Fewer, better: American retailer

标题，冒号前吸引眼球，是对零售的看法。之后提供与新闻更相关的信息。

Department-store and supermarket ( 都是retailers )  bosses will mull the state of their industry in New York on Sunday, when the National Retail Federation’s annual “Big Show” kicks off.

mull: 动词，思考，深思熟虑。mull over Sth.

The gathering comes at an uncertain time for shops.

超越句子层面，看每句话与上下的逻辑关系。本句承接上句内容。常用代词，或 the n.

Executives 商场管理层had hoped that holiday sales (打折would lure  Americans back to their stores, but  for many companies, shoppers stayed away, preferring to buy online.

前三句话交代了文章背景和主题导向。

Macy’s, which owns giant department stores, said recently that it would cut more than 10,000 jobs as it closes outlets.

摆出事实，说明实体商店受到冲击。outlets 门店。

The company will use the savings to boost its e-commerce business and improve its remaining stores.

The Big Show’s exhibition hall will be packed with smaller firms peddling tools to help retailers: shopper analytics, software to make salesmen more productive, and the like. Many of these services (指前面工具) will do little, though (从句引导次要信息)some may help stores attract more customers.

be packed with 挤满

peddling tools 兜售工具

Expect better shops, but fewer of them.

未来展望

重视语言衔接。

线下凋零，线上旺盛。