Consumer Insights and Innovation

We leverage insights to reimagine the future of retail by inspiring teams and clients to address people’s needs through innovative solutions that work. Our adaptable framework guides clients from insights to exploration, prioritization, and optimization.

1. 1. Discover: Where are we today?
      • Driven by curiosity, we delve deep into understanding the current state of your brand and retail landscape. As seasoned outside-in experts, we employ personalized methodologies such as positioning frameworks, benchmarking, and our primary consumer insights capabilities to immerse ourselves in the opportunity space.
   2. Imagine: Where should we go?
      • Drawing on our extensive retail experience, we engage in ideation for the future state. Through tailored workshops and co-creation sessions, we actively involve our clients and consumers to generate desirable, viable, data-driven solutions and white space mapping.
   3. Build: How do we get there?
      • We craft clarity and develop coherent, actionable plans, precepts, concepts and roadmaps that transform breakthrough ideas into reality. Our approach includes considering future trends and potential industry disruptions and collaborating to create iterative, testable concept options and prototypes.
   4. Implement: Let’s deliver results.
      • Relentless in unlocking potential for our clients, we support our clients in implementing highly personalized solutions and pilots with high probability results. Our commitment to our clients is to deliver tangible outcomes that make a lasting impact.

We assist clients in transforming alongside their evolving customer bases by defining the future, delivering valuable services, and driving meaningful and measurable outcomes.

SELECTED CASES

Case 1 — Regional Grocery Banner: Millennial Grocery Consumer Study

Company / study: A regional grocery banner asked our team to deliver a defensible playbook for winning Millennial grocery trips across formats with recommendations for assortment, loyalty and messaging.

Problem: The client observed younger shoppers drifting to competitors and needed clarity on what “Millennial grocery needs” looked like today: attitudes to value, preferred channels, and tradeoffs between price, convenience and curated fresh offerings.

Approach: We used a mixed-methods program anchored by a statistically powered quantitative survey of category-relevant Millennial shoppers, enriched with qualitative shop-alongs, in-store observation and competitive benchmarking. We developed attitudinal/behavioral segments and overlaid addressable geography to identify where Millennial demand intersected the client’s network.

Insights & findings: Millennials proved highly value-sensitive yet willing to trade up for curated fresh and specialty assortments when perceived “value” was clear. Natural/organic leaders were winning younger trips by reframing premium as relative value. We identified three high-value persona clusters  and mapped conversion levers for each. Catchment analysis revealed specific stores and trade areas where localized assortment and targeted promotions would yield outsized trip-share gains.

Result: Delivered a prioritized roadmap (assortment changes, targeted loyalty offers, in-store experience adjustments and KPIs). Early pilots implementing sharper messaging and targeted offers increased younger-shopper conversion and trip frequency in test markets.

Case 2 — Regional Convenience-Store Chain: Convenience Channel Consumer Study

Company / study: A regional convenience-store chain requested an objective assessment of customer attitudes and competitive dynamics across core and newer markets to protect and grow loyalty.

Problem: Awareness was high, but leaders needed to pinpoint friction and opportunity, especially in foodservice, pricing/promotional mechanics and consistent store execution, to fend off new entrants and improve retention.

Approach: We executed a large-scale consumer survey focused on convenience shopping habits, attribute importance (price, assortment, foodservice), and perceptions vs. national competitors. Findings were triangulated with management interviews and in-store audits.

Insights & findings: The chain enjoyed broad preference in many markets; satisfaction was solid but constructive. Key friction points included intermittent stock/shipping issues, inconsistent promotional perception, and variable store execution. The chain excelled at personalization and curated offers relative to mass players but trailed on repeatable promotional mechanics and operational consistency.

Result: Recommended near-term fixes for pricing/promotional mechanics, standardized store-execution playbooks, and a modular foodservice roadmap. The client implemented operational improvements and launched a phased foodservice and loyalty roadmap derived from the research.

Case 3 — Specialty / Gourmet Grocer: Target Consumer & Lapsed Shopper Analysis

Company / study: A specialty/gourmet grocer required a diagnosis of addressable customers and the causes of lapsed behavior to improve retention and guide store expansion.

