This FAQ examines how shoppable media works, where consumers engage with it, and how marketers should evaluate these emerging formats.

The deal could be mutually beneficial as both look to grow their ecommerce influence.

This FAQ addresses what commerce media is, how it differs from retail media, and where growth opportunities exist for advertisers in 2026.

The global last-mile delivery market is valued at approximately $201 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at a 12% compound annual rate through 2029. For retailers competing with Amazon's delivery dominance, mastering last-mile logistics is no longer optional.

Growing consumer adoption of AI tools is positioning AI platforms as an alternative shopping channel—but most AI-driven transactions are still completed on retailer websites.

Washington state lawmakers mull a crackdown on surveillance pricing, mirroring broader efforts to police the practice.

Digital grocery has evolved from a pandemic-era convenience to a core retail channel. More than 90% of US consumers now shop for groceries both online and in-store, according to FMI and NielsenIQ. As the channel matures, the competitive battleground shifts from basic fulfillment to AI-powered personalization, retail media monetization, and seamless omnichannel experiences. This FAQ addresses the trends, players, and strategies shaping digital grocery in 2026.

This FAQ discusses how the holiday marketing season is evolving into a longer, leaner, and more competitive period, driven by economic headwinds, earlier shopping behavior, and the growing importance of retail media. It outlines why marketers must plan earlier, prioritize measurable and omnichannel strategies, and avoid overconcentrating spend around the Cyber Five to capture demand across an extended season.

As budgets consolidate and scrutiny intensifies, retail media networks are being asked to prove their value in the same way that the rest of digital media does. That shift was on full display at CES, where platform updates from Albertsons, DoorDash, Instacart, and