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Forget Channels. The Shopper Is the Center of Distribution
Retailers and brands are talking more about the demise of channels as shoppers get whatever they want, when and wherever they want. This behavior is not new, but its imprint is beginning to show profoundly, with many retailers struggling to remain relevant. Is the power of the consumer, as in...Learn More
How Retail Flagships Can Defy Tariff Uncertainty, Through Trust
Thanks to our Retail Safari® global innovation team, we’ve discovered three inventive flagships that illustrate how retailers can attract spending-cautious shoppers not by selling “stuff,” but by bringing their brands to life through trust and connection. We’re sharing ideas on how these examples can be applied in lower-cost, innovative strategies....Learn More
How America Shops® in a Crisis, Yet Again: 2025
In 2025, just as in 2024, 2020 and 2008, consumers are undergoing major financial uncertainty. WSL Strategic Retail has studied the implications of such crises on American shoppers over the years, so we went back into our How America Shops® data archives to previous “crises” studies to see how those...Learn More
What Everyday Retailers Can Learn from Flagships
Even in a world of endless online shopping options, brands are doubling down on flagships — and for good reason. In our April edition of the Retail Safari® Newsletter, we explore groundbreaking innovations across categories, including: Charlotte Tilbury’s confidence-boosting voice, clear signage, Skin Spa, and event spaces. Lululemon’s connection hub,...Learn More
Who’s Winning the ‘Digital Titans’ Battle: A WSL Deep-Dive
WSL Strategic Retail recently polled shoppers to learn how they use the retail powerhouses Walmart, Amazon and Target online sites. The “connected consumer” results produced several surprising behaviors that suggest the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for the industry at large. We predict what’s next. Face it, Having an Omni Presence...Learn More
Investing in the Future of Retail – Where, Why, How with Diana Melencio | EP89
In this episode: Wendy Liebmann talks to Diana Melencio, partner at XRC Ventures, an investor in the early-stage intersection of consumer behavior and technology, and its investment approach in the health, beauty, and technology sectors. They discuss: How XRC finds opportunities (one way: scraping the web) The touchpoints of the...Learn More