Scenarios about 'retail'
The commercial sector focused on selling goods and services directly to consumers through various outlets including stores, markets, and digital platforms. Retail has evolved from ancient marketplaces and trading posts to modern department stores, shopping malls, and e-commerce, reflecting changing economic systems and consumer behaviors. In alternate history scenarios, retail development often serves as an indicator of economic systems, technological advancement, and cultural values in divergent timelines.
What If Mom and Pop Stores Remained Dominant?
Exploring the alternate timeline where local, independently-owned small businesses continued to thrive as the backbone of American retail, preventing the rise of big-box stores and e-commerce giants.
What If Shopping Malls Never Declined?
Exploring the alternate timeline where American shopping malls maintained their cultural and economic dominance into the 2020s, reshaping retail, urban development, and social behaviors.
What If Walmart Never Expanded Beyond Arkansas?
Exploring the alternate timeline where Sam Walton's retail experiment remained a small regional chain, dramatically altering American retail, labor practices, and global supply chains.