Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.

They discuss:

• The tension points at retail: prices, efficiency and where to invest.
• AI: is it hype or not? New and different ways to use AI to become more efficient
• Personalization and composable commerce, and what that looks like from a modernization perspective
• Increasing investment in tech in new store openings
• Retail media – what’s next?  Who’s winning? 
• Not throwing the baby out with the bath water. How to maintain the best of the old while adopting the new. 
  
  

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Sri Rajagopalan, co-founder and co-host of The GPG Guys and founder of Think Blue, about the fast-changing dynamics of retail, what’s plaguing board rooms,  and what retail leaders needs to address right now.

They discuss:

• Retail’s number one problem post-Covid: driving volume
• How digital influences virtually every purchase 
• Why the role of the in-store end cap is significantly diminished now
• The urgent need for marketers to get away from their data and their desks to see what’s going on at the shelf (and why DSD companies have the edge because they’re in the stores all the time)
• The erosion of national brand shelf space (by smaller and private brands)
• Why (old world) full-funnel marketing is more essential than ever.  (Lower-funnel is not the answer.) 
• How consumer-centricity is key to all decisions.  (No argument from us!)
• Why investing in innovation is more important than ever.

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Reema Jweied-Guegel, Director, AARP Enterprise Strategy Group about the growing population of caregivers, who they are, the challenges they face, and how retailers and brands can support them.

They discuss:

• WSL’s latest How America Shops® research which indicates that 6/10 Americans take care of someone’s health other than their own, 
• That a growing number of caregivers are Gen Z and younger Millennials.
• What the caregivers’ lives of perpetual juggling are like.
• What caregivers need to make their lives easier, less stressful, more affordable; from expert advice to convenience to value, and the role technology can play.
• That caregivers also need to take care of themselves, and the opportunity to provide empathy, and support.
• The role retail, brands and organizations like AARP can do to support the caregiver of the future.  It’s a growing commercial opportunity.

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Claudia Lloreda, founder and general manager of Blush-Bar, the Latin American beauty specialty retailer about creating a unique beauty experience for Gen Z shoppers.

They discuss:

• How to create a unique beauty retail experience for Gen Z, by challenging the established order
• Why sustaining a clear shopper-led vision – and passion – is so critical to success
• The importance of creating an experience that reflects the values and needs of younger shoppers (e.g., sustainability, mental health)
• The importance of the in-store beauty advisor and service for younger shoppers
• The role of social media and ecommerce in building Blush-Bar
• How to adapt the product focus to different LatAm beauty cultures
• Learnings for Hispanic beauty shoppers in the US, and
• The power of pink bunnies

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Lindsey Braun, Vice President of Research & Operations at HABRI (the Human Animal Bond Research Institute) about the power of pets to positively impact the health and wellbeing of people – and retail.

They discuss:

• The science behind the pet–human connection and the power pets have to change lives.  (It’s real.)
• How having a pet can improve overall health and wellbeing, including mental health, autism, and medical outcomes
• With the ageing of America, the role pets can plan in reducing loneliness, even caregiving
• The positive effects of pet friendly workplaces
• Why retailers such as Walmart, Petco and others continue to enhance their pet services

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Helena Foulkes, current board member of Costco & Harry’s, former president of CVS Pharmacy and CEO and Board Member of the Hudson’s Bay Company, amongst other roles.  

They discuss:

• Her reflections on the pandemic: What she has learned about retail, leadership and the future.  
• How and why the power dynamic shifted from manufacturer to retailer to technology -- and now to consumers.
• The lasting effects of the pandemic. (It’s not technology.)
• The power of community, and the role retail.  
• How companies can prosper in times of paradox and complexity.
• The big opportunity in the consumerization of healthcare. 
• What makes for future retail winners and losers (a clue: people and innovation, not AI).

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper talks to Mara Sipzener, General Manager of Loyalty at CVS Pharmacy about what’s driving all the recent activity and upgrades to retail loyalty programs.  

They discuss:

• What shoppers expect to be loyal today
• Why CVS, Walmart, Target Bath & Body Works, and others have upgraded their programs recently
• How loyalty programs need to focus on not only delivering affordability (discounts) but also convenience and personalization
• How the new shopper journey (and all the many touchpoints) needs to be part of a meaningful program
• Best-in-class loyalty programs (a hint: REI is one)

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Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue discussions about emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.

They discuss:

•  How quickly companies are integrating generative AI into operating systems
• Efficiency plays that are delivering better access to information and images faster
• The intense focus on stores and how new technologies are impacting in-store experience, through physical store technology 
• The implications for loyalty programs and retail media
• Overall, the importance of unified commerce to create a truly meaningful customer experience

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Craig Dubitsky, founder of Happy™ products, about his recent launch of Happy™ Coffee, his partnership with Robert Downey Jr., and how philanthropy is embedded in reinventing the category at retail. 

