Small data – big data; panel data – store data; lab data – field data; digital data – physical data…academic researchers have analyzed a variety of data sets over the last fifty years based on behavioral, empirical, and analytical models and produced a plethora of retailing related articles. These empirical papers have advanced our theoretical understanding of the retail phenomenon and provided managerial guidance for retail practice.  The goal of this Journal of Retailing special issue on “Data-based Retailing – Review and New Directions” is to synthesize these empirical contributions, offer generalizable insights and managerial implications, provide directions for future research, and sow the seed for new knowledge in this evolving and dynamic retail marketplace.

Retail topics. Submissions of Review & New Directions (RND) papers can be on a wide array of topics related to retailing, defined broadly as activities involving a physical or virtual intermediary in the passage of goods and services from supplier/seller to buyer/consumer. These topics include: (i) Retail Assortment, (ii) Category Management, (iii) Retail Promotions, (iv) Reference Pricing; (v) Omni-channel Retailing; (vi) Private-label Marketing; (vii) Mobile Marketing; (viii) E-tailing; (ix) C2C marketing. These topics are by no means exhaustive. Researchers are encouraged to come up with other interesting topics on retailing. An important consideration for selection of topics is that they have sufficient empirical basis (articles) for synthesis, and offer scope for new, insightful future research directions.

October 15, 2019: Submit Proposal to JR for initial screening & MSI Funding

November 15, 2019: Feedback given by JR & MSI including funding decision

May 1, 2020:  Submit working paper to JR for conference presentation

June 10-12, 2020: Presentation of Working Papers at Marketing Science Conference, Duke Univ.

July 1, 2020: Submit manuscript for review in JR– Special Issue

July 1, 2021: Review process complete.

September 2021: Publication of JR Special Issue

September 2021: Joint Academics-Practitioner conference by JR, MSI, sponsoring retail centers

 Academics and practitioners wishing to publish in the Special Issue are requested to submit a proposal to the Special Issue co-editors Raj Sethuraman / Russ Winer by October 15, 2019. Collaboration among academics or among practitioners and academics is encouraged. This proposal will be used both for screening and fit by co-editors and for funding and feedback by the Marketing Science Institute (MSI). The proposal will include the title and authors along with an overview of (i) motivation for the retail topic, (ii) empirical questions being addressed; (iii)  data and method that may be used for review, synthesis and drawing empirical generalizations; (iv)  preliminary findings / insights and new directions for future research, obtained thus far if any; (v) plan of research action along with (vi) a project research budget with specific items and amounts (typically between $3000 and $10,000). [MSI funds research expenses and not salaries of researchers]. The proposal should be 4 to 6 pages total (double-spaced). Co-editors will perform initial screening and those proposals that pass screening will be sent to MSI. MSI will get feedback on the proposals from relevant members, where possible, and make a decision on funding. Authors will receive feedback on their proposal by November 15, 2019. Please note that authors of all proposals that pass initial screening will be requested to proceed with writing the paper, irrespective of whether they receive MSI funding or not.

 

Selected proposals will be assigned to appropriate special sessions at the Marketing Science Conference in Duke, subject to authors providing a working paper by May 1, 2020. The working papers should be as complete and close to a manuscript for submission to the Journal of Retailing. Authors will present their working papers in special sessions at the Duke Marketing Science Conference, June 10-12, 2020 for feedback and preparation of manuscript for JR.

For any questions about the special issue, please contact Professor Raj Sethuraman, Joint editor-in-chief, Journal of Retailing and co-editor of special issue at rsethura@cox.smu.edu.