Personalization key to localizing global brands

What this means: When the U.S. retail market was dominated by regional brands, building retail environments around local communities was inherent in the retail DNA. As mergers and expansions took over in the late 1990s and early 2000s, single-name banners and enterprises became the norm for many sectors of retail, particularly in general merchandise and grocery. However, while single name brands create efficiencies and broad strokes strategies, the industry shifted away from specializing in local communities. The industry is at a crossroads once again, and even large retail corporations are beginning to understand that maximizing local opportunities and personalizing services and assortments are key to winning.