Never before have retailers have had to change focus so quickly and on such a large scale. Within the course of one week in mid-March, many shuttered their stores and moved to an exclusive model of curbside pickup that enabled consumers to shop online and pick up their purchases in the parking lot.

COVID-19 has changed everything in retail, and while there’s disagreement on what the future might look like, most believe that will never be exactly as it was before. Now that states are starting to loosen restrictions, consumers will once again walk the aisles, hold merchandise and interact with associates. Analysts say while shoppers are eager to return to the traditional bricks-and-mortar experience, retailers should take the opportunity to refine operations now to prepare for... (continue reading via National Retail Federation)