Trends that will impact your business

The WAN (World Association of Newspapers) asked leading newspapers executives to identify the current trends they believe will have an impact on the future of their businesses. The list of 66 trends will serve as the centrepiece for "scenario planning"workshop being held in France January 29-30.

Though designed by newspaper execs, these trends ring very true for the local business under assault by the many changes in today's marketplace. Here are just a few:

• Availability is increasingly important - People are not always buying what they like, but instead what is at hand. 24/7 is becoming the norm.
• Infinite choices are making it hard to decide what product/service to buy.
• Increased life complexity calls for measures to simplify life.
  A new breed of "professional customers" -- well-educated customers with extensive knowledge of competing products/services and pricing.
• 50-70 percent of buying decisions are made in the store means more focus on design.

You can dowload the whole list here