They discuss:

• What it takes to be a serial entrepreneur (a clue: it’s being obsessed with people)
• How to disrupt massive, CPG categories, including home care, lip care, oral care and now coffee
• Building a unique business model based on bringing happiness to everyday categories at affordable prices
• Finding the right retailers who understand and can articulate the emotional opportunity on the shelf
• How to embed philanthropy into a brand to make a real difference to people’s mental health and wellbeing
• The importance of design in creating something people want and use everyday 
• Forgetting the usual business buzzwords and focusing on – and articulating – what people want and need to be happy

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL Retail Strategy Consultant, Elia Auchane, and Retail Innovation Manager, Allie Chilicki, about curating a Retail Safari® at the inaugural Cosmoprof Miami event.  And the power of connecting in store and on the convention floor.

They discuss:

• A behind-the-scenes view to customizing the perfect Retail Safari® 
• Best-in-class retailers in the Latin-inspired Miami market
• The power of people to build emotional engagement at retail, at Nike and at Aesop
• How Amazon and Ulta unlocked the challenges of doing business today
• The excitement of seeing AI at work, IRL
• Opportunities that emerged when retailers, brands and service companies from Latin and South America and the US came together in Miami 

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alex Gourlay, Executive Chair of Holland & Barrett, the UK’s leading wellness retailer, and formerly Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance, and President of Walgreens about the future of health care retailing.

 They discuss:

• The generational opportunities in health care (from food to pharmacy)
• How younger people are much more proactive in taking care of their health, and how longevity means opportunity to support older people with solutions for a continued healthy life 
• The power of the pharmacist and the importance of maintaining personal relationships with customers 
• How technology creates great opportunity for personalization with shared data to deliver specific one-to-one solutions
• The power of physical retail that is simplified, edited and organized by solutions 
• Early “green shoots” of integrated health care, but with much more opportunity still to come to build “a magic box”

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In this Cloud Chat episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.

They discuss:

• The year ahead: the yin and yang of the economy, technology and how companies – and shoppers -- are responding, and will
• How slow some companies have been to respond to personalization.
• The urgency to test generative AI and its power to enhance customer experience, and company efficiency
• The need to stop silo-ing e-commerce from the rest of organizations
• Best-of-breed technologies, and what’s to come 

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Maly Bernstein, CEO, Bluemercury, the luxury specialty beauty retailer, about her vision for the future of beauty retail and how her strategy is coming to life neighborhood by neighborhood.

They discuss:

• What makes Bluemercury shoppers unique 
• The focus on personalized skincare – both products and services 
• The importance of new categories and private brands 
• The new store format, with its “modern residential” focus, in-store service bars, master classes and other events that are driving shopper engagement and loyalty
• How wellness is delivered through unique products, partnerships services, and human experiences
• The role technology and AI will play in the future to enhance service and customer experience

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL’s president Candace Corlett about the latest How America Shops® research that reveals how Americans are feeling (not happy), and what that means for 2024 and beyond (challenging). 

They discuss:

• How shoppers see the challenges for their standard of living in 2024, and what they plan to do about it.  
• The lack of innovation that leaves shoppers wanting – with little inspiration to pay more.
• Where shoppers will actually spend more in 2024 – categories, services and retail experiences. There are some.
• New ways shoppers are defining convenience, value and values.  There’s a whole new vernacular emerging.
• And lots of surprising white space opportunities (segments of shoppers, categories and more….).  Hint: Pet Owners.

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Consumer Goods at AWS, continue Cloud Chat, a short, sharp, sometimes provocative take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.  

They discuss:  

• The holiday season – binge or bust – and implications for 2024
• What’s up – and down – with Generative AI
• E-commerce and creating a more flexible platform
• Soon-to-be-revealed AI use cases from brands and retailers
• All in 10 minutes or less.

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Muriel Gonzalez, President, The Vitamin Shoppe about how the pandemic brought her out of retirement to lead the transformation of street corner vitamin shop into a model of 21st century wellness.

They discuss:

• The keys to transforming a store for fitness jocks into one for anyone on a wellness journey
• How to manage fast-emerging categories and products in the health and wellness space, from hydration to sports fitness, from menopause to immunity
• Working with young entrepreneurs and the power of influencers and social media
• The importance of the “health enthusiasts” staff in helping shoppers make sense of all the news -- and noise.
• Creating value in the heavily discounted vitamin category
• How to create a reason for quick trips and longer-term loyalty

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Alissa Hsu Lynch, formerly of Google and Johnson & Johnson, about the consumerization of technology in health care, and the implications for consumer packaged goods companies and retail.

They discuss:

• Google’s utilization of 10x thinking to create radical solutions 
• How technology will provide better outcomes and more affordable access to health care 
• The success of consumerizing technology in health care is staying focused on real consumer needs
• How wearables will evolve and provide more insight into everyday lives over time.
• How digital tools, like generative AI, plus real people will provide better outcomes. 
• What will come next – from advances in sensors to prescription digital therapeutics for mental health, and the implications for retail
• The urgency to build integrated teams – across brand, R&D, marketing, media, user experience
• How data is key to it all

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann, WSL’s CEO and Chief Shopper, and Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & CPG, GTM & Segment Leader for Food & Beverages for Amazon Web Services, introduce Future Shop’s Cloud Chat – a short, sharp, sometimes provocative take on emerging technology and the implications for the future of retail.  

They discuss:  

• Generative AI…of course
• The need to explore proofs of concepts and piloting…fast
• New focus on data for legacy brands…good news and not
• Real opportunities for upstart brands to use new tech…take heed legacy brands
• Compossible commerce…and more
• All in 10 minutes or less.

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Lafoe, most recently Executive Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising for Trader Joe’s and, prior to that, SVP of Merchandising & Retail, Disney Parks, Experience & Products, where he worked for 25 years.

They discuss:

• How delivering a relevant shopper experience has changed as a result of technology and COVID.
• How deep understanding of changing shopper expectations is essential to building relevant experiences.
• How the role of the physical store is more important than ever.
• Why retail icons, such as Starbucks, known for delivering extraordinary experiences have lost their way.
• How essential it is to engage all constituencies: employees and shoppers in order to deliver a compelling retail experience.
• The challenges to retailers and brands when values are so politicized.
• The role of a company’s culture in delivering the right customer experience at retail.

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to six industry leaders about key trends that will impact retail in 2024-2025.  Listen to:

• Susan Lang, CEO, XIL Health
• Michael Clinton, CEO & Founder, ROARForward
• Parbinder Dhariwal, VP & General Manager, CMX, CVS Health
• Dawn Clark, Co-founder & Principal Architect, Osean Studios
• Justin Honaman, Head Worlwide Retail & CPG, GTM, Food/Beverage, Amazon Web Services
• Lisa Paley, President, North America, Haleon

They discuss:

1. The health and wellness revolution at retail, and how to define women’s wellness.  
2. The new generation cohort driving growth: how 50+ consumers are the big opportunity now.
3. Personalization, retail media, and how one-to-one marketing is finally in retail’s sights. 
4. The role of the physical store: now a place of engagement, not more stuff.
5. How AI has already transformed business.  Now what? 
6. The urgency to create a modern corporate culture; engaging internal and external constituencies to grow.   

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to WSL’s president Candace Corlett about the latest How America Shops® research that addresses the foundational changes in shopper sentiment and behavior as a result of five years of turmoil. (That’s right, it’s not only about the pandemic.)

They discuss:

• The paradox of shoppers’ “just in case” approach to spending versus treating themselves
• The paradox of shopping in many, many more places – channels, stores, digital – versus wanting to make their shopping lives easier
• The paradox of the new shopper journey
• The paradox of what makes a brand – and the real challenges to national brands from private brands (not private label)
• The paradox of how shoppers are taking care – and control -- of their own health and wellbeing

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Noah Rosenblatt, president, SpaceNK North America, about the company’s unique retail model, and how to straddle Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, and Walmart all at the same time.

 They discuss:

• Why the changing beauty landscape exemplifies where retail at large is headed 
• How to successfully straddle luxury and mass distribution at the same time
• How the pandemic opened the door to a partnership model that brings prestige to a broader audience
• The key to curating categories, brands and price points efficiently to suit the moment
• Why successful retail today is about accessibility and affordability 
• How technology enables a better service environment in mass retail, and overcomes staff shortages in luxury retail

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Parbinder Dhariwal, VP & General Manager of CMX, at CVS Health, about the evolution of Retail Media Networks and the opportunity they offer to create more personalized shopping experiences. 

They discuss

• Whether this is the moment of one-to-one shopper personalization.
• The challenge of digitizing a traditionally analog retail business 
• How Retail Media Networks must be consumer-led and add value through the increasingly fragmented shopper journey.
• How to enable consumers to discover products within categories or adjacent areas, and then become a recommendation engine.
• The responsibility to utilize data and assets to understand consumers to enhance their lives, and their health and wellness journey and deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.
• How CVS’s CMX is staying true to its purpose to benefit CVS shoppers on their health and wellness journey. 

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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Michael Clinton, author of ROAR into the Second Half of Your Life - Before It’s Too Late, and CEO and Founder of ROARforward, a joint venture with Hearst Ventures. 

They discuss:

• The new 50+ cohort and the social movement driving change in the developed world, as people live longer. 
• One-third of the population is already 50-plus with substantial – and growing spending power. 
• They're not brand loyal. They're blowing up all of the stereotypes, rejecting brands and retailers where they don't feel they represent them accurately.
• How marketing strategy and merchandising approaches need to be rethought. 
•  How understanding this new cohort is critical for business, employees, brands, and retailers.
• The implications for brands and retailers – most of whom are currently getting an F grade.

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In this episode Wendy Liebmann talks to Susan Lang, founder of XIL Health, a women-owned healthcare analytics and technology company that advises major corporations on health care strategy and  invests in healthcare startups. In her prior life, she was a senior executive at Express Scripts, and has spent her entire life working in healthcare.

They discuss:

• Healthcare at retail in the next 3 - 5 - 10 years through the lens of patients/consumers/shoppers.   With advice for CPG companies and retailers 
• The role of the front store and in-store clinics in the future  
• New health categories that are emerging 
• The impact virtual medical care will have in the future; for which patients and conditions (even pets get a mention)
• New technology advances, including AI
• The shift from “self care” to “self control”
•   What “Women’s Wellness” really means

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