Shoppers are Buying More Store Brands, But Brands are Muddy and May Not Know It!

Shoppers are Buying More Store Brands blog banner featuring colorful collage of popular store brand products
Private label goods, or store brands, have become so sophisticated in packaging and quality that shoppers might not even recognize they’re store-exclusive. As our How America Shop® research into rising prices continues, we find up to 45% of shoppers are now buying more of these store labels. Are national brands taking this brand “muddying” seriously ... Read more

Cosmoprof North America 2023: The Key Takeaways

Cosmoprof NA Blog banner featuring cosmo talks panelists and booths
By James Manso, July 21, 2023 || BeautyInc. – A Publication of WWD BEAUTY IS BOOMING — and so is Cosmoprof North America. The beauty trade show, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in Las Vegas last week, saw a swell of entrants flock to the floor. "Forty- four percent of the attendees at Cosmoprof are ... Read more

Is Physical Retail Losing Out On Health for Women?

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Retailers, are you talking to your customers about sexual health, menopause and menstruation? More women expect to find products to manage the symptoms of these conditions in the store, thanks to online brands dedicated to formerly “taboo” women’s health topics. The trick for retailers and brands is learning where to place and how to market ... Read more

Following the Consumer to Low-Price Retail

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What “dollar stores”? All the big dollar chains have evolved into competitively priced retailers, blurring the once well-defined lines within the value sector. We culled through our How America Shops® research to learn what percentage of consumers choose dollar chains over Walmart and how the new low-priced chains are giving dollar stores a run for ... Read more

Beauty’s Big Brand Opportunity Is Older than 50

Beauty Over 50 Blog banner featuring three older women smiling with shopping bags
Sure, there is a high number of Gen Z and Millennials buying cosmetics and skin care products. But the smart beauty brands are looking at a different figure when catering to 50+ women, which includes Gen X – their trillions of dollars in spending power. Our How America Shops® research breaks down beauty by age. ... Read more

Diversity, Not Income, Defines Destination Shopping

Democratized Retail banner featuring collage of high end Prada and Bergdorf Goodman stores and low end Five Below and Uniqlo stores
During our market research, WSL has noticed a big consumer trend among some of the most expensive shopping districts in the country: democratization. These destinations, from Manhattan to Las Vegas, seem to have acknowledged that the people passing through represent all incomes as well as high and low spending. Our retail research backs it up. ... Read more

How America Shops® Explores: 4 Ways to Lead Shoppers to Joy

Blog banner for 4 Ways to Lead Shoppers to Joy
The troubles of the past three years have been overwhelming, and consumers are ready to get some joy back into their lives. Joy happens in everyday experiences, including shopping, feeding the family, decorating and maintaining the home. Joy is essential to consumer feelings, confidence and loyalty. To learn the role of retail and brands, we ... Read more

Gen Alpha’s Influence Is Taking Hold at Retail

Gen Alpha blog banner featuring three Gen Alpha teens and their interests
WSL has long advised that to know the shopper, you have to follow the shopper. And today, many of those shoppers are following someone in very small shoes. Gen Alpha, the oldest of whom are just approaching 14, have outsized influence as consumers. These brands and retailers are responding, with formats just for the Gen ... Read more

Pet Wellness and Loyalty: A Retail Safari® Exclusive

Pet Wellness and Loyalty banner featuring pet turtle eating smoothie bowl and a cat and dog laying next to each other
The pet category’s foray into wellness is burgeoning, despite rising prices. In fact, brand loyalty in this category outpaces most others. But this exploding category risks facing a challenge common in wellness: confusion due to too many choices and fragmented retail. We sent our Retail Safari® scouts to check out the new pet marketplace. Retailers, ... Read more

Consumer or Shopper: Here’s The Difference!

Consumer vs Shopper blog banner featuring collage of consumers on the left and shoppers on the right
All shoppers are consumers, but not all consumers are shoppers. Are retailers and brands making the proper distinction? In exploring what distinguishes these two groups, we also unearth through market research just how much shopping, not consumption, has changed – and how retailers can keep up. Are You Treating Your Shoppers Like Consumers? There is ... Read more

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