Pricing Heroes

Aaron Thomasson

Pricing Heroes: The Retail Pricing Podcast for Practitioners and Executives Your go-to pricing podcast for transforming strategy, boosting margins, and leading with confidence. Pricing Heroes is the leading retail pricing podcast for pricing practitioners and retail executives focused on building smarter strategies, protecting margins, and earning customer trust. Each month, we feature exclusive interviews, case studies, and practical insights to help you implement the most effective pricing strategies for today’s retail environment. Whether you're managing promotional calendars, navigating price perception, or scaling AI-powered pricing systems, Pricing Heroes offers the expert guidance and real-world perspective you need to lead with confidence. 🎙 Each episode includes: - Expert Interviews: Candid conversations with top pricing professionals and retail innovators - Case Study Analysis: Behind-the-scenes strategy breakdowns from across the industry - Actionable Takeaways: Practical insights you can apply immediately in your organization We explore the full landscape of pricing in retail — spanning e-commerce and in-store, global brands and regional players, and categories from fashion and grocery to electronics and beyond. Topics include: - Innovative pricing technologies and emerging trends, like AI-powered pricing platforms - Data-driven consumer behavior analysis - Strategic solutions to complex pricing challenges - Tactics to boost profit margins and market share - Pricing topics making headline news - Building and transforming pricing functions Join a growing community of pricing professionals and industry leaders who tune into Pricing Heroes — the trusted pricing podcast for anyone shaping the future of retail strategy. 🗓 New episodes drop the last week of each month. 📲 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

  1. 27 AGO

    The Foundations of Pricing Leadership: Driving Strategy, Credibility, and Tech Readiness with Lee Mackedanz

    In this episode of Pricing Heroes, we speak with Lee Mackedanz, Founder and Managing Partner of Value Capture Consulting, and a veteran pricing executive with leadership roles at Kohl’s, JCPenney, Fossil Group, Office Depot, SuperValu, and Advance Auto Parts. Lee shares his journey from merchant at Best Buy to becoming a pricing leader responsible for more than $700 million in incremental sales and margin improvements. He explains what it takes to build credibility with merchants, lead organizational change, and lay the right foundations before investing in technology. Key Topics: Transitioning from merchandising to pricing leadershipCompeting with Amazon by pricing to value, not just priceBuilding pricing maturity at Kohl’s and winning buy-in for a new disciplineWhy persuasion, influence, and small wins drive change management successHow to structure promotions and discounts as strategic resourcesThe foundations required for AI pricing — data, governance, and clear strategyWhy courage, collaboration, and transparency define great pricing leadersRecommended Resources: The Pricing Roadmap by Ulrik Lehrskov-SchmidtChiefPricingOfficer.comConnect with Lee Mackedanz: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leemackedanz-mba/ Get in touch with us ---------- Get your free copy of Get Ready for the Future Of Pricing with our A-Z Guide. For more information about AI pricing solutions, visit Competera.ai.

    47 min
  2. 24 JUL

    AI Pricing & Demand Forecasting Today: Insights from a Decade in Applied AI with Jayadeep Shitole

    How is AI transforming the way retailers price products and forecast demand? In this episode of Pricing Heroes, the leading retail pricing podcast, we speak with Jayadeep Shitole, Principal Data Scientist of Applied AI and Machine Learning at Walmart Global Tech. With over a decade of experience building large-scale pricing and forecasting systems, Jayadeep shares expert insights on how retailers can implement AI-powered pricing strategies that are dynamic, transparent, and aligned with real business goals. We cover: The shift from static to dynamic pricing algorithmsA practical 4-step framework for AI pricing implementationHow demand forecasting and pricing optimization work hand-in-handStrategies for building trust in AI pricing systemsHow to use AI to respond to tariffs, economic shifts, and supply chain disruptionsWhat’s next in retail AI—from real-time optimization to decision intelligenceWhether you're a pricing analyst, retail data scientist, or commercial leader, this episode offers actionable advice on how to future-proof your pricing strategy with AI. Subscribe to Pricing Heroes — the go-to podcast for pricing professionals driving innovation in retail. Connect with Jayadeep Shitole LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayadeepshitole/ Get in touch with us ---------- Get your free copy of Get Ready for the Future Of Pricing with our A-Z Guide. For more information about AI pricing solutions, visit Competera.ai.

    28 min
  3. 24 JUN

    Pricing for Expansion, Localization & Bankruptcy: Lessons from Three Retail Models with Seth Nieman

    In this episode of Pricing Heroes, we speak with Seth Nieman, former Vice President of Pricing Strategy & Transformation at Rite Aid, and former pricing and merchandising leader at Wakefern Food Corp and Lidl US. Seth shares his journey from helping launch Lidl’s U.S. pricing strategy to leading Rite Aid’s pricing transformation during its emergence from bankruptcy. He explains how pricing can serve as the conscience of the organization, and what it takes to build scalable architecture, align cross-functional teams, and drive pricing decisions under pressure. Key Topics: Developing Lidl’s U.S. assortment and pricing from the ground upLaunching Bowl & Basket and Paperbird at Wakefern, and using pricing to scale private-label growthDesigning a KVI- and promotional role–based pricing architecture to improve CPI and RPI scoresImplementing localized pricing zones across 60+ ShopRite stores, accounting for customer, competitor, and ownership differencesLeading Rite Aid’s pricing reset post-bankruptcy: reassessing optimization logic, category roles, and competitive intelligenceWhy pricing must balance art and science—and how to communicate pricing decisions across functionsTrends in ESLs, dynamic pricing, and why personalization should come with transparency and trustRecommended Resources: Trade journals: Drug Store News, Progressive Grocer, Supermarket NewsNRF Big ShowBusiness journals: The Wall Street JournalConnect with Seth Nieman: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-nieman/ Get in touch with us ---------- Get your free copy of Get Ready for the Future Of Pricing with our A-Z Guide. For more information about AI pricing solutions, visit Competera.ai.

    46 min
  4. 22 ABR

    Tariff-Proof Pricing: Building Resilient Strategies for Uncertain Times with Per Sjöfors

    In this episode of Pricing Heroes, we speak with Per Sjöfors — also known as The Price Whisperer — and the founder and CEO of Sjöfors & Partners. With over 35 years of executive experience and more than 750 companies advised, Per shares his unique approach to pricing, grounded in behavioral economics, AI-driven insights, and deep market research. We discuss the true impact of tariffs on pricing strategies, the psychological thresholds that influence customer behavior, and why most companies dramatically underestimate how their market perceives value. Per also explains how to avoid the common mistake of adding “tariff surcharges,” how to communicate price increases transparently, and how pricing teams can build resilience in times of uncertainty. Key Topics: Why tariffs don’t affect willingness to pay — and what companies must do insteadIdentifying psychological “price walls” to avoid costly volume lossCommunicating price increases with transparency and value framingThe risks of gut-feel pricing and the ethical dilemma of margin paddingUsing behavioral economics to guide modern, data-informed pricing decisionsRecommended Resources: The Price Whisperer: A Holistic Approach to Pricing Power by Per SjöforsThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanMisbehaving by Richard ThalerNudge by Richard Thaler and Cass SunsteinPredictably Irrational by Dan ArielyConnect with Per Sjöfors:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/persjofors/ Website: https://sjofors.com/Get in touch with us ---------- Get your free copy of Get Ready for the Future Of Pricing with our A-Z Guide. For more information about AI pricing solutions, visit Competera.ai.

    36 min
  5. 30 ENE

    2025 Pricing Predictions: Insights from Industry Experts

    How will AI, inflation, and shifting market dynamics impact pricing in 2025? In this special episode of Pricing Heroes, we asked nine top pricing experts to share their boldest predictions for the year ahead. From the rise of AI-driven pricing to the risks of dynamic pricing missteps, this episode explores the biggest trends shaping the future of pricing—and what retailers must do to stay ahead. Featured Experts: 🎙️ Stephan Liozu – Chief Value Officer, Zilliant 🎙️ Per Sjöfors – Author of The Price Whisperer 🎙️ Oliver Banks – Retail Transformation Expert, Author of Driving Retail Transformation 🎙️ Ayon Bhattacharyya – Founder & CEO, Biz Growth Spurt 🎙️ Markus Husemann-Kopetzky – Founder, Price Management Institute 🎙️ Danilo Zatta – Pricing Advisor, Author of The 10 Rules of Highly Effective Pricing 🎙️ Maciej Kraus – Managing Partner, Movens Capital, Author of The Future of Pricing 🎙️ Tim J. Smith – CEO, Wiglaf Pricing & Adjunct Professor, DePaul University 🎙️ Alex Halkin – Founder & CEO, Competera What We Cover: ✅ The game-changing role of AI in pricing strategies ✅ Why data-driven decision-making will be the new competitive advantage ✅ How trade policies and inflation will force pricing shifts ✅ The growing impact of hyper-personalization & marketplace pricing ✅ The real risks of price wars & unethical AI Whether you’re a pricing professional, retail leader, or industry strategist, this episode is packed with insights to help you navigate pricing in 2025. 🔊 Listen now and stay ahead of the curve! Get in touch with us ---------- Get your free copy of Get Ready for the Future Of Pricing with our A-Z Guide. For more information about AI pricing solutions, visit Competera.ai.

    24 min
5
de 5
2 calificaciones

Acerca de

Pricing Heroes: The Retail Pricing Podcast for Practitioners and Executives Your go-to pricing podcast for transforming strategy, boosting margins, and leading with confidence. Pricing Heroes is the leading retail pricing podcast for pricing practitioners and retail executives focused on building smarter strategies, protecting margins, and earning customer trust. Each month, we feature exclusive interviews, case studies, and practical insights to help you implement the most effective pricing strategies for today’s retail environment. Whether you're managing promotional calendars, navigating price perception, or scaling AI-powered pricing systems, Pricing Heroes offers the expert guidance and real-world perspective you need to lead with confidence. 🎙 Each episode includes: - Expert Interviews: Candid conversations with top pricing professionals and retail innovators - Case Study Analysis: Behind-the-scenes strategy breakdowns from across the industry - Actionable Takeaways: Practical insights you can apply immediately in your organization We explore the full landscape of pricing in retail — spanning e-commerce and in-store, global brands and regional players, and categories from fashion and grocery to electronics and beyond. Topics include: - Innovative pricing technologies and emerging trends, like AI-powered pricing platforms - Data-driven consumer behavior analysis - Strategic solutions to complex pricing challenges - Tactics to boost profit margins and market share - Pricing topics making headline news - Building and transforming pricing functions Join a growing community of pricing professionals and industry leaders who tune into Pricing Heroes — the trusted pricing podcast for anyone shaping the future of retail strategy. 🗓 New episodes drop the last week of each month. 📲 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

También te podría interesar