Book excerpt: The retail industry and associated business models have gone through a significant phase of disruption. The rapid emergence of new technologies, digital business models and the evolution of social media platforms as a new sales channel continue to influence the sector. Key contextual or external trends will affect and shape the retail landscape in the years to come. Therefore, it seems important to prepare for this situation and be ready with a head start in terms of knowledge. This textbook provides its readers basic knowledge about the national and international retail sector and gives important insights into trends and developments. It deals with key trends, in particular new patterns of personal consumption, evolving geopolitical dynamics, technological advancements and structural industry shifts. Moreover, it explains why it is so important that retailers use these trends, adapt their retail strategies and tactics, create strong brands and come up with innovative, new ways of doing business. Today we are living in a challenging time for retail. This textbook tries to give insights and explanations to better understand these challenges and provide managerial implications.