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
EP105: TikTok Shop, Agentic AI, and the Future of Retail Trust with Kelsie Johnston
Join host Wendy Liebmann as she sits down with Kelsie Johnston, a retail strategist with a career spanning Macy’s, Walmart, Coty, and most recently, TikTok. In this episode of Future Shop, Kelsie breaks down the seismic shift from traditional omnichannel retail to the exploding world of social commerce and the dawn of “Agentic AI.” They discuss why brands and retailers must move beyond transactional selling to build genuine community and trust in an era where algorithms and AI agents will soon curate what we buy.
Highlights:
- From Omnichannel to Agentic: Tracing the evolution of shopping from “buy online, pickup in store” to AI-driven discovery.
- The TikTok Strategy: Why the platform is less about selling and more about fueling the “trust signals” of the future.
- Fast vs. Slow: Understanding the modern shopper's desire for friction-free speed or immersive, slow retail experiences.
- Retailer Advice: Why prioritizing pace and psychological safety is critical for legacy brands trying to survive the next disruption.
Visit our website for transcripts, links mentioned on this episodes, and video podcasts. Subscribe and rate us with your favorite podcast app!