Marketers, brand managers, analysts and others have for several years now recognized the important interplay between consumer behavior and consumer experience in the retail setting. Many consulting agencies now specialize in the retail sector, often staffed by employees with novel titles such as "director of retail innovations." Yet, despite all of the assorted research, dialogues, discussions and strategizing, we've witnessed little concrete progress in the pursuit of a comprehensive, integrated understanding of shopping behavior. This study is a pioneering effort in that direction. Looking critically at the field in its current state, we find a variety of orientations whose only commonality is their oddly narrow scope and vision. | 