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The 1990s and early 2000s witnessed a kind of retail boom with consumers spending big on furniture, housing and clothing. But the onset of the Great Recession in 2008 triggered a slowdown. People started spending less due to lower income and rising healthcare costs. Yet, the ensuing eight years after the 2008 recession saw GDP growth, lower gas prices and lesser unemployment. While the overall retail spend started to rise, America witnessed several store closures and bankruptcies especially in 2016 and 2017. Renowned retail spaces such as Macy's and Sears and well-known brands such as Toys R Us experienced declining sales and revenues. Analysts highlighted the newer trends sweeping America. Online shopping was booming and Amazon became many people's go to destination for shopping from the comfort of their home. As a result, mall traffic got severely affected which led to several store closures and thus, empty floor spaces. In addition, Americans started to spend more on travel and dining rather than clothing. Certain analysts also felt that America had way too many malls - much higher floor space per capita than most other countries. As more and more retailers filed for bankruptcy protection, shut stores and attempted to lay a foundation for an online business; experts warned the closures would continue well into 2018. Retail had never undergone such a rapid transformation. And in all probability, those who failed to adapt were doomed to get erased from the retail landscape. Amid new challenges, what must retail chains do to revive sales? Can they buck these trends?