ABSTRACT
The interfaces between developments in information technology (IT), retailing strategies and consumer behaviour are attracting an increasing amount of attention in the marketing and geography literature. Most of this literature either summarises recent developments (e.g. Howard, 1985; Bennison, 1985; Davies, 1985) or speculates about future developments and their economic and social impacts (e.g. Rosenberg and Hirschman, 1980; Quelch and Takeuchi, 1981; Kirby, 1982; Dawson, 1983b; Taylor, 1984; Guy, 1985; Davies and Reynolds, 1986). This present chapter takes a somewhat different stance. The view is taken that the implications of IT in retailing and consumer behaviour should not be examined simply in the context of an abstracted discussion of social futures. Rather, a more positive view emphasising the opportunities that a more extensive use of IT would allow for market analysis and store-location strategy is presented.
