Laura Alber on pricing strategy
From Williams-Sonoma Q1 2026 Earnings Call | Inventory Optimization Yields Strong 16% Margin & EPS Beat · · Investing 101
“We don't just compete on price. We're competing on the whole, which is the product itself, and where it sits in the market versus other similar products. And we have incredible finishes and product design, exclusive, exciting stuff in the works. And, you know, that's where we see the customer being less price sensitive.”
On , Laura Alber, President, CEO & Director at Williams-Sonoma, spoke about pricing strategy during Williams-Sonoma Q1 2026 Earnings Call | Inventory Optimization Yields Strong 16% Margin & EPS Beat on Investing 101.
About Laura Alber
Laura Alber, president and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, discussed the company's first-quarter 2027 earnings on a May 2026 call, stating that the company "continue[s] to outperform on both top and bottom lines in this uncertain environment" including trade policy, tariffs, and interest rates. She said the company is not assuming a "meaningful housing recovery" and is planning for "continued volatility" across geopolitics, fuel prices, and trade policy, while guiding for 2 to 6% revenue growth and an operating margin of 17.5 to 18.1%. Alber noted that the company is "competing on the whole" of product design and exclusives, adding that the customer is "less price sensitive" in that context. She also highlighted growth in the Rejuvenation brand, describing it as having "double-digit comp growth" and the potential to become "our next billion dollar brand." In a separate May 2026 appearance at a Salesforce event, Alber discussed the company's adoption of the Agentforce 360 platform, including an AI assistant named "Olive" that is live on the Williams-Sonoma website. She said the technology will allow the company to answer customer questions "more accurately and faster," calling it a "gift of time" for customers. Alber also described the company's goal of making its websites convey "that same warm feeling that our stores give you."