retail apocalypse

English

Etymology

First appeared in print in an early 1990s essay by It's Not My Department! author Peter Glen.

Noun

retail apocalypse (plural retail apocalypses)

1. (economics, US, urban studies, neologism) The long-term decline of brick-and-mortar retail stores, especially large chains, that sell clothing, electronics, and other consumer goods, otherwise beginning around 2010 and accelerating due to the mandatory closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
   • 2018 June 13, Bryce Covert, “The Demise of Toys 'R' Us Is a Warning”, in The Atlantic‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Toys “R” Us is hardly the only retail operation to learn this lesson the hard way. The so-called retail apocalypse felled roughly 7,000 stores and eliminated more than 50,000 jobs in 2017.

   • 2023 March 12, Jake Rheude, “Retail Apocalypse: What Is It and Should You Follow the Trend?”, in Loss Prevention Magazine‎^[2]:

     The threat of a retail apocalypse coming for your business depends on the specific retail category and your current operations.