JOURNAL ARTICLE
The Comeback of the Physical Store--and What It Means for Your Business.
Published In: Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2026. P. 1 1 of 3
Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3
Authored By: Cespedes, Frank V.; Satriano, Pietro 3 of 3
Abstract
The article focuses on the resurgence of physical retail stores and their evolving roles in the modern retail landscape. Despite predictions of e-commerce dominance, brick-and-mortar stores have regained importance by serving as logistics hubs for fulfillment and returns, providing experiential and consultative services that build customer confidence, and acting as demand generation and brand-building platforms. Retailers are integrating digital technologies to enhance in-store experiences and optimizing store operations and metrics to support omnichannel strategies. The future of retail emphasizes smarter use of physical stores alongside online channels, requiring investment in skilled staff and redefined performance measures. [Extracted from the article]
Additional Information
- Source:Harvard Business Review Digital Articles. 2026/04, p1
- Document Type:Article
- Subject Area:Business and Management
- Publication Date:2026
- Accession Number:193263179
- Copyright Statement:Copyright 2026 Harvard Business Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Additional restrictions may apply including the use of this content as assigned course material. Please consult your institution's librarian about any restrictions that might apply under the license with your institution. For more information and teaching resources from Harvard Business Publishing including Harvard Business School Cases, eLearning products, and business simulations please visit hbsp.harvard.edu. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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