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For several quarters now, the retail universe has been in the midst of a nerve testing shake-up. Current Consumer behavior—vacillating somewhere between cautious and traumatized—is continuing to wreak havoc on the efforts of retail planners and decision makers. The unprecedented dilemmas and challenges they face require an information base that must be "re-calibrated" almost continuously, to respond to the latest trends as they emerge.

The unfolding dynamics within the retail sector are reflected in a checkered environment in which generally common themes play out across the nation, but with a wide range of intensity. These include:

• Price—at all cost—a decided migration to the value purveyor
• Yesterday's category killers may be today's casualties - only room for one or two survivors
• Thousands of dark retail spaces—the vacant anchor is no longer a kiss of death
• Chain performance heading south—but some pockets of strength that beg understanding
• There may be a new landscape, but take note—it is not a moonscape and opportunities for measured expansion abound

The brave new world of retail is challenging many companies to confront an unexpected battle for survival. In addressing these challenges, there remains one fundamental constant that transcends the volatile trends—the need for customer insight. This requirement, while always critical for optimizing store placement and competitive positioning, is now elevated to a new imperative in today's strategies for survival.