To be successful retailers today, we strive to be good at both customer relationship management and logistics. In tomorrow's world it will not be crucial, or necessarily desirable, to be good at both. We can already see a split. Albert Heijn's logistics operations will be a fundamental part of its success in the future. Wal-Mart doesn't have a sophisticated customer loyalty system ­ instead its business is built around using scale and effective IT to drive supplier relationships. Other retailers, especially the new e-tailers, are prepared to outsource almost all of their traditional retail operations as long as they have an intimate understanding of how to fulfil consumer needs, wants and desires. Amazon is probably the most advanced e-tailer, but even it would probably admit its logistics operations are not world class today. Could it be that the split between b2b and b2c specialisations will become so important that most companies will need to decide which of the two is their core business skill, and only a few will try to become world class in both? The logical conclusion is to look at the two operations as radically different, almost like two different companies. B2c IT needs to focus unashamedly on the end consumer, to the extent that every system should be designed to be accessible by loyal customers, anywhere, anytime, anyhow. B2b IT will link up buyers and sellers, large and small companies across the globe, to share product and supply chain information through seamless networks. We are at the beginning of a retail revolution. Change is being driven by increased competition, oversupply and downward pressure on prices. Radically different business models are being enabled by IT, and in particular the potential for new relationships created by the internet. In this climate of merger versus partnership and differentiation versus low price offers it's time to ensure we build our future strategy around core competence. {{NEWS }}