Despite the surge of e-commerce in the last two decades, personal transactions remain the lifeblood of most retailers, big and small. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that has been arrested, with stores locked and even boarded up, and mall parking lots empty.
Retail workers and small businesses have borne the brunt of the situation, leaving them in a precarious state. Larger chains are scrambling to shore up their finances and shift their emphasis to online sales and marketing, even as they slash their marketing budgets.
