Retail 
Today’s retailers operate in a challenging environment that requires focused attention on customer perceptions and preferences. Yet consumers’ attention deficits make the process difficult. Consumers want their product now and they want to be “wowed” by the purchase experience. And they have little allegiance, despite retailers’ best efforts to improve their shopping experiences.

In 2008, the dominant customers in the United States and the world will be consumers age 50 and older. Deloitte Research has created a report that examines the four areas of change affecting older consumers and explains new demands on business sectors such as automotive, consumer packaged goods, financial services, health care, hotel and lodging, real estate and retail.

Wholesale and Distribution 
The rise of Internet technology, consolidation from the retail side to the supplier side and the challenge of generating growth from a stagnant pool of retail customers are among the primary concerns of wholesalers and distributors today. As many retailers have moved toward total outsourcing of their inventory to their wholesalers to create fewer all-encompassing sources of supply, many wholesalers have begun a forward integration into retail by acquisition. These shifts in the supply chain have created greater requirements around just-in-time product and information flow for wholesale and distribution companies. They have also created opportunities for new areas of growth in the wholesale and distribution industry.

We are a leader in providing professional services to all segments of the wholesale and distribution industry. Because we understand that consolidation and acquisitions are critical issues that affect wholesale and distribution companies, we have a dedicated practice mobilized to provide solutions to these concerns. Our corporate finance professionals serve as trusted business advisors to deliver integrated financial advisory services, including mergers & acquisitions, capitalization strategies and market valuations. This specialization by industry allows us to provide our clients with the latest information on industry trends and opportunities that will help them maximize their operations and achieve profitability.