Retail is the essential link between production and consumption, and the dynamics of a nation¿s economy cannot be fully understood without a good understanding of its retail sector. This volume provides a comprehensive assessment of the changes in consumption patterns brought about by extensive economic reform, the current size of the Chinese consumer market, and regional variations within the vast country. It also outlines the transformation of Chinäs retail economy in the last three decades, including the entry and expansion of foreign retailers, the development of indigenous retail chains as a national strategy to modernize Chinäs retail industry, changing retailer-supplier relations, and the resultant structural changes in the retail sector.