Future Shop Podcast with WSL WSL

In this episode WSL’s Wendy Liebmann and Candace Corlett discuss that, in spite of all the attention given to ecommerce during the pandemic, the physical store matters. But not the same way it used to.
They discuss:
Why the store still matters to shoppersWhat shoppers expect from stores today [hint: efficiency and happiness]How, in a world of so many choices, people have created a new shopping journey for themselves, often and alwaysHow old retail terms now have very new meaningsThat saving is about time as much as money, andWhy ecommerce is a solution, but not the only solution

In this episode  Wendy Liebmann talks with Andrea Leigh, former Amazon executive, and founder of The Allume Group, an ecommerce education community, about the future of commerce.
They discuss:
How lifestage and lifestyle needs coupled with new technologies mean that shopping is now a passive -- rather than an active -- activity.That “always shopping” has impacted loyalty to retailers and brandsHow digital shopping can create opportunity to shop in physical storesThe emerging challenges for Amazon, and how specialty-oriented retailers are winningThe impact of omni-commerce and the critical need for seamless shoppingThe “revenge of the stores” as shoppers, especially older ones, move back to physical retail, andThe critical distinction between saving time and faster shopping, and the investment implications for the future

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks with Bryan Gildenberg, senior vice president of Commerce for the Omnicom Commerce Group about how to create a vision of the future when we are still living in a world of wet cement.
They discuss:
Major pandemic shifts that will impact grocery retail, including InstacartHow the physical store will be the replenishment arm of e-commerce and that an endless aisle is “silly”The role of partnerships and experiential retailHow the reselling environment will be even more complex in three to five years, and the resulting implications for supply chainGaming, Snapchat and the metaverse, and That there’s never been more opportunity than now to address behavioral changes 

In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks with Paco Underhill, founder of Envirosell, author of Why We Buy, What Women Want, and his newly published How We Eat, about the changing world of food and drink, and the impact on grocery retail in this US.
 They discuss:
The social, political, economic, and technological developments impacting food consumption and food retailThat increasingly knowledgeable and digitally engaged shoppers are on a mission to become happier and healthier, and are now demanding accountability from brands and retailersThat cutting edge grocery retail left the US 40 years ago, and that innovation is coming from Brazil, Mexico, China, and other areas around the worldHow technology is enabling retail to get smaller, more local, more diverseHow Aldi, Lidl and Trader Joe’s have built extraordinary levels of shopper trust with their curated, easy to shop conceptsThe digital home and digital kitchen, and how they are transforming the way we buy and the future impact of the hybrid world between the physical and digital shopping 

In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks to Lauren Brindley, Group Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Beauty and Personal Care, Walgreens, about whether the future of the beauty category is now truly connected to health and wellness. 
They discuss:
How US shoppers have come to understand the natural link between beauty, health, and wellbeing and the opportunities for healthcare companies and retailers to support shoppers on this new journeyHow Walgreens is connecting the pharmacy to the skin care aisle with training, merchandising, and education The need – and opportunity – to create more personalized, inclusive offers to ensure healthy beauty (and the entire store) is more inclusive Where national and exclusive brands fit into the new retail beauty modelAnd how the online-offline offer to shoppers will enable their more personalized connection and drive loyalty

WSL’s Wendy Liebmann, CEO, and Candace Corlett,  President, challenge the notion that companies cannot anticipate the future in these times.  The shopper and retail trends WSL identified and has been tracking for 4 – 5 years are now clearly redefining the retail landscape.
They discuss:
How powerful shopper movements and new shopper values are transforming retailHow new retail opportunities, from live streaming to spontaneous shopping, are adding more complexity to everything from trip management, category management to shopper marketing, and supply chainThe level of retail innovation WSL tracks around the world, and how it is inspiring and challenging companies to move fast to the futureHow, by asking shoppers and retailers the right questions, WSL’s research gets to the essence of what’s coming nextVisit our website for additional links!