Navigating retail from now to next with Carol Spieckerman.

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Welcome to Spieckerman Retail, where retailers, marketers, solution providers, agencies, and others who rely on retail come for B2B retail strategy and uncommon insights across a dizzying array of categories, channels, business models, and touchpoints.

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Leading publications trust Carol Spieckerman for beyond-the-obvious retail insights.

Carol’s Latest Retail Insights

Carol’s Media Hot Takes

Insights
RETHINK Retail Recognizes Carol Spieckerman as 2025 Top Retail Expert
RETHINK RETAIL
RETHINK Retail Recognizes Carol Spieckerman as 2025 Top Retail Expert
RETHINK RETAIL

Carol Spieckerman named as 2025 Top Retail Expert by RETHINK Retail

RETHINK RETAIL
Is Target’s Factory Direct Foray Faulty?
MODERN RETAIL
Is Target’s Factory Direct Foray Faulty?
MODERN RETAIL

Carol Spieckerman asks, “Why this? Why now?” as Target attempts bolt-on business, even as basics beg for attention.

MODERN RETAIL
Tariff Tremors Hit Canadian Retail
Tariff Tremors Hit Canadian Retail

Carol Spieckerman speaks with Produce Blueprints on how tariffs are igniting national pride and urging Canadian retailers to seek alternatives.

Target's staff blow whistle on price hikes: 'Everything's going up'
DAILY MAIL
Target's staff blow whistle on price hikes: 'Everything's going up'
DAILY MAIL

Price changes are a constant in retail. Carol Spieckerman speaks with the Daily Mail on why Target can’t afford to toy too much as savvy shoppers do their homework.

DAILY MAIL
Amazon Expands Prime Day as Preemptive Play
MARKET WATCH
Amazon Expands Prime Day as Preemptive Play
MARKET WATCH

Carol Spieckerman tells MarketWatch that Amazon’s Prime Day extension is a “get while the getting’s good” play as economic headwinds begin to gust.

MARKET WATCH
Empty shelves? Tariffs are about to hit US shoppers in a variety of ways.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
Empty shelves? Tariffs are about to hit US shoppers in a variety of ways.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

Carol Spieckerman speaks with the Christian Science Monitor on the likely impact of tariffs and why small-to-mid-sized US companies will bear the brunt.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

Carol’s Video Weigh-Ins

Video Blog
𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭
𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭

In this RetailDive webinar, Carol Spieckerman and Supermicro’s Marc Del Vecchio unpack fresh survey data from retail leaders on the state of AI adoption in retail.

2025 Will Be a ”Just Call a Woman” Moment: Carol Spieckerman on International Women’s Day
2025 Will Be a ”Just Call a Woman” Moment: Carol Spieckerman on International Women’s Day

As International Women’s Day takes the spotlight, Carol Spieckerman celebrates the unsung women who built the fortunes of some of the biggest retailers and brands in the world.

CGTN Interview With Carol Spieckerman: Egging On Egg-Flation?
CGTN Interview With Carol Spieckerman: Egging On Egg-Flation?
Carol Spieckerman on Ecom Pulse Podcast
Carol Spieckerman on Ecom Pulse Podcast

Carol Spieckerman shares her retail journey, client processes, and latest retail trajectories in an interview with Eitan Koter for the Ecom Pulse podcast.

Deeper Retail Insights

Retail is exciting, fast-moving, and filled with opportunity, yet information overload is a constant challenge. Join retail strategist and top influencer Carol Spieckerman as she navigates past the noise to get to the heart of what really matters.

Spieckerman Speaks Retail Podcast

In every episode of Spieckerman Speaks Retail, Carol harnesses her latest Retail Trajectories and interviews with industry experts to distill tools, tactics, and takeaways for wherever you play in retail. If you’re ready to cut to the chase, or just want to be inspired by where retail is going next, listen in!

Retail Gets Deep Blog

Retail Gets Deep delves into the heart of the topics that are moving the needle in retail. In every post, Carol takes a magnifying glass to compelling topics pulled from her podcast episodes, media contributions, and those of industry leaders, expanding on key points and ideas that deserve a closer look.

Podcast Episodes

Podcast
Retail Heat Map: Triple Threat Edition

Carol launches her new Retail Heat Map series by diving into the triple threat that's hitting retailers from all sides right now. From Walmart's workforce disruptions to Amazon's grocery struggles, these aren't just random headlines – they're early warning signals of how external forces are reshaping retail faster than most companies can adapt.

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When Bots Don't Buy Your Hype: The Platform-Killing Disruption Retailers Didn't See Coming

Carol Spieckerman dives deep into the retail disruption that's hiding in plain sight – and why retailers and brands might be seriously underestimating its impact. While some are treating AI shopping agents like just another optimization challenge, Carol's here with a reality check.

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AI-First Retail – Carol Spieckerman Hosts RETHINK Retail Podcast

Carol Spieckerman hosts RETHINK Retail’s podcast on AI-First Retail Strategies to discuss how AI is transforming customer experience, supply chains, and operational performance.

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Retail Gets Deep Blog

Deep Insights
Buy, Build, or Bridge? The Liverpool-Nordstrom Deal Reveals Mexico's Bold Retail Trajectory

Carol digs deep into the possibilities that might be unlocked in the wake of El Puerto de Liverpool’s $1.23 billion investment in Nordstrom and how Mexico is emerging as a strategic global retail force.

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐚𝐩: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞)

Last year, Carol Spieckerman boldly declared that comparing Walmart and Target no longer makes sense...then proceeded to do it anyway. A year later? That gap has only widened. Carol gives her take on the widening Walmart-Target gap before Target's March 4th earnings announcement. Here's what to watch for…

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Large and In-Charge: Why Flagships Aren't Flagging in the Digital Age

A recent Retail Wire article asked the burning question: Are flagship stores necessary for retail brands? In my Retail Wire response, I pointed out that flagships aren't a must-have for every brand, but they are absolutely a nice-to-have for many.

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