out of doors furnishings and hurricane preparedness provides, whereas a retailer in a colder local weather would possibly concentrate on snow elimination tools and indoor heating options. Failing to adapt product assortments and advertising and marketing methods to go well with these regional variations can result in decrease gross sales. Moreover, regulatory environments and native constructing codes can have an effect on demand for particular residence enchancment merchandise, creating additional regional variances in gross sales efficiency. Analyzing these regional variations is important for creating focused methods to enhance retailer efficiency in particular markets.
Understanding and addressing regional market variances is paramount for retailers aiming to enhance same-store gross sales efficiency. A one-size-fits-all strategy isn’t efficient. By analyzing gross sales knowledge, demographic traits, and native market circumstances, retailers can tailor product assortments, advertising and marketing campaigns, and staffing ranges to satisfy the distinctive wants of every area. This focused strategy might help to mitigate the destructive influence of underperforming shops and capitalize on alternatives for progress in additional promising markets, contributing to a extra balanced and sustainable general gross sales efficiency. The failure to account for regional variances can perpetuate struggles in sustaining optimistic same-store gross sales, highlighting the significance of localized methods.
Incessantly Requested Questions
The next questions and solutions handle widespread considerations associated to retail gross sales efficiency, particularly inside the context of a serious residence enchancment retailer experiencing constant declines in same-store gross sales. This data is meant to supply readability and context for understanding the complexities of retail operations.
Query 1: What exactly constitutes “same-store gross sales”?
Identical-store gross sales, often known as comparable-store gross sales, measures income generated by retail areas open for not less than one yr. This metric excludes income from new retailer openings or retailer closures, offering a extra correct evaluation of a retailer’s natural progress and effectivity in present markets.
Query 2: Why is a constant decline on this metric a trigger for concern?
Sustained declines signify underlying points affecting the retailer’s capacity to draw and retain clients inside its present operational framework. This may occasionally point out eroding market share, ineffective advertising and marketing methods, or failure to adapt to altering shopper preferences. It could possibly additionally recommend broader financial headwinds affecting shopper spending.
Query 3: What exterior components would possibly contribute to this downward pattern?
Exterior components embody macroeconomic circumstances, reminiscent of inflation and rate of interest fluctuations, in addition to growing competitors from on-line retailers and shifts in shopper spending patterns. Regional market variances, together with financial downturns or demographic modifications in particular geographic areas, may contribute considerably.
Query 4: What inside challenges might be at play?
Inner challenges might contain inefficient stock administration, resulting in stockouts or extra stock; a decline within the effectiveness of promoting campaigns; gaps within the buyer expertise, leading to decrease satisfaction; and operational inefficiencies that influence profitability. Strategic misalignment may contribute.
Query 5: How would possibly a retailer handle declining same-store gross sales?
Methods embrace enhancing customer support, enhancing retailer layouts and navigation, personalizing advertising and marketing efforts, optimizing stock administration, adapting to digital channels, and providing aggressive pricing. Diversification of product choices and a concentrate on value-added companies may assist mitigate gross sales declines.
Query 6: What are the long-term implications of persistent declines in same-store gross sales?
Extended declines can result in decreased profitability, decreased investor confidence, and potential erosion of market share. This may occasionally end in retailer closures, workforce reductions, and in the end, a decline within the retailer’s general monetary well being and aggressive positioning inside the business.
In essence, constant evaluation of same-store gross sales traits, each upward and downward, is pivotal for understanding a retailer’s efficiency inside its aggressive atmosphere.
The next part will discover methods for analyzing inside and exterior data for a deeper understanding in regards to the gross sales efficiency.
Methods for Mitigating Gross sales Declines
The next steering outlines actionable methods for addressing challenges linked to constant difficulties in growing income from established retail areas. Implementing these measures necessitates a complete understanding of each inside operations and exterior market dynamics.
Tip 1: Conduct a Thorough Market Evaluation: A complete market examine ought to establish shifting shopper preferences, rising aggressive threats, and regional financial components affecting gross sales efficiency. This evaluation should prolong past available business experiences, delving into hyperlocal traits to know the nuances of every working atmosphere. As an illustration, a market examine in a area experiencing fast inhabitants progress ought to inform changes to stock and staffing ranges.
Tip 2: Optimize Pricing Methods: A vital evaluation of pricing methodologies ought to assess competitiveness and profitability. Implementation of dynamic pricing fashions, leveraging real-time knowledge and aggressive intelligence, can optimize income whereas sustaining market share. For instance, adjusting costs on commodity objects to match or undercut on-line rivals can appeal to price-sensitive clients, whereas premium companies can command increased margins.
Tip 3: Improve Buyer Expertise: A strategic concentrate on enhancing the client journey, from preliminary engagement to post-purchase assist, is paramount. This contains investing in worker coaching, streamlining retailer layouts, and implementing technology-driven options, reminiscent of cell checkout and customized suggestions. For instance, deploying workers outfitted with cell units to supply on-the-spot help can considerably enhance buyer satisfaction and drive gross sales.
Tip 4: Streamline Stock Administration: Environment friendly stock management is important for minimizing stockouts and decreasing holding prices. Implementing subtle stock administration programs that leverage knowledge analytics and predictive forecasting can optimize inventory ranges and enhance provide chain effectivity. For instance, using real-time gross sales knowledge to foretell demand fluctuations can forestall stockouts throughout peak seasons and cut back markdowns on slow-moving objects.
Tip 5: Strengthen Digital Presence: A strong digital technique is vital for reaching trendy shoppers and driving site visitors to bodily shops. This contains optimizing the retailer’s web site for engines like google, creating participating social media content material, and implementing focused internet marketing campaigns. For instance, providing unique on-line promotions and integrating on-line ordering with in-store pickup can appeal to digital-savvy clients and enhance general gross sales.
Tip 6: Spend money on Worker Coaching and Improvement: Nicely-trained and motivated workers are essential for delivering distinctive customer support and driving gross sales. Offering ongoing coaching on product information, customer support expertise, and gross sales strategies can empower workers to successfully help clients and shut gross sales. For instance, implementing a proper mentorship program can foster a tradition of steady studying and enhance worker efficiency.
These methods signify a proactive strategy to addressing challenges and fostering sustainable progress. Success requires a dedication to data-driven decision-making and a willingness to adapt to evolving market circumstances.
The next part will summarize key components and recommend future subjects to discover.
Conclusion
The persistent problem of declining income from established areas underscores the multifaceted pressures going through a serious residence enchancment retailer. Evaluation reveals a posh interaction of things, together with evolving shopper preferences, aggressive pricing dynamics, e-commerce encroachment, inefficient stock administration, and macroeconomic headwinds. Addressing this difficulty necessitates a holistic strategy that integrates data-driven decision-making, strategic investments, and adaptive operational changes.
The long-term sustainability of the enterprise hinges on successfully navigating these challenges and restoring optimistic gross sales progress. Additional analysis is warranted into the efficacy of particular strategic initiatives and the potential influence of rising applied sciences on the retail sector. Continued monitoring of each inside efficiency metrics and exterior market traits is essential for informing future methods and guaranteeing long-term competitiveness. The flexibility to adapt and innovate will in the end decide the retailer’s capability to beat these obstacles and safe its future in a dynamic market.