Problem: The banner experienced uneven traffic and sought to recapture lapsing customers while balancing a full-service assortment with perceived value.

Approach: We deployed a blended program: an external sample in addressable zip codes, a targeted panel of current and lapsed shoppers, and in-store audits across formats. Analysis covered motivators, barriers and differences versus national and premium competitors.

Insights & findings: Young/value-focused shoppers were being won by competitors with clearer everyday-value communication; the client retained equity among customers prioritizing curated fresh assortments and service. Lapsed shoppers cited price volatility and promotional inconsistency as main causes of churn. Site-type mattered: lifestyle-center and close-in formats outperformed certain mall sites.

Result: Recommendations included pricing consistency pilots, targeted recovery campaigns for lapsed shoppers, and a refined site-selection rubric. Pilots demonstrating pricing consistency and localized re-engagement improved recapture rates in test regions.

Case 4 — Natural-Format Grocer: Addressable Market & Persona Mapping

Company / study: A natural-format grocer asked us to map addressable local segments and identify how to increase penetration among health- and locally-oriented shoppers.

Problem: Competing natural banners required the client to pinpoint the most valuable local segments and define messages/channels to increase frequency and spend.

Approach: Geo-targeted quantitative surveys of addressable zip codes, customer profiling, persona development and benchmarking. We focused on dietary behaviors, spending patterns and willingness to pay for local and sustainable attributes.

Insights & findings: Younger/value-oriented shoppers bought staples at mass channels but were willing to pay a premium for fresh local items if pricing was framed as “value per use.” Personas revealed an opportunity to win younger shoppers with meal-centric private-label bundles and digital inspiration, while retaining core shoppers via stronger local-supplier storytelling.

Result: The client relaunched localized loyalty offers, piloted a meal-bundle private label, and shifted content toward quick, health-forward recipes; early metrics showed a frequency uplift among younger segments.

Case 5 — Multi-Strategy Investment Firm (Ecommerce Brands): Ecommerce Cycling Consumer Study

Company / study: A multi-strategy investment firm evaluating several ecommerce cycling brands engaged us to deliver consumer insights for buy-side diligence and value-creation planning.

Problem: The sponsor needed an outside-in view of brand health, acquisition economics, product/assortment white space and persona-level growth tactics.

Approach: Two blended quantitative surveys (external category respondents and internal customer lists), persona segmentation, competitive UX audits and executive interviews. Metrics included awareness, consideration, NPS, funnel performance and purchase intent; persona analysis drove acquisition/retention tactics.

Insights & findings: Brand health varied widely across targets. Distinct persona cohorts (performance riders, casual commuters, tech buyers) responded to different acquisition messages. Private-label offered meaningful margin upside where product capability existed. Omnichannel experiments (selective pop-ups) could improve lifetime value.

Result: We produced a defensible consumer-health scorecard, prioritized value-creation levers (marketing, analytics, private label) and a tactical post-close playbook. Sponsors used the findings to rank targets and shape bids and integration plans.

Case 6 — Specialty Educational Toy Retailer: NPS & Customer Experience Study

Company / study: A specialty educational toy retailer needed deep customer insight to decide where to invest to scale — marketing, merchandising or stores — and how to defend against large online competitors.

Problem: The brand had high loyalty but lacked a fact base to prioritize investments and expand nationally while protecting margins.

Approach: Multiple waves of customer surveys for recent purchasers, web and in-store audits, management interviews and benchmarking against competitors.

Insights & findings: Customers displayed extraordinary satisfaction and loyalty (NPS ≈ +86). Loyalty was rooted in educational product quality and knowledgeable, high-touch service. Demographics skewed older (including grandparents), and the brand outperformed Amazon on curation and service but lagged in awareness and national reach.

Result: The client invested in digital acquisition and analytics, plus a staged retail expansion with strict site/assortment rules to convert advocacy into broader penetration while protecting unit economics.

