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Paco Underhill

About Paco Underhill

Paco Underhill is the founder and Strategic Advisor to Envirosell Inc., a research and advisory firm with headquarters in New York City and offices across the world. He is the author of multiple books, including his newest, “How We Eat: The Brave New World of Food and Drink,” as well as “Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping,” “Call of the Mall,” and “What Women Want.” Paco speaks across the globe to brands, merchants, trade associations and non-profit trade groups.

What Are Screens Doing to Us?

By Paco Underhill   |   April 20, 2022

At age 16 my first step towards independence was a driver’s license. I failed the first test and was mortified – parallel parking in a manual shift Dodge Dart wasn’t easy. Most of us boomers have similar stories of lusting for that license and the freedom we imagined came with it. How times have changed. Neither of my 20-something stepdaughters has any interest in driving. Part of the reason is ecological concerns, but more importantly their familiarity with Uber. Coming of Age in a Digital Age The first step towards independence for my …

What Are Screens Doing to Us?Read More

A Perspective on Luxury from a Global Citizen

By Paco Underhill   |   January 17, 2022

Let’s talk context. The origins of luxury goods go back to the 18th century when the retail model was developed for an aristocracy – the landed gentry with money to spend. In France, Italy, Spain, and England, aristocratic wealth spawned a category of high-quality expensive goods. Jewelry and clothing were just the entry points. Look at the history of Gucci, Rolex, LVMH, Rolls Royce and you will see the clear link between money and privilege. In their brand origin stories, money had a peaches and crème complexion. First Generation …

A Perspective on Luxury from a Global CitizenRead More

Reimagining the Supermarket

By Paco Underhill   |   January 3, 2022

Note: The following has been excerpted from “How We Eat, the Brave New World of Food and Drink.” Copyright © 2022 by Peckshee, LLC. All good businesses gaze into their crystal ball in an attempt to arrive at the future an hour or two before everyone else. In Italy, “The Supermarket of the Future” has existed for some time. It was the name of a project that the design firm Carlo Ratti Associati created in 2015 for the Milan World Expo. The experimental store was part of a “future food district pavilion” sponsored by Coop Italia, the country’s …

Reimagining the SupermarketRead More

The Evolution of Shrink

By Paco Underhill   |   December 28, 2021

Shrink is trending up. News reports from cities across the country document what loss prevention specialists are calling a huge increase in “organized theft.” Walgreens and CVS have closed stores in San Francisco and LA as a result of ongoing store losses.  The looting in Nordstrom in Walnut Creek was shocking with police reports that some 80 people were involved. As a new industry standard, store security personnel are being asked not to pursue or confront thieves because of the risk of violence. Theft is one of the most corrosive issues in …

The Evolution of ShrinkRead More

Drugs, Wellbeing and Finance

By Paco Underhill   |   March 15, 2021

Last month the broader retail world applauded two of the nation's largest drugstore chains when they moved women into senior management roles. The gender divide rooted in the tradition of the male pharmacist's early 20th century small-town location was finally overcome. Up to now, male leadership of beauty, OTC and first aid products was skewed and often curiously inept. The drugstore has made huge strides and taken major steps forward in the interest of female empowerment. One could argue that female management has more empathy and …

Drugs, Wellbeing and FinanceRead More

Reflections from an Ex-Urban

By Paco Underhill   |   February 28, 2021

Suburban Stories In our post-pan world, the choices of where and how we spend our money have changed. The inequities of our American culture are stark. In spite of Covid, the stock market is up. Some Americans are doing just fine. Any of us with Fortune 50 stock holdings are richer today than we were a year ago. We may not be buying fashion or going on vacations, but we are revisiting our homes and our kitchens. Suburban contractors are busy; Home Depot, Tractor Supply (a personal favorite) and Ace Hardware are all booming. The wait time for …

Reflections from an Ex-UrbanRead More

An Evolutionary Reinvention of Retail

By Paco Underhill   |   December 21, 2020

PrePan…Pan…Not-Yet-PostPan. What does the world of retail look like now? What did we learn? What did we let go of …and what changed us? Here's a retrospective look forward. 1. Shopping Safely You'd have to living in a cave not to know that digital sales have exploded in our Pan world. Just between March and April of this year, the first month of our shared Pandemic, the number of customers buying online increased in the U.S. by more than 30 percent. The dollar volume was even higher as everyday shopping was reinvented. On Black Friday, the …

An Evolutionary Reinvention of RetailRead More

There Is Trouble Down in Texas and Her Name Is Lulu

By Paco Underhill   |   November 10, 2020

There have always been turf wars in the fashion retail world. Competition is the backbone of our free market economy, but in the fashion industry, drama often trumps pragmatism. The most recent example, accelerated by Covid-19 is the news that Lululemon, from their secure base camp in Vancouver, has been in a clandestine war with Levi's, Wranglers, and Calvin Klein. The Pants Battle Jeans -- high end and low end - are pitted against the yoga pant as the CV-19 world perceives comfort and fashion. The net result of Covid-19 is that the war Lulu …

There Is Trouble Down in Texas and Her Name Is LuluRead More

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Copyright © 2022 · Robin Lewis, Inc. All rights reserved. Copying or reproducing, by any means whatsoever, of The Robin Report, or any distribution hereof, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Robin Lewis, Inc. is strictly prohibited. The Robin Report is published for senior executives in the retail, fashion, beauty, consumer products and related industries. The opinions expressed herein are not, and should not be construed as investment or other advice. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice.