retail life cycle this activity is important because retail outlets, like products, experience growth and decline, which is described by the retail life cycle. marketing managers pay close attention to stages of the retail life cycle since both profits and market share rise then fall across the four life cycle stages. the goal of this activity is to demonstrate your understanding of the different stages of the retail life cycle: early growth, accelerated development, maturity, and decline. for each hypothetical below, select the appropriate stage of the retail life cycle.