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© 2025 Future Shop Podcast with WSL
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Our podcast focuses on how shoppers are transforming retail and what you need to do about it. Retail strategist and shopping futurist Wendy Liebmann shares her passionate, unvarnished shopper-centric view of where retail is headed. She interviews experts in retail, marketing, insights, design, education, and more. She and the WSL team regularly share excerpts from WSL’s latest proprietary shopper research about what’s coming next. The Future Shop Podcast is a no-holds-barred view of what shoppers want, what you need to deliver, who’s getting it right, and who’s getting it wrong. And why. In this fast and furious view, you will begin to understand how to anticipate the future that’s emerging right under your nose. WSL Strategic Retail is a leader in shopper insights and retail strategy. It helps clients around the world anticipate change in order to grow in the near and longer-term. It is recognized for its ground-breaking How America Shops® and How the World Shops research. Visit us at: www.wslstrategicretail.com
102 Episodes
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In this episode, Wendy Liebmann and Justin Honaman (Amazon Web Services) dive into the chaotic yet exciting world of retail and technology as 2025 wraps up. From AI’s real-world impact on commerce to the rise of “agentic AI,” they explore what’s truly changing the business—and what’s just hype. They also touch on talent, innovation, loyalty, and what brands should expect heading into NRF 2026. Highlights: How retailers and brands are preparing for Q4 2025 and beyondWhat “agentic AI” really me...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann sits down with April Showers, the founder of Afro Unicorn®, a brand born from purpose, community, and the need for representation. They discuss how April’s personal passion and smart retail partnerships brought her vision to life. Highlights: How Afro Unicorn grew from T-shirts to Walmart shelves and national recognitionWhy purpose and community are central to building modern brands at retailThe role of retail partners like Walmart and CVS in nurturing ne...
In this milestone episode, Wendy Liebmann celebrates 100 episodes of Future Shop with WSL’s newest Director of Research & Insights, Rich Kaminski. Together, they unpack the latest How America Shops® in Chaos study — revealing how shoppers are navigating a world defined by constant disruption, rising prices, and shifting trust in retailers. From Gen Z to Boomers, everyone’s learning how to stay afloat in an endless wave of change. Episode highlights: The evolving shopper mindset after two ...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Gina Zilleox, Senior Director Category Management, Glanbia Performance Nutrition about the need to make dramatic assumptions about the competitive landscape in order to thrive in the future. They discuss: Whether or not category management, as we know it, is dead. How essential it is to broaden the perspective of what a category is, especially – but not only -- if you are in the health and wellness spaceThe importance of building a needs-ba...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to regular guest Justin Honaman, Global Head, Restaurants, Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon Web Services, about what’s now – and next – as technology transforms retail and consumer goods businesses. They discuss: Retail sales and the tension between inflation, tariffs and spendingManaging pricing as shoppers shop and buy across multiple channels, with agentic AI guiding their journeyBuild loyalty and deliver customer experience a...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Amanda Coussoule, Chief Customer Officer at Kenvue, Marla Fielder, Health & Wellness Leader at Kroger and Sharon Glass, Global VP, OTC & Pharma at InMarket, about how to transform organizations in challenging retail times. They discuss: Knowing when to use “soft” or “hard” influence to move organizations to changeThe importance of situational awareness and emotional intelligence as AI grows How, in today’s fast moving retail en...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Liza Rapay, Vice President, Head of Cosmoprof North America, and Founder of Beauty New York, about the importance of bringing industry, innovators and consumers together to grow the beauty business in chaotic times. They discuss: The importance of connecting the industry in-person to build relationships, and drive innovation, education and growthHow the beauty industry has changed: the influence of small brands from around the globe; the impact of cons...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Anna Mayo, NielsenIQ VP Beauty Vertical, and WSL Strategic Retail’s Elia Auchane and Katie Hornsby about the importance of collaboration to drive innovation at retail. They discuss: In challenging retail times, how critical it is to inspire new thinkingThe power of bringing different companies and different disciplines to address critical challenges and define new opportunitiesHow WSL Strategic Retail’s Retail Safari® gets people away from their d...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Fiona Sartoretto Verna, retail architect and co-leader of the company Sartoretto Verna™, founded by her grandfather to reshape the global pharmacy landscape. Today, the company has designed pharmacies in over 48 countries, including the US. Episode Highlights: How her family company was founded to create a “temple of care”, rather than merely a dispensaryHow the model of US health care retail is obsolete, and requires new thinking to be pro...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon Web Services, about the impact of the latest technologies transforming business. They discuss: How generative AI is the next big thing – at least for a moment.How the issues are around tariffs have turned CPG and retail conversations back to supply chain – for the moment.How AI is now part of every business discussion -- and not the next big thing.How co...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Kevin Host, SVP Health & Wellness Pharmacy at Walmart about how the retailer is bringing accessible health care to communities across the US, every day and in times of crisis. They discuss: The ongoing challenges to delivering easy to access pharmacy and medical care in the US How Walmart is bringing solutions to “health deserts” The ways technology – from automatic pharmacy fills to home delivery -- are enabling pharmac...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Anna Harman, CEO and co-founder of Studs, the specialty ear piercing and earring retailer, with 33+ stores and e-commerce site, founded in 2019 just in time for Covid. They discuss: Going from corporate law to Walmart innovation lab to opening Studs.Creating a unique brand ecosystem through quality products, hospitality, and people.Learning early how to be good at dealing with emergencies to adapt a business model quickly in chaotic times. ...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Keith Sleight, expert in “shopping understanding”, who most recently lead the Shopper Centre of Excellence at Unilever, about the state of shopper insights and where it’s headed. They discuss: The biggest changes in the shopper research field over the last five yearsHow “connected commerce” has changed how companies need to study shopping behaviorsHow we have more data than ever, but not necessarily more insight -- or contextThe impact of AI on researc...
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 consumer journey that have become so critical in understanding opportunitiesThe challenges of growth when physical retail is shrinking, where stores will b...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head, Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development at Amazon (AWS) about innovation and what expertise -- technology and people driven -- is required to build a modern company. They discuss: Real life use cases for how AI – and generative AI – is transforming work for retailers and brands, whether it’s product design or writing corporate manuals.How to innovate in the future. Where to go to be inspired. They di...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Joanna Jensen, founder of Child’s Farm, the British multi-award winning, baby and child personal care brand that took leadership of the category from behemoth Johnson’s Baby. They discuss: How to take on the biggest brand and win.Why passion so often leads to disruptive brand and retail innovation.That the spending power of women will drive growth – now and in the future.Why the physical store still matters: it’s the power of social interaction.The imp...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Catherine Magee, co-founder of Playground, the sexual health and wellness brand, about the opportunities and challenges facing this newly emerging area of women’s health. They discuss: How sexual health and wellness is the last frontier of overall health and wellness.That 60 million women in the US suffer from some sexual health or pleasure issue often driven by a life stage change such as pregnancy, peri-menopause or menopause. How social media i...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Business Development for Amazon Web Services. They preview 2025, and what winning companies are doing – and need to do – to capitalize on the latest technology…and other things. They discuss: The continuing tension around pricing.How AI is quickly becoming ingrained into the everyday business culture; from supply chain to CRM, ecommerce and marketing transformationThe state and future ...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Norm de Greve, Global CMO of General Motors, and former CMO of CVS Health, about transforming industries, retailers and companies, and the role marketing plays. They discuss: How to keep the shopper with you as you manage dramatic changeThe importance of protecting the shopping experience during transformationHow not to become a victim of short-term profitability while investing in changeHow to keep your eye on the product and the experience it deliver...
In this episode, Wendy Liebmann talks to Jacqueline Windsor, partner in Strategy and Deals for the Consumer Market and UK Head of Retail, PwC, London about the differences and similarities between the UK and US consumer and retail markets, and where to find growth in the coming years. They discuss: Unlocking the power of consumer tribes vs. demographic segments.The role of the store (a clue: it’s no longer a transactional channel alone).How to build a successful omni strategy; how many stores...
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