EDITOR’S LETTER
Fresh Face
Welcome to 2014. As we hope you’ve already noticed, EB has a new look
We’ve had a lot of fun with our redesign and thought the beginning of a new year was the perfect time to bring it to you. And, many thanks to those of you who have participated in the research that served as the basis for this redesign.
EVOLVING NEEDS On the pages that follow, you’ll see lots of old favorites—columns and feature topics you’ve told us are important to you and your business. We’ve also asked what else you’d like to see on the pages on EB, and what kind of information you need in order to grow in the new year. Over the next few issues, you’ll see several new sections addressing your ever-evolving needs, including some new, and we think definitely on-point, ones this month.
One of the things you’ve told us you like best about EB is our breadth of coverage—professional and product, business and retail. So, we’re bringing you more of what you asked for, along with lots of fresh, new elements and takeaways throughout the magazine.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT We also asked you how you like to digest pages in print pubs—in small bites or big ones? Most of you answered, “both,” indicating you like our blend of longer features and shorter columns, so we’ve added more of each.
Though our goal was a clean, crisp look, we’ve also tried to address all sorts of readers in the redesign—from people like my husband who start at the back of magazines and work their way forward to somebody like me who always reads boxes, bullets, and callouts first.
It’s been fun hearing from many of you in recent months, and we look forward to continuing that dialogue throughout 2014. So, send us your thoughts on our redesign as well as your suggestions for topics to tackle.
Stephanie K. De Long
Editorial Director
{TREND WATCH}RETAIL 2014In this month’s cover story, we share what you and your colleagues see happening over the course of 2014. What about retail? Here are just a few of the key trends. ■ 5X… E-commerce is growing five times as fast as traditional retail. Online revenues will more than double by the end of the decade. ■ CONTRADICTIONS… 2014 is being called “The Year of Retail Contradictions” based on the contradictory and challenging realities facing business this year. ■ BLURRING… “The lines between entertainment and shopping are blurring further, and 2014 will see more retailers offer shoppers a richer, content-led shopping experience.” ■ SEDUCTION… “Provide ethical, sustainable, hyper-local, and uniquely curated products. For 2014, find a way to seduce customers who crave these distinct and original items now—or risk a swift breakup.” |