Are You Honest Enough for Shoppers? 5 Steps to Get There

Pink and red banner featuring statistics on what shoppers want retailers to be honest about
We asked shoppers to speak their truths about what they buy, how and why, and learned this: They expect the companies they purchase from to take responsibility for social change and to authentically PROVE it. In short, companies must “show” they are more sustainable, fair and community-focused – across all the media their customers use. Here ... Read more

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

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

Want Brand Loyalty? Then Go for Greener Packaging

Our research shows that brand loyalty is low, while the demand for sustainable practices is accelerating. We see the shopper’s attention to sustainability in their preferences for clean ingredients, recycling and re-using, and their attention will quickly extend to product packaging. That presents an opportunity: brands and retailers should use sustainable packaging to rebuild customer ... Read more

Find Out How Retailers are Eliminating Packaging

The fringe movement of sustainability is moving into the mainstream, fast. Nearly 90% of your shoppers are reusing the bottles and bags their products come in, and we predict they will focus on “first-use” packaging next. The WSL “Fill’er Up” report shows how three merchants are eliminating waste and discovered the movement is well beyond ... Read more

What does ‘Change Now’ Mean? 5 Shopping Shifts to Watch

Forget merchandise, Forget promotions. Forget ads. Being a part of change today means accepting that shoppers expect retail to play a fundamentally different role in their lives. And they expect it Now. Our How America Shops® report, “Change Now,” is a real-time example of how much faster change is occurring now. The controversies surrounding climate ... Read more

Beauty & Wellness With Purpose: Shoppers Expect It, How Do You Bring It?

More shoppers are demanding beauty and wellness products that are clean, environmentally safe and serve a global purpose. Yet getting such products on the shelf can be a Herculean task for the many startups creating them. In Chicago this October, we’re offering an opportunity to change that. A growing number of women are willing to ... Read more

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