Reimagining the Fashion Retail Industry Through the Implications of COVID-19 in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the fashion retail industry. The Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCC) is the home of family-centric shopping malls and brick and mortar stores (B&M). This article aims to provide a critical look at the business strategies which the fashion retail companies need to adopt to provide consumers with an integrated online and B&M service which will be essential to survive in the post-pandemic business environment. This article is based on the rich industry experience of the authors and extensive secondary research on the business strategies being employed by the leading fashion retailers in the GCC region to combat the pandemic disruption. The study highlights the importance of a comprehensive rethink on business strategy for the GCC fashion retailers with adoption of digitalization technologies and an adaptive supply chain as the pillars to survive the post-pandemic normal of business environments. The study concludes with a look to the future strategies for fashion retailers in developing a digitalization blueprint, using cloud technologies and big data analytics, leveraging social media, building an agile and adaptive supply chain with omnichannel capability, and ensuring that future products and services are sustainable and socially responsible.