Without specific questions listed, have an open dialogue on the topics listed below.

From you own personal experience shopping at various stores, how do you feel store types address the issue of differentiation and uniqueness?  Consider the competition among Types of Retailers – convenience stores, wholesale clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club), supermarkets, category killer stores (Dick’s Sporting Goods), specialty stores, off-price retailers and more.

How do stores stay relevant and compete against each other, given they tend to mimic each other in terms of merchandise mix they carry?  For example, Walmart (discount store) and Costco are similar in that they both carry groceries, yet they remain relevant. (Hint: target market served, membership or no membership, merchandise mix and 4 Ps !)

Some buzzwords to consider: Wheel of Retailing Scrambled Merchandising, Retail Life Cycle Theory