The Magnificent Seven Retailers
Using the Intelligent Engagement Index outlined below, Retail Store Tours identified the most consequential retailers, their founders and their impact on the future of retail. While no single establishment can be expected to exhibit all eight of the characteristics, successful retailers display an effective combination of the most significant for their customers. The following 2025 Magnificent Seven Retail Stores were selected for their unique contributions to the retail industry.
El Puerto de Liverpool: Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Ebrard began selling goods in Mexico City in 1847. Most of his goods were shipped from Liverpool, England, which gave the company its name.
Galeries Lafayette is an upmarket French department store chain, the biggest in Europe. Its flagship store is on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1894.
Le Bon Marché (“the good market,” or “the good deal") is a department store in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1838 and revamped almost completely by Aristide Boucicaut in 1852. It was one of the first modern department stores.
Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American department store chain founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy.
Printemps includes stores in Paris and New York (now commonly known as "Printemps Haussmann"). It was founded in 1865 by Jules Jaluzot and Jean-Alfred Duclos in Paris. It is the largest beauty department store in the world, with forty-five thousand square meters of shopping.
Tiffany & Company: Founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and his partner J.B. Young as Tiffany & Young, the company began as a fancy goods store on Broadway in New York.
Nordstrom, Inc. is an American luxury department store chain headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin in 1901.
The Intelligent Engagement Index
Consumers in Motion Group, parent company of Retail Store Tours, conducted extensive field research into the factors that most directly influence sales, consumer engagement and innovation.
During this work, which included visits to hundreds of stores as well as an even greater number of interviews with both retailers and consumers, the principals of Consumers in Motion Group identified eight factors that in combination govern retailer revenue performance. The Intelligent Engagement Index was developed in consultation with business leaders to measure the degree to which retailers embrace the following eight factors.
The Human Touch: The ability to empathize with customers is crucial to retail and overall business success.
The Use of Technology: Technology that interacts with shoppers as part of their in-store experience is now a winning play.
Store Design: The best store designs match form with function[DR1] .
Brand Story: An engaging brand story, often traceable to a visionary founder or a particular market need, helps to cultivate customer loyalty and often can transform loyal customers into brand evangelists.
Employee Training: The general rule in retail is to hire for attitude and train for skill. This presumes, of course, that the training is well executed.
The Ability to Change: The ability to capitalize on rapidly changing trends in consumer behavior is usually the trait that most accurately distinguishes winning brands.
Unique Value Proposition: It should go without saying that a store offering distinctive products within a unique, focused concept is destined for success.
Shopper Safety: The COVID-19 pandemic altered customer behavior and required retailers to develop best practices for keeping shoppers and employees safe.
Press Contact:
Daniel Hodges
1(908) 432-3299
dan@cimtours.co
