Even before the recession of 2008, there were signs that the retail sector was in trouble. Many brands at the time didn’t view online as a threat, and when they began to feel the effects in the 2010s, it was too late for many.
Leveraged buyouts by private equity of the likes of J.Crew and Gymboree in late 2010, premised on growth overseas, soon faltered. Teen retailers such as Wet Seal and Delia’s, lacking loyal customer bases, filed for bankruptcy in early 2015 and late 2014, respectively.
Even Walmart and Target seemed in peril, before they realized that to compete with Amazon, they had to spend—and invest they did.
Retail today is a battleground, with cash-rich Amazon, Target and Walmart all fighting for market share, offering consumers ever-cheaper goods and…
