Our innovative research captures the complete shopper experience, from what drives their choices to what inspires them in-store & online

What ensures your retail strategy stands apart goes beyond data. WSL Insights continuously bring you retail innovation trends from around the world to inspire new thinking and growth. We help you predict where your shoppers are headed and build solutions to meet them there.

It’s More Than Holidays… It’s How Shoppers Celebrate Life: New Retail Safari® Newsletter

Seasonal isn’t just the big holidays anymore. Today’s shoppers crave reasons to celebrate, large and small—whether it’s a cultural tradition, a school milestone, or just a fun moment in the middle of the week. Retailers who step up with timely and thoughtful support can transform these occasions into deeper connections and stronger loyalty.

WSL‘s Top Innovations

Take a world tour of the retail innovations that inspire new thinking. Here’s WSL’s Hot List of the best innovations our Retail Safari^® global scouts have recently uncovered.

WSL Top Innovator Pop Mart vending machine

POP MART – St. Louis, MO

With no storefront in St. Louis, POP MART is still showing up through vending machines stocked with its collectible figurines, giving locals access to favorites like the beloved Labubu.

WSL Top Innovator CVS non-candy Halloween treats

CVS – Providence, RI

To create a more inclusive Halloween, CVS offers non-food treats and teal candy buckets signaling food allergies — a thoughtful nod to the 1 in 13 kids impacted.

WSL Top Innovator A.Mano's shark week email promoting in-store display

A.MANO – Brooklyn, NY

A.Mano, a Brooklyn retailer, tapped into the cultural relevance of Shark Week with a themed center display, letting shoppers join the moment through playful, shark-inspired products.

Chase Sapphire – Gift Package

After raising the Sapphire Reserve fee to $795, Chase softened the impact with a luxe gift box including an AirTag, personal note, and perks reminder — framing value through surprise, delight, and status.

WSL Top Innovator Zara promoting used box option for delivery

Zara – Online

At checkout, Zara offered delivery in a reused box — a small, satisfying sustainability nudge that turned a quick purchase into a feel-good moment with minimal effort.

WSL Top Innovator Buoy email for PCOS Awareness Month

Buoy – Online

For PCOS Awareness Month, Buoy spotlighted real customer stories and promoted its 35% off Chronic Illness Lifetime Discount — no doctor’s note required — making support feel personal, not performative.

WSL Top Innovator Go Puff app featuring game day delivery specials

GoPuff – Online

GoPuff connected to football culture with a clever play on “7 Hours of Commercial Free” Delivery, positioning itself as the hero for last-minute gameday essentials.

WSL Top Innovator Amazon derm-approved homepage products

Amazon – Online

With derm-approved skincare trending, Amazon curated a dedicated collection and featured it on the homepage, meeting shoppers’ rising interest in expert-recommended routines.

WSL Top Innovator Ring Concierge affordable luxury jewelry

Ring Concierge – Online

Understanding luxury feels out of reach right now, Ring Concierge launched a more affordable jewelry line, delivering aspiration without the sticker shock.

WSL Top Innovator Disneyland parking lot hospitality

Disneyland – Anaheim, CA

Disney anticipates needs beyond the park — if guests leave headlights on, security leaves a note with a number to call for battery help, extending hospitality to the parking lot.

Retail Safari® What it is, How it works.

WSL Retail Safari^®creates a culture of innovation in your organization. It inspires new thinking, identifies new opportunities and creates new solutions, fast…

How We Help You Win

Stay Ahead – Our global scouts uncover game-changing retail trends before they go mainstream.
Customized for You – Whether you need quick inspiration or deep strategy, we tailor Retail Safari® to your goals.
Actionable Insights – Grounded in shopper research, we connect innovation to real consumer behavior.

The opportunities are endless – let’s build the future of retail together!

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Our Retail Safari® Tools

At WSL Strategic Retail, we don’t just track trends—we reveal what’s next and help you act on it. Our Retail Safari® Toolkit offers curated journeys into the world’s most innovative retail concepts, turning insights into actionable strategies to keep you ahead.

Retailer Immersions

An exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how retailers are shaping the future. With immersive, on-location experiences, you’ll gain insider insights into strategies, store concepts, and shopper engagement tactics you won’t find anywhere else.

Retail Safari® In a Box

Call it the DIY Retail Safari®. We develop everything for you: expert-curated insights, must-see stores – and other locations, step-by-step guidance so you know what to look at, and a map so you can conduct your own in-market Retail Safari®.

Retail Safari® Virtual

This brings curated, topic-specific innovation to you virtually through an interactive presentation, designed to inspire action and drive results from you desktop. Option to include a workshop session to develop practical takeaways for your business.

Retail Safari® Live

A customized, in-person Retail Safari® built around your business needs. We take you to the most relevant, inspiring retail spaces – physical and digital, where you’ll experience cutting-edge concepts. Includes a facilitated workshop to develop practical takeaways for your business.

`Our Retail Safari^® Newsletter empowers you to anticipate the future of retail` through emerging, relevant retail concepts from around the world.

Each edition of our Retail Safari® Newsletter is curated around your interests and the challenges you want to solve. Explore standout global, physical, and digital breakthroughs in retail innovation that spark fresh thinking and inspire new ideas. Plus, access to our searchable photo library.

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Become a Client

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Get our latest thinking on what’s next with shoppers and retail.

The Retail Safari® is a much smarter way to tour stores. We go to stores that make us think outside our walls and using the Retail Safari® guide map taught my team how to look at the elements of a store that impact shoppers. It’s a productive tool to find new ideas we can take to retailers to impact our brands in their stores.

VP Sales // Health Care Company

You used innovative tools to help us create really smart ideas to drive the Bath & Body Works business. The Retail Safari® was efficient, productive and won the respect of our team and senior management.

VP Consumer Insights // Bath & Body Works

Thank you for your leadership during our Retail Safari® last week! You did a fantastic job setting our path and keeping us focused and on track. The debrief at the end is the most important part and while we were all spent at the end of the day, you were able to get a strong list of action items out of us! We were all impressed that you were able to get us to 9 stores in one day and it didn’t feel overwhelming. Great job!

Director, Category Management // Keurig Dr. Pepper

I love your virtual safaris. It’s a way to get in touch with retail innovation in a time-effective way. I learn something new or I’m prompted to think about an initiative in a new way every time I am with you all-thank you!! Great presentation – was very value-added.

Retail Safari® Virtual Event // Attendee

Target is well-known for terrific marketing, but we also know the power of smart ideas from external sources, and that is when we call WSL Strategic Retail.