8 Signs of the Future, Now: WSL’s “From Chaos Comes Clarity”

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WSL’s latest research shows a more defined path to 2024, and while it no doubt will lead to more normalized activities – think working and social life – retail’s road signs indicate some departures from the normal. We’ve boiled them down to eight pivotal behavioral changes and accelerations, in our latest Future Shop report, “From ... Read more

What Will Stick for Retailers Post Pandemic and What Won’t

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During the months of the pandemic we have seen an acceleration of shopping behaviors that were already underway, while other more traditional practices are slipping away. One finding is clear: Retailers have proven how effectively they can adapt, and there is no going back. Keep Improving, Retail. The Bar is Rising. Just as no good ... Read more

20 New Shopper Trends Retailers Should Know for 2021

As we look forward to a 2021 full of hope, we decided to look back on what shoppers have taught us this year, which is what retailers and brands will need to deliver next. Here are 20 of the most significant findings from WSL’s 2020 archives. Determination. In the WSL Dictionary of Retail and Shopper ... Read more

Online Retail is Falling Flat – Here’s How to Give it Life

So far, e-commerce has gotten away with just being fast and functional. But in this pandemic, as more shoppers gravitate toward online purchases out of necessity or convenience, it needs to prove it can connect with shoppers more personally. Here are two common-sense ways retailers and brands can engage emotionally, with insights derived from WSL’s ... Read more

Retail Clinics Need to Pick Up the Pace to Stay Relevant

Following the path to share in The Big Business of WELL, retail chains are making space for healthcare clinics, but their rollout plans are too long, and also need to account for the new dimension in healthcare: telehealth conferencing.  Retailer Health Centers are Moving at an Anemic Rate CVS and Target launched the MinuteClinic, and ... Read more

Passion for WELL Remains, 3 Tips to Capture a Booming Market

Shoppers may have fallen into less-healthy eating and wellness practices during the pandemic, but those wellness values are still embedded, and shoppers are getting back on track, our latest How America Shops® report shows. Here are a few tips for how brands and retailers should be marketing WELL now. The Pandemic Changed WELLness Habits, But ... Read more

How Do Retailers Win Minorities’ Trust? By Doing Something

It’s easy for retailers to say they care about Black customers, but what are they doing to prove it in the store every day? This issue is more pressing now as the pandemic, racial strife and financial concerns heighten stress among all shoppers and store workers. For our latest How America Shops® research, we asked ... Read more

Shoppers are Taking Back WELL: 5 Ways Retail Can Help

Remember December, when so many people resolved to include holistic wellness in their foods, products, and activities? The pandemic sidelined the healthy-living movement for many, but now, after several months of sheltering-in-place, shoppers are reclaiming the concept of personal and family wellness in all they do. Here’s how retail stores can help. Shoppers Are So ... Read more

4 Ways to Get Ahead of the Real Financial Crisis

We could take some encouragement from the recent jump in retail sales, but let’s keep it measured. WSL’s research shows as many as half of Americans remain pessimistic about their financial security, depending on socioeconomic conditions. That figure is likely to rise as unemployment and stimulus checks dry up. Our latest How America Shops® research ... Read more

WSL Predicts Shopper Behavior Based on Past Crises

More shoppers, uncertain of their financial security in the COVID-19 crisis, are cutting back on spending and avoiding even the temptation to buy unnecessary items. Old staples are new no-no’s, so a new burden is on retailers and brands to help shoppers feel good about the spending choices they do make. Here’s what our own ... Read more

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