Retail is no longer just about what people buy – today the focus is also on how they buy. While e-commerce has proven to be a formidable challenger to traditional retailing, brick-and-mortar is rising to the challenge. The key to success for real estate professionals will be understanding changing elements tied to physical stores, from lease terms to sales metrics to build-out options. It will also require the ability to understand the technology and, most importantly, the changing preferences of American shoppers. Twenty years ago, when you wanted to buy something, you had to go to the store – it wasn’t a choice, it was an obligation,” says Melina Cordero, global head of retail research at CBRE. “But today, the store is no longer an obligation; it’s a choice. We can choose to buy online as well as in the stores. In addition, we have more choices than ever about where and from whom we buy.” Click to read more at www.ccim.com.