Have the economic crisis, the digital revolution and the growth of mass retailing changed the success factors of small retailing companies? What impact have they had on the characteristics of the profiles of new entrepreneurs in the retail trade? On the basis of the data collected through a qualitative research by a semi-structured interview on a sample of retailers, the paper aims to provide answers to these questions.

The results of the interviews, recorded, transcribed and analysed using the software T-Lab 8.1, highlight the new success factors and, in particular, the key role assumed by web marketing. Moreover, the fact that the retail sector has maintained a strong capacity to create employment is cause for reflection on the employment potential of the small companies in the more traditional sectors. The importance of this sector appears even more significant if we consider the context of economic instability and declining consumption in which these companies are operating.