This blog post discusses how the shift to online shopping has led to a significant decline in retail stores, with over 35,000 stores predicted to close in 2020. Many retailers are struggling to compete online due to their legacy technology and infrastructure, which can be costly to manage and throttle innovation. However, embracing cloud technology can help modernize IT infrastructures and deliver a great customer experience. Cloud-native applications offer faster and more responsive performance, scalability, and cost-effective pricing models. By leveraging the right technology both online and in-store, brick-and-mortar retailers can break the vicious cycle of declining foot traffic and frustrated customers, and turn physical locations into assets instead of liabilities.