Retail has never stood still, but the pace of change in recent years, driven by the rise of e-commerce and reshaped by the pandemic, has been unprecedented. In a new book, titled Rethinking Retail: What Marketers and Retailers Can Learn About Consumer Preference from Analytics, the leaders of the Retail Analytics Council offer data-driven insight into how consumer behavior has shifted and what it means for the future of retail.
Available now for preorder and officially releasing in June 2025, Rethinking Retail is co-authored by Dr. Martin Block, Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University; Dr. Larry DeGaris, Executive Director of the Medill Spiegel Research Center; Dr. Frank Mulhern, Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications and Director of the Retail Analytics Council; and the late Dr. Don E. Schultz, a globally recognized pioneer in integrated marketing communications. All four authors are affiliated with Northwestern University and bring decades of research and insight into this book.
Drawing on nearly 20 years of data and consumer interviews, the book offers a rare and rich analysis of how shopping preferences have evolved. From product categories to channel selection, the authors identify clear trends and declines in consumer preference. Their findings point to a growing gap between what consumers want and what retailers and brands deliver.
The central argument is clear, to compete in today’s fragmented and fast-paced market, retailers and brands must align more closely around a shared understanding of the consumer. With chapters exploring omnichannel behaviors, digital disruptions, and category-level changes in preference, the book serves as both a wake-up call and a practical roadmap for retail and marketing professionals.
Preorders for Rethinking Retail: What Marketers and Retailers Can Learn About Consumer Preference from Analytics are now available via Amazon.