The retail sector is in flux, with established players like Wal-Mart (besides studying Bezos) vowing to open smaller, more intimate stores. At certain companies, "omnichannel" is the way of the future; at other chains, it's a four-letter-word. And still other retailers are closely watching Alibaba's ballyhooed entrance into the North American market. What to believe? What to dispel? What retail strategies will work and what should you discard? Here, I dispel the top five retail myths so that you can spend time doing what really matters: supercharging your chain's profitable growth: