About the Author

Founder of the international consultancy Retail Prophet, Doug Stephens is one of the world’s most influential retail industry futurists. His intellectual work and thinking have guided many of the world’s best-known retailers, agencies and brands including Walmart, Home Depot, Disney, BMW, Citibank, Google, Intel and WestJet. Prior to founding Retail Prophet, Doug spent over 20 years in the retail industry, holding senior international roles including the leadership of one of New York City’s most historic retail chains. Doug is the author of The Retail Revival: Reimagining Business in the New Age of Consumerism (Wiley, 2013) and sits on the advisory board of the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retail & Services at St. Mary’s University.

Reviews

“Ten years ago, walking into a cool boutique to see a DJ spinning was novel. Today, it’s about the least a store can do to keep up with the times. Brands and retailers that are standing out are pulling out the stops to turn shopping into a rich and immersive experience that leverages technology. Doug’s book sets out a roadmap for how to best compete in this new retail world”



—Harley Finkelstein, COO, Shopify

“Doug Stephens sounds the alarm for brick-and-mortar retailers (and their landlords), and those who do not heed his advice do so at their own peril. Reengineering Retail is a survival guide for those of us navigating a sea change in physical retail.”



—Mark Toro, Founder and Managing Partner, North American Properties–Atlanta, Ltd.

“Disruption is facing every business. Retail is feeling the brunt of it. Technology changes everything. Software eats retail in a one-click and swipe-right world. Retailers talk about omnichannel and customer-centricity, but look at the landscape. It's hard to be optimistic. Still, big thinkers like Doug Stephens and his latest book, Reengineering Retail, draw the map and demonstrate what retailers need to think and do in this landscape. If you sell stuff, this is a must-read.”



—Mitch Joel, President, Mirum. Author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete.

“Retail is no longer linear—it doesn’t live in a protected tower—and it’s arguably facing its greatest disruption ever! Doug Stephens’ latest book, Reengineering Retail, shines the spotlight on the new ecosystem, one that feeds off innovation, the redefinition and refinement of customer experience, authenticity, value, excitement and experimentation. Doug’s book challenges us to look at disruption more than by assuming that one form of retail will win over another—simply put, the book forces us to understand the power of personalization and customer engagement—the lifeblood of our new retail world.”



—Diane J. Brisebois, President & CEO, Retail Council of Canada

“Doug Stephens paints a vivid picture of the massive disruption and reinvention that is occurring in the retail landscape. Reengineering Retail offers valuable insights into how the physical and the digital retailing worlds will augment each other and combine to create customer experiences that we can only imagine today. This book is a must-read and a wakeup call to any retailers that have been technological laggards.”



—Ramesh Venkat, Ph.D., Director, David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing, Saint Mary’s University