CHANGES TO RETAIL BUSINESS MODELS - OVERVIEW OF THE DETERMINING FACTORS

Retail business models, both with respect to overall retail operations, as well as individual types of retail organisations, are undergoing transformation brought on by the current economic environment. This can be attributed to growing competition, changes to customer behaviour and expectations, globalisation, as well as the availability and development of new information technologies. This paper outlines the essence and fundamental components of retail business models, indicates the probable directions in which those models may evolve and identifies the determining factors and trends that shape the business models applied by retailers. In her analysis the author has demonstrated that although the retail sector eagerly embraces innovation, any changes to business models are evolutionary in their nature. They mainly involve the introduction of new solutions in terms of store formats, cooperation within the distribution channels, changes to the range of products and services offered and the use of mobile technologies.