Retail Management: RTKL's predictions

RTKL, a worldwide architecture, engineering, planning and creative services organization, has made some predictions for retail management in 2005:

-- Expect many underperforming malls to combine shopping with housing, restaurants, movie theaters and other commercial uses.

-- Cause marketing is an emerging new trend in retail today, as seen in everything from Livestrong bracelets to Target's pink pop-up stores for breast cancer research to Starbuck's Free Trade products. The next generation of consumers equate shopping with social responsibility and activism. This will impact retail environments and inform the merchandise mix that typically goes into a traditional shopping center.

-- As the diversity of US suburbs grows, ethnic neighborhoods are becoming the testing grounds for new retail formats and concepts. In fact, many ethnic neighborhoods are spawning homegrown businesses, which are on their way to becoming national concepts... they only need to be discovered.

-- Manufacturers are becoming retailers with brand stores. Can your store do a better job of highlighting its best brands?