Case 7 — Private-Equity Sponsor & Aftermarket Vehicle Accessories Manufacturer: Consumer Study

Company / study: A private-equity sponsor and an aftermarket vehicle accessories manufacturer engaged us to map category demand, brand health, and adjacency/cross-sell opportunities.

Problem: The manufacturer had strong product perceptions among known users but limited broader awareness. The sponsor needed evidence to support strategic growth and potential acquisitions.

Approach: Large-scale quantitative survey (~1,500 category-active consumers) with qualitative follow-up and perceptual benchmarking. Measures included unaided/aided awareness, usage, consideration, NPS and cross-category ownership.

Insights & findings: The sponsor’s brand posted high advocacy and strong NPS among those familiar with it. Owners demonstrated superior category depth and purchase intent for adjacent products. Primary barrier to scale was awareness and product education (not quality), suggesting marketing and education were prioritized levers.

Result: Recommendations included brand-building, product education, targeted adjacent-category expansion and merchandising/DTC funnel improvements; findings informed acquisition rationale and go-to-market planning.

Case 8 — Global Logistics & Cross-Border Ecommerce Provider: Merchant Segmentation

Company / study: A global logistics provider asked us to develop a U.S. merchant segmentation for cross-border ecommerce to prioritize go-to-market and product development.

Problem: The client needed to know which merchant archetypes (micro, small, large) to prioritize, what cross-border capabilities mattered to sellers, and how to differentiate the service offering.

Approach: Interviews with merchants and solution providers, retailer website audits, and a market analysis. We combined qualitative interviews with quantitative validation and translated segmentation into prioritized product and sales strategies.

Insights & findings: We identified merchant clusters based on international appetite, platform sophistication and fulfillment model. Key segmentation axes were seller scale, cross-border readiness (returns/fulfillment) and product complexity. Critical capabilities included localized returns and marketplace onboarding tools.

Result: The segmentation became the backbone of the client’s commercial strategy — prioritizing sales targets, refining product roadmaps and improving seller acquisition in priority segments.

Case 9 — International Cross-Border Marketplace: Global Ecommerce & Marketplace Benchmarking

Company / study: An international cross-border marketplace engaged us to produce global ecommerce benchmarking and seller-tool analysis to refine positioning and investor messaging.

Problem: The marketplace required a regional market sizing and seller-capability comparison to identify product/service gaps and to strengthen its investor story.

Approach: Desktop research, expert interviews across regions, marketplace audits (seller services, fulfillment programs) and market sizing. We benchmarked leading marketplaces and evaluated seller enablement across geographies.

Insights & findings: Seller enablement tools varied substantially across marketplaces. The marketplace could differentiate through improved seller onboarding, localized shipping solutions and curated seller programs for priority verticals.

Result: The analysis shaped the client’s investor narrative, prioritized seller-facing product investments and informed a roadmap for seller acquisition and retention. The client used the work to support fundraising and go-to-market plans.

Case 10 — Global Powersports Manufacturer: Omnichannel Customer Service Operating Plan

Company / study: A global powersports manufacturer asked us to design an omnichannel customer-care operating environment that would support dealers and end customers across call center, web self-service and dealer touchpoints.

Problem: The company needed a scalable customer-care model balancing premium service expectations with cost efficiency across global channels and dealer networks.

Approach: Stakeholder interviews, customer-journey mapping, voice-of-customer analysis and benchmarking of best-in-class omnichannel service models. We developed staffing, technology, facility roadmaps and defined SLAs and training programs.

Insights & findings: We identified the need to segment service offers by customer value and channel complexity, introduce self-service and dealer enablement to deflect routine contacts, centralize KPI and workforce planning, and remove friction in dealer handoffs.

Result: Delivered a multi-year operating plan — facility/staffing models, SLAs, technology priorities and a training roadmap. Over time, the plan helped the manufacturer evolve omnichannel capabilities and served as a template for other clients.

Case 11 — Global Automotive Service Company: Concept Validation

Company / study: A global automotive-service company engaged us to design and validate a “store of the future” for retail and service operations that would serve as an innovation hub.

Problem: Leadership needed a consumer-grounded view to prioritize concept elements and investments — understanding what attributes, amenities and digital capabilities matter for B2C and B2B customers.

Approach: Discovery tours, stakeholder workshops, and a national quantitative survey of target consumers (B2C and B2B) that included attribute-importance measures and testing of three consumer-facing retail propositions with verbatim capture. We synthesized qualitative and operational feasibility inputs to inform the business case.

Insights & findings: The testing revealed different segment tradeoffs (price vs. convenience, trust/transparency vs. experiential amenities) and clarified which proposition resonated most. Qualitative verbatims explained why certain amenities mattered and highlighted required operational/digital capabilities.

Result: Delivered a data-driven basis to select/refine prototypes, prioritize investments (digital tools, service transparency, premium amenities) and produce an operating model and pilot blueprint for rollout.

Case 12 — Multi-Banner Mexican Retail Group: Consumer & Market Diagnosis

Company / study: A multi-banner Mexican retail group sought a strategy for profitable growth, digital acceleration, and customer-experience modernization across several banners.

Problem: The company needed a consumer-centered strategy to reverse uneven performance, define banner roles, prioritize digital investments and identify quick-win initiatives.

Approach: Internal data review, store and distribution visits, competitor benchmarking, and primary consumer research (surveys of current/lapsed/potential customers plus qualitative interviews). Insights were mapped to our 8C’s touchpoint model and validated in stakeholder workshops.

Insights & findings: Research clarified segment differences, quantified tradeoffs between convenience, assortment and perceived value, and identified addressable lapsed segments amenable to consistent promotions and execution. Findings indicated which formats and location types would likely succeed in local markets.

Result: Outputs included a vision for each banner’s positioning and experience, a prioritized roadmap (quick wins and digital/omnichannel investments) and a consumer-informed site-selection rubric. The client launched pilot actions and KPIs informed by the research

Case 13 — National Wine & Spirits Retailer & Distributor: Mexican Wine & Spirits Consumer Study

Company / study: A national wine & spirits retailer and distributor in Mexico engaged us to build a consumer-research program supporting strategy across retail, on-trade and off-trade channels.

Problem: The client needed an in-depth, local understanding of wine & spirits consumers to prioritize product strategy (including private label), club/membership design, merchandising and channel roles.

Approach: A mixed-method program — a quantitative survey of loyalty and addressable consumers, in-depth interviews with wine-club members, and competitor benchmarking. Focus was on spend, occasion, channel preference, and receptivity to private-label and provenance claims.

Insights & findings: Segmentation produced precise personas. The research highlighted where current offers resonated (service and curated assortment) and where improvements were needed (digital commerce, club benefits, localized storytelling). It quantified willingness to pay for provenance, sustainability and bundled meal/pairing offerings.

Result: The client prioritized private-label meal/pair bundles, redesigned club value propositions, and refined retail/off-trade assortment rules. These changes informed pilots for store experience, loyalty offers and content designed to increase frequency among younger discovery shoppers while protecting high-value collectors.

Case 14 — Leading Health & Wellness Retail Franchise (Mexico): Consumer Segmentation & Growth Strategy

Company / study: The leading health & wellness retail franchisee in Mexico sought consumer segmentation and growth strategy after a period of flat sales despite category expansion.

Problem: Leadership wanted clarity on priority segments, drivers of churn among passive buyers, and which assortment/loyalty/experience investments would unlock incremental revenue.

Approach: Quantitative surveys of active and passive loyalty members, segmentation analysis, competitive benchmarking and voice-of-customer research. The program defined which factors drive loyalty, spend and retention and identified opportunity bundles per segment.

Insights & findings: Clear target segments emerged. Active and lapsed members differed markedly in product needs and promotion responsiveness. Voice-of-customer highlighted integration gaps between in-store advisory and digital content and an opportunity to grow private-label and curated bundles for high-value segments.

Result: Delivered a segment-prioritization framework, tactical pilots (membership rewards, product bundles, in-store advisory services) and a measurement plan to track retention and LTV. The franchisee used the roadmap to convert passive buyers to active customers and accelerate profitable growth.