Retail Therapy

Mark Pilkington is an experienced retail chief executive and strategy consultant, based in the UK. After graduating from INSEAD, he joined Courtaulds, later becoming CEO of Gossard where he was responsible for initiating the huge global success of Wonderbra. He then founded Splendour.com - the world's first direct-to-consumer ecommerce brand, with the backing of Marks & Spencer.

Retail Therapy bristles with alarming numbers. Before I finished the book I was recommending it to others, particularly because of his powerful analysis of the crisis. It is worth listening to the fixes – some of them controversial – he believes will cure the industry’s ills.

• Introduction – an overview of the crisisPart 1: Retail A!pocalypse Now! 1.A tale of two bankruptcies2.The great stores meltdown3.No longer a nation of shopkeepers4.Dark Satanic Malls5.My kingdom for a horse – the knock-on impact on branded suppliers6.The next big short?7.Killing more jobs than China8.A global problem9.The impact of public policyPart 2: The Causes of the Crisis in Retailing10.The classical retailing model11.The rise of e-commerce12.The broader impact of the technological revolution13.The generational revolution14.The death of brands15.Passing peak consumption16.Conquering the final mile17.The dawn of a virtual world18.This is your fridge talking19.Algorithm’n’blues20.Veni, Vidi, 3D21.See you later, incubator22.Direct is best23.Retail derailed24.Bankers away!25.Can the last one out switch off the lights?Part 3: How to Save Retail26.The importance of simplicity27.Go with the flow28.Cannibalise, cannibalise, cannibalise!29.Lean and mean30.Brand theatre31.The third space32.Re-tech33.Becoming the conversation34.The price is right35.Inclusive is the new exclusive36.Virtuous reality37.The hacker way38.Reinventing shared shopping spaces39.Advice to governments40.Summary – the new rules for survival