Going small and local?
Few companies, like Walmart and Staples, are downsizing but not in a way where they close stores, they are coming with a smaller size store concept which can penetrate smaller markets and increase the already falling revenues. Walmart and Staples are synonyms of big stores, and they can only be in big open places, but with this smaller store concept can reach more urban towns and/or small towns far from big cities. In other words, switching to a smaller artillery caliber will enable them to hunt more prays in more places (existing and/or new markets). This will also be possible thanks to online retailing; small stores will not have the need of big stock spaces since they will carry the essentials and be able to order online and ship from the distribution centers.
The new strategy might even open some community doors and maybe increase some customer loyalty since reducing size and get closer to town would increase the one-on-one customer-retailer relationship.
This tactic (short term planning) might end up being the strategy that in the long run big box companies need in order to adapt and survive the economic down turn.