Almost weekly, the news is full of stories about disappearing retail chains. From House of Fraser and BHS to Toys'R'Us and Sears, recognised names are vanishing overnight - as such large organizations disappear, so the malls, shopping centres, high streets and main streets become emptier and less appealing to visit.
The retail sector is hugely important in terms of job numbers: in the US, it employs around 30 million people (directly and indirectly); in the UK, around 10 million. As such, anything that jeopardises the retail sector will have a deep and lasting impact on millions of lives, as well as on public policy. While many blame the 'Amazon effect', this is an oversimplification. Deeper forces are at work that are changing people's relationships with brands, the balance of power between producers and consumers, and the whole nature of the supply chain that has existed since the industrial revolution.
Retail Therapy offers a comprehensive analysis of these forces and their impact on the world of retailing. More importantly, it presents a cogent analysis of the longer term trends that are shaping retailing, and outlines a clear road map for sustainable success in the future.

Mark Pilkington is an experienced retailer and consultant, now based in the UK. After graduating from INSEAD, he joined Courtaulds, eventually becoming CEO of Gossard. While there, he coordinated the initial launch of the Wonderbra, with the associated media storm across Europe and North America. He has worked subsequently on joint ventures with M&S (splendour.com), and has consulted extensively in the Middle East in the lingerie and cosmetics areas. His current role is in consultancy for major retail groups on strategic developments in a rapidly-changing sector, with clients in Europe, the US, the Middle East and Asia.

Introduction - an overview of the crisis
Part 1: Retail A!pocalypse Now!
1.A tale of two bankruptcies
2.The great stores meltdown
3.No longer a nation of shopkeepers
4.Dark Satanic Malls
5.My kingdom for a horse - the knock-on impact on branded suppliers
6.The next big short?
7.Killing more jobs than China
8.A global problem
9.The impact of public policy
Part 2: The Causes of the Crisis in Retailing
10.The classical retailing model
11.The rise of e-commerce
12.The broader impact of the technological revolution
13.The generational revolution
14.The death of brands
15.Passing peak consumption
16.Conquering the final mile
17.The dawn of a virtual world
18.This is your fridge talking
19.Algorithm'n'blues
20.Veni, Vidi, 3D
21.See you later, incubator
22.Direct is best
23.Retail derailed
24.Bankers away!
25.Can the last one out switch off the lights?
Part 3: How to Save Retail
26.The importance of simplicity
27.Go with the flow
28.Cannibalise, cannibalise, cannibalise!
29.Lean and mean
30.Brand theatre
31.The third space
32.Re-tech
33.Becoming the conversation
34.The price is right
35.Inclusive is the new exclusive
36.Virtuous reality
37.The hacker way
38.Reinventing shared shopping spaces
39.Advice to governments
40.Summary - the new rules for survival