Future Shop Podcast with WSL
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
Future Shop Podcast with WSL
EP103: Agentic AI vs. Human Connection: The Future of Retail Explained with Andy Murray
In this episode of Future Shop, Wendy Liebmann sits down with retail veteran Andy Murray to dissect the conflicting forces impacting the modern shopper. From the bifurcated "K-shaped" economy to the rise of "vibe shopping" among Gen Z, Andy shares insights from his time at Walmart, ASDA, and P&G, and his current work with the University of Arkansas. Together, they explore a critical paradox: as technology like Agentic AI advances, the human need for physical touch and sensory retail experiences is growing stronger.
Key Highlights:
- The Muddy Middle: How the economy has split shoppers into value-seekers and luxury buyers, leaving a complex "middle" that is harder to define.
- Gen Z & Transparency: Why younger shoppers are using apps like Yuka to demand total ingredient transparency and how they are leading the charge back to physical stores.
- The KPI Problem: Why traditional channel-based metrics are stifling innovation and why retailers must shift to a total customer view.
- AI vs. Humanity: The danger of using AI solely for efficiency and the urgent need to develop "humanist" skills to coexist with Agentic AI.
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