The Retail GIEE promotes the development of scientific research in collaboration with the country's retail sector, through the development and discussion of relevant topics that lead to competitive international scientific projects. The Retail group is a team of researchers and collaborators that are integrated into the Retail Trade Center to support the areas of research and consulting. The Retail Trade Center arises with the mission to “Promote and support the development of the retail trade in Mexico through the preparation of best professionals specialized in the area, programs for executives as well as consulting and research activities, thereby promoting the improvement of retail trade practices in the country”. In order to provide answers derived from said research to these needs, the team addresses the problems of both: traditional commerce and new digital proposals. The primary objective is to support the development of retail trade in Mexico to achieve international competitiveness through the development of strategic thinking that allows building competitive advantages around the store experience, the optimization of the operation, the use of technology, and building brand equity.

The most important challenge for the team, in terms of research, are the changes proposed by a new omni-channel buyer, which combines options in store, online, on mobile platforms, or in machine-to-machine interaction. In relation to the technological advances that are already transforming the shopping experience, such as the internet of things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), robots and emoboots, blockchain (DLT, Distributed Ledger Technology) , geolocation, smart sensors, among others.

Challenges do not come only from technological transformation, there are important challenges that emerge for research in the area of retail. For example the one initiated by generations of millennial consumers, with the incorporation of the internet into everyday life, the search for personalized and quality shopping experiences in relationships with brands, immediacy 'wherever & whenever'. And also the incipient demands of the centennials, linked to the circular economy, shared consumption, the reduction of consumption and spending as a way to protect the planet, the C2C (Cradle to Cradle), etc. These new consumers challenge brands in strategic terms to be strong and attractive enough to attract their interest.

The response of the research team has been the development of research projects on the behavior and shopping experience in the digital field, the transformation of commercial formats, pricing strategies and merchandising for profitability in the retail trade, to name a few of them.

Its research areas include:

• Shopper behavior and experience
• Store format innovation
• Retail Challenges & Strategy
• Sustainability & Green Trends
• Price (Revenue Management)
• Talent & Management (Retail Service)

Researchers

Name	Campus	Rank in National Researchers System
Alfonso Valdez Cervantes	Sinaloa	C
Ana Dolores Franco Valdez	Sinaloa
Eduardo Esteva Armida	Guadalajara
Ma. Margarita Orozco Gómez	Guadalajara
María Andrea Trujillo León	Santa Fe	1
María de la Paz Toldos Romero	Guadalajara	1
María Elena Vázquez Lira	Guadalajara