The data and areas of interest covered are intentionally broad, ranging from the various aspects of the retail industry, to emerging technology, to an in-depth look at the 500 major firms (which we call THE RETAIL 500) within the many segments that make up the retail system. This reference book is designed to be a general source for researchers. It is especially intended to assist with market research, strategic planning, employment searches, contact or prospect list creation and financial research, and as a data resource for executives and students of all types. This almanac takes a rounded approach for the general reader. This book presents a complete overview of the retail field. For example, the impact of the Internet upon retail sales is discussed in detail, along with easy to use tables on all facets of retail in general, from a ranking by sales and profits of companies in various retail sectors to names and descriptions of the divisions and affiliates of the major firms within this industry. Also included is information on shopping centers, malls, e-commerce, non-store selling and other pertinent topics. THE RETAIL 500 (the actual count is 492 firms) is our unique grouping of the biggest, most successful corporations in all segments of the retail industry. Tens of thousands of pieces of information, gathered from a wide variety of sources, have been researched and are presented in a unique form that can be easily understood. This section includes thorough indexes to THE RETAIL 500, by geography, industry, sales, brand names, subsidiary names and many other topics. Especially helpful is the way in which the almanac enables readers who have no business background to readily compare the financial records and growth plans of retail companies and major industry groups. Youll see the mid-term financial record of each firm, along with the impact of earnings, sales and strategic plans on each companys potential to fuel growth, create new technologies and provide investment and employment opportunities. No other source provides this books easy-to-understand comparisons of growth, expenditures, technologies, corporations, research and many other items of great importance. The information within is crucial to people of all types who may be studying this, one of the largest industries in the world today. By scanning the data groups and the unique indexes, you can find the best information to fit your personal research needs. The best major companies are profiled and then ranked using several different groups of specific criteria. Which firms are the biggest employers? Which companies earn the most profits? These things and much more are easy to find. In addition to individual company profiles, an overview of retail technology and its trends is provided. This books job is to help you sort through easy-to-understand summaries of todays technologies, marketing strategies and trends in a quick and effective manner. Whatever your purpose for researching the retail field, youll find this book to be a valuable guide. Nonetheless, as is true with all resources, this volume has limitations that the reader should be aware of: -- Financial data and other corporate information can change quickly. A book of this type can be no more current than the data that was available as of the time of editing. Consequently, the financial picture, management and ownership of the firm(s) you are studying may have changed since the date of this book. For example, this almanac includes the most up-to-date sales figures and profits available to the editors as of mid to late 2003. That means that we have typically used corporate financial data as of late 2002 or mid 2003. -- Corporate mergers, acquisitions and downsizing are occurring at a very rapid rate. Such events may have created significant change, subsequent to the publishing of
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