Our innovative research captures the complete shopper experience, from what drives their choices to what inspires them in-store & online

What ensures your retail strategy stands apart goes beyond data. WSL Insights continuously bring you retail innovation trends from around the world to inspire new thinking and growth. We help you predict where your shoppers are headed and build solutions to meet them there.

WSL‘s Top Innovations

Take a world tour of the retail innovations that inspire new thinking. Here’s WSL’s Hot List of the best innovations our Retail Safari^® global scouts have recently uncovered.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Malwee QR codes

Malwee – Online

Brazilian clothing brand Malwee has addressed concerns for beachgoing families by launching UV-protected T-shirts featuring QR codes that help reunite lost children with their parents. When scanned, the QR code provides access to the child’s emergency contact information.

WSL Top Innovator featuring RedDrop tween period kit

RedDrop – Online

RedDrop’s Period Kit for tween has all the needs to successfully navigate a period, from light days to heavy flow nights. The kit includes a period tracker with fun stickers and a “hall pass” to show teachers when a bathroom trip is needed – perfect for first periods or ongoing management.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Kind Patches on a woman's arm as she cuts an avocado

Kind Patches – Online

Kind Patches has launched GLP-1 patches as its latest transdermal wellness patch – designed to complement shoppers’ weight loss journey; the patches are infused with plant-based ingredients that support appetite control and boost metabolism.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Puma flagship's F1 simulators in store

Puma – Las Vegas, NV

Puma, the official licensing partner and official supplier of team merch for Scuderia Ferrari, the Formula One team, has opened a flagship in Las Vegas that features F1 simulators for shoppers to enjoy as well as a wall of the team’s merch – perfect for the city hosting the newest US race.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Stop & Shop's in-store kiosks

Stop & Shop – Boston, MA

Stop & Shop is implementing in-store kiosks to assist customers in activating digital coupons and personalized offers without needing a smartphone. Shoppers receive a printout of the coupons loaded to their loyalty card which are automatically applied at checkout.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Roblox online store of Alo Yoga products

Alo Yoga – Roblox

Alo Yoga has refreshed its Roblox world, connecting it to the 150 physical stores. Each store will feature a window sticker that users can scan to unlock digital wearables within Roblox. The online Sanctuary now includes a gym with workout equipment, cold plunge, and meditation spaces.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Bloomingdale's collaboration with The White Lotus and AQUA

Bloomingdale’s The White Lotus x AQUA

Bloomingdale’s in-house AQUA label has launched an exclusive capsule collection inspired by HBO’s hit series The White Lotus featuring 34 pieces, from playful tropical-printed pieces to merch inspired by the hotel and Thailand - the location for Season 3, which debuts in March.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Oh Clementine's chocolate box earrings

Oh Clementine – Online

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Oh Clementine has released The (Not) Chocolate Box, which is full of earrings, not chocolates. Six pairs of earrings are packaged inside chocolate-like containers within a heart-shaped box – a perfect, creative gift.

WSL Top Innovator featuring Target's Game Day endcap display

Target – Brooklyn, NY

Super Bowl season is here, and Target has made party shopping easier with low-priced, gameday needs located on endcaps. From snacks to decorations, serving platters, and more, you’ll find everything you need to throw the ultimate watch party—all in one convenient spot!

Retail Safari® What it is, How it works.

What is a Retail Safari^®? We bring you retail innovation and inspiration from around the world, every day.

Retail Safari^® is WSL’s proprietary process (yes, it‘s trademarked) that immerses your organization in places you may not think to look for innovation. You will find inspiration from around the world for strategies and programs that will set you apart and help you grow.

It’s a one-stop resource grounded in our proprietary shopper and retail insights, supported with innovation processes and toolkits that an exciting culture of creative thinking that boldly drives your growth. All powered by WSL’s retail research insights and tailored to your goals.

Custom Quote

We customize our Retail Safari® to your needs.

We curate the best-in-class global retail concepts (physical and digital) based on emerging trends we identify in our shopper research that predict the future of your retail. Our scouts around the world continuously assess what’s new and why it’s relevant. We can customize themes to your specific needs and we deliver all this to you any way you want it. To fit your budget.

Virtual Retail Safari®

We inspire you and your teams with regular curated deliveries to your inbox of what’s next at retail. No need to leave your desk. Or we can bring the Retail Safari® to you in a virtual session where you have opportunities to ask questions, discuss and build ideas, conveniently.

Retail Safari® In a Box

Call it the DIY Safari. We develop everything for you and package it up so you can conduct your own in-market Retail Safari® but with all our guidance and inspiration behind the scenes.

Retail Safari® Photo Library

We catalog all our tours by trend, topic, and category, so you have ongoing access to imagery. Ideal for teams to use for program inspiration, joint business planning, and thought leadership meetings with customers, for internal strategy sessions or corporate training. Housed in our WSL library, it’s easily accessible and customizable.

Retail Safari® Live

We create a live, in-person event, in a market, customized to your specific issues or topics. Our experts collaborate with you to identify the subject, identify and scout the market, build out the tour, and unique tools to inspire before, during, and after the event. Plus, a framework and action steps that deliver bold, differentiated shopper and retail solutions.

`Our proprietary Retail Safari^® empowers you to anticipate the future of retail` through emerging, relevant retail concepts from around the world.

Our Retail Safari® brings amazing retail concepts to you, in easy-to-follow visual reports, video streams, in-person events, and more. From New York to London, from China to California, our scouts continuously search out the latest retail innovations often in most surprising forms – so you’re prepared for what’s next.

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Get our latest thinking on what’s next with shoppers and retail.

The Retail Safari® is a much smarter way to tour stores. We go to stores that make us think outside our walls and using the Retail Safari® guide map taught my team how to look at the elements of a store that impact shoppers. It’s a productive tool to find new ideas we can take to retailers to impact our brands in their stores.

VP Sales // Health Care Company

You used innovative tools to help us create really smart ideas to drive the Bath & Body Works business. The Retail Safari® was efficient, productive and won the respect of our team and senior management.

VP Consumer Insights // Bath & Body Works

Thank you for your leadership during our Retail Safari® last week! You did a fantastic job setting our path and keeping us focused and on track. The debrief at the end is the most important part and while we were all spent at the end of the day, you were able to get a strong list of action items out of us! We were all impressed that you were able to get us to 9 stores in one day and it didn’t feel overwhelming. Great job!

Director, Category Management // Keurig Dr. Pepper

I love your virtual safaris. It’s a way to get in touch with retail innovation in a time-effective way. I learn something new or I’m prompted to think about an initiative in a new way every time I am with you all-thank you!! Great presentation – was very value-added.

Retail Safari® Virtual Event // Attendee

Target is well-known for terrific marketing, but we also know the power of smart ideas from external sources, and that is when we call WSL Strategic Retail.