California CRE News In Your Inbox.

Sign up for Connect emails to stay informed with CRE stories that are 150 words or less.

Sub Markets

Property Sectors

Topics

California  + Retail  | 
Austin’s Retail Leasing Posting Its Best Start Since 2013, NAI Partners Report

Retail’s Next Challenge: Storefront Reduction

Retailers are attempting to reduce a nasty excess inventory issue in the U.S. The problem is national footprints need to shrink significantly. Consider that in the U.S. there’s roughly 48 square feet of retail space per person, compared to just 22 square feet in the U.K. and 13 in Canada.

Once considered a competitive advantage, high store counts are placing additional strains on retailers’ bottom lines. Consumer buying habits continue to be transformed by e-commerce, and that shift simply adds up to too many storefronts to meet the dwindling foot traffic.

Variations of an omnichannel strategy that utilizes stores in the online shopping process, are being tested, including product returns or pick-ups. Other retailer strategies involve plowing expected savings from store closings back into an e-commerce effort, or creating digitally-enabled stores. Even so, retail analysts argue the burden won’t lift without further closings.

Read more at Wall Street Journal

Subscribe to Connect Daily California

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser

Connect

Inside The Story

About Dennis Kaiser

Dennis Kaiser is Vice President of Content and Public Relations for Connect Commercial Real Estate. Dennis is a communications leader with more than 30 years of experience including as a journalist and in corporate and agency marketing communications roles. He is responsible for Connect’s client content operations and is involved in a range of initiatives ranging from content strategy, message development, copywriting, media relations, social media and content marketing services. In his most recent corporate communications roles, he led a regional public relations effort across Southern California for CBRE, played a key marketing role on JLL’s national retail team, and was responsible for directing the global public relations effort at ValleyCrest, the nation’s largest commercial landscape services company. In addition to his vast commercial real estate experience, Dennis has worked on communications and launch strategies for a number of residential projects such as Disney’s Celebration in Florida, Ritter Ranch in Palmdale California (7,200 homes, 22,000 acres), WaterColor in Florida and PremierGarage in Phoenix. Dennis’s agency background included firms such as Idea Hall and Macy + Associates. He has earned an outstanding reputation with organization leaders as a trusted advisor, strategic program implementer, consensus builder and exceptional collaborator. Dennis has developed and managed national communications programs for Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, both public and private. He’s successfully worked with journalists across the globe representing clients involved in major-breaking news stories, product launches, media tours, and company news announcements. Dennis has been involved in a host of charitable and community organizations including the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, BoyScouts, Chrysalis Foundation, Freedom For Life, HOLA, L.A.’s BEST, Reach Out and Read, Super Bowl Host Committee, and Thunderbirds Charities.