Retailers report they're either thriving or barely surviving

More than half of traditional retailers say their businesses are just surviving as they head into 2019, according to a survey by accounting firm BDO of big box, department stores, discount stores and specialty retailers.

BDO's survey of 300 c-suite executives found two camps: "survivors" who report being stable and breaking even, and the "thrivers," who identify as profitable and say they are experiencing robust growth.

"The majority of retailers are stuck in survival mode," said Natalie Kotlyar, a national leader of BDO's consumer products practice in a report released Wednesday. "Playing catch-up in perpetuity is preventing retailers from seizing new opportunities and leapfrogging the competition."

Here are the challenges keeping top executives at U.S. retail companies up at night:

• The survey found that most survivors are taking a wait-and-see attitude about the prospects of a recession. But of those who identify as thriving, 51 percent are actively preparing for an economic downturn and 52 percent believe retail bankruptcies will rise in 2019.

• They're all spending money on their e-commerce operations, however 1-in-3 thrivers are planning to grow their store counts, including e-tailers.

• Respondents were confused about whether or not to join Amazon's ecosystem. About 70 percent said they believe the cons of partnering with Amazon outweigh the pros. Only 9 percent of retailers see exclusive products as Amazon's biggest advantage over their business.

The National Retail Federation, the industry's largest trade group, said it expects retail sales to rise 3.8 to 4.4 percent this year. That compares with an estimated 4.6 percent increase in U.S. retail sales in 2018, pending an update from the Commerce Department, which hasn't reported December due to the government shutdown.