From Stores to “Everywhere”: What Dr. Santiago Gallino Reveals About the Future of Retail

Dr. Santiago Gallino, the Charles W. Evans Distinguished Faculty Scholar and Associate Professor of Operations, Information, and Decisions at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, joins us to discuss his seminal research, “Are Everywhere Stores the New Face of Retail?”, examining how omnichannel retailers can strengthen customer engagement and optimize logistics by leveraging innovative sales and fulfillment locations. Everywhere Stores turn everyday spaces homes, backyards, hotels, and other lived environments into authentic retail touchpoints where customers discover, test, and experience products in real use contexts, free from traditional sales pressure. Dr. Santiago Gallino argues that these models complement, rather than replace, existing channels and sit alongside four key omnichannel formats: traditional stores, e-commerce, BOPIS, and showrooms. By decentralizing discovery and even inventory, retailers can deepen engagement, build trust, and gather rich behavioral insights about how products fit into customers’ lives. Ambassador-style setups, such as Otter’s backyard showrooms, and distributed inventory networks using micro-warehouses in homes illustrate both the promise and operational challenges of this disaggregated retail. Success depends on careful product selection, safeguards for authenticity and consent, strong partner execution, and maintaining brand consistency while leveraging the unique capillarity and data advantages of Everywhere Stores. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com. Disclaimer: A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music. B. Dr. Santiago Gallino shared thoughtful perspectives from his research, “Are Everywhere Stores the New Face of Retail?”, in his conversation on the Business Talk podcast channel. The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.