On December 6, 2019, WSL hosted a symposium on the “Big Business of WELL.” An extraordinary group of speakers joined us on stage to discuss the fast-growing wellness business. Retailers from CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Walmart, Nordstrom and Zappos spoke about how they were adding new products and services, building more “human” stores, and were focused
Six months into the pandemic, in the first of many How America Shops research studies we conducted, 52% of a national sample of shoppers said they were proud of how they were managing. As the pandemic raged on, decimated populations and transformed everyday retail, these Americans were figuring out how to cope, and were proud
ARLINGTON, Va. — In a recent webinar sponsored by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Wendy Liebmann, chief executive officer and chief shopper at WSL Strategic Retail, discussed how shoppers have been, and are being, transformed by the pandemic and offered insights on how retailers are responding and need to respond to meet the
ARLINGTON, Va. — In a webinar this week sponsored by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Wendy Liebmann, CEO and chief shopper at WSL Strategic Retail discussed how shoppers have been, and are being, transformed by the pandemic and offered insights on how retailers are responding and need to respond to meet the changing
NEW YORK — Earlier this week, the “WE Move Forward” panel series discussed strategies to develop more African-American talent and growth in the retail and consumer packaged goods industries. Above is the video of the event. Panelists were Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, Walgreens Boots Alliance executive vice president and global chief human resources officer; Latriece Watkins,
When I first set out to write this, the U.S. was a very different place. We are now at a moment that calls to mind the opening lines of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it
If ever there was a topic on everyone’s mind these days it is health. No, don’t panic: I’m not referring to all the vitriol coming out of Washington around the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (although clearly that’s one reason). What I am talking about is how, in this retail environment, where growth is
If you do business in the drug channel, the question of what happened to drug store traffic over the last few months is one I’m sure you’ve been seriously puzzling over. That and several others: Was it an aberration? When will traffic return? Will it return? Why did it happen? And, oh yes, how should
The continuous roller coaster of retail sales results could make even the greatest optimist weep. In recent months, when retailers like Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kohl’s, J.C. Penney and Target reported less than stellar results, it was hard not to take on a Chicken Little view that the sky was falling. Retailers blamed a variety of factors:
I’m sure the last thing you want to read, yet again, is another treatise on the impact of the Great Recession on the U.S. economy. So apologies up front. All I can say is that the effects of the recession have still not gone away. That is clear in our biennial How America Shops MegaTrends
ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores board of directors, top executives from NACDS associate member companies and nationally recognized thought leaders will have an opportunity during December’s NACDS Week in New York City to assess and anticipate highly consequential political and retail dynamics. Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Wendy Liebmann,
ARLINGTON, Va. — Next month, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores board of directors, top executives from NACDS associate member companies and national thought leaders will gather in New York City for NACDS Week to gauge political and retail dynamics. Former Republican National Committee chairman and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Wendy Liebmann,
When Target announced its first quarter 2015 results earlier this year, it was clear how quickly the world had changed. Chief executive officer Brian Cornell said, “We’re encouraged to see early progress on our strategic priorities, including strong sales growth in apparel, home and beauty, nearly 40% growth in digital sales, and positive traffic in
For longer than most of us can remember, the success of U.S. business has been driven by the homogeneity of the population — either how it looked (mainly Caucasian) or what it wanted (similar aspirations). However, as we look ahead, that will not be the future. Not so long ago, the United States was predominantly a
