Retail is evolving at a dizzying pace, according to Colliers International's annual U.S. Retail Highlights: 2012 Outlook, a 13-page report that chronicles current retail conditions along with the trends that will shape the 2012 retail landscape.
The report also contains a summary of metro-area operating metrics and a two-page quarterly Retailer Report Card assessing the dominant brands in every category.
The Colliers' report also reveals a potential game-changer on the retail horizon, a new type of consumer, one who researches every purchase online and compares multiple stores' inventory on their smartphones while simultaneously shopping in the store.
They are looking for that special buying experience or product, the one that's just right for them; they are always concerned about the lowest price, according to the report.
Colliers' retail report introduces nine themes and trends to watch in 2012, including opportunities for strategic acquisitions, the marriage of brick-and-mortar with mobile e-commerce, and the likelihood of more big-box stores moving into previously underserved urban areas.
A PDF version of the report is available here.
Read more about multi-channel retailing.
