Macy's and Best Buy are banking on small-format stores to lower costs and boost consumer convenience amid an ever-shifting retail landscape

• Small-format stores are becoming a significant part of the evolution of US retail.
• Macy's and Best Buy are two prominent retailers who are leaning into the shift.
• Amid larger department store closures, Macy's said it would expand its Bluemercury locations.

For decades, the American shopping experience was defined by department stores and big-box retailers, with consumers poring over vast amounts of products in untold numbers of large-scale buildings.

But many retailers are scaling back their physical footprints to reduce costs and boost customer convenience as they look to open new locations, according to The Washington Post.