Journal of Retailing

Journal of Retailing
Title	Journal of Retailing
Abbreviation	J. Retail.
Discipline	Retailing; Marketing (business); Consumer behavior
Editor	[see Editorial leadership and peer review]
Publisher	Elsevier
History	1925–present
Frequency	Quarterly
Issn	0022-4359

Journal of Retailing

The Journal of Retailing is a peer-reviewed academic journal focused on research concerning retail trade, consumer behavior, and marketing (business). It publishes empirical, theoretical, and methodological studies that intersect with institutions such as Walmart, Amazon (company), Target Corporation, Tesco, and Alibaba Group. The journal serves scholars affiliated with universities like Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Columbia University, and it informs practitioners at firms such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Nike, Apple Inc., and Costco Wholesale Corporation.

History

Established in 1925, the journal traces its roots to early trade literature addressing department stores like Marshall Field's, Macy's, and Selfridges. Through the mid-20th century it covered developments linked to Kmart Corporation, Sears, Roebuck and Co., and the rise of shopping centers associated with Victor Gruen. The late 20th century saw a shift toward academic rigor influenced by institutions such as Columbia Business School, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and London Business School, paralleling retail innovations from Sam Walton's Walmart expansion and FedEx logistics. In the 21st century the journal adapted to digital transformation signalled by Amazon (company), eBay, Alibaba Group, and platform studies anchored by research from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University. Special issues have addressed crises linked to events like the 1973 oil crisis, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting shifts in supply chains involving firms such as Maersk, DHL, and UPS.

Scope and topics

The journal covers a range of topics where retailing intersects with actors including manufacturers, distributors, and franchisors, and institutions such as Federal Trade Commission and European Commission (EU) when relevant. Empirical work examines consumer decision-making drawing on theories from scholars associated with Stanford Graduate School of Business and analytic methods developed at INSEAD and London School of Economics. Research themes include omnichannel strategies exemplified by Walmart, Best Buy, and Nike, pricing and promotions studied in contexts like Costco Wholesale Corporation and ALDI, supply chain resilience linked to Maersk and Boeing Business Jets, store design inspired by architects such as Victor Gruen, and retail analytics leveraging tools from Google LLC, Microsoft, and IBM. Other topics include retail internationalization involving IKEA, H&M, and Zara (retailer); sustainability initiatives associated with Patagonia (company) and The Body Shop; and regulation linked to cases before United States Supreme Court and Court of Justice of the European Union.

Editorial leadership and peer review

Editorial leadership has included editors drawn from faculties at University of Minnesota, University of Texas at Austin, University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan, and Indiana University Bloomington. The editorial board typically features scholars affiliated with Northwestern University (Kellogg), Duke University (Fuqua), Yale School of Management, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and University of Cambridge. The journal employs double-blind peer review, engaging reviewers from organizations such as American Marketing Association, Association for Consumer Research, European Marketing Academy, and national research councils including National Science Foundation and Economic and Social Research Council. Editorial policies reflect standards comparable to those of journals like Journal of Marketing, Marketing Science, and Journal of Consumer Research.

Publication and access

Published by Elsevier, the journal appears quarterly and offers both print and electronic editions compatible with platforms used by libraries at institutions such as New York Public Library and British Library. Online distribution integrates with databases maintained by EBSCOhost, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect, and content is discoverable through aggregators like Google Scholar and Scopus (Elsevier). Access options include institutional subscriptions purchased by universities like Oxford University, University of Chicago, and National University of Singapore, as well as individual subscriptions. The journal aligns with open access trends debated at forums like Plan S and institutions such as Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Abstracting and indexing

Abstracting and indexing services that include the journal encompass Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, and Emerald Insight. Bibliographic records integrate with citation indexes maintained by Clarivate, and articles are discoverable via academic platforms run by JSTOR and CrossRef. Metadata practices connect with initiatives from ORCID and DOAJ for transparency, and the journal’s inclusion in indexes supports evaluation exercises like the Research Excellence Framework and rankings curated by Financial Times and The Economist.

Impact and reception

The journal is recognized among scholars and practitioners for contributions to retail scholarship and has been cited in policy analyses at United States Department of Commerce and white papers from think tanks such as Brookings Institution and McKinsey & Company. Its articles have informed business strategy at firms like Target Corporation, Walmart, and Starbucks Corporation, and influenced curricula at business schools including Harvard Business School and INSEAD. Impact metrics are tracked in citation databases used by Clarivate and Scopus (Elsevier), and individual articles have received awards from organizations such as American Marketing Association and Association for Consumer Research. The journal’s reception reflects ongoing debates in retail transformation driven by actors like Amazon (company), regulators such as Federal Trade Commission, and global events including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Category:Academic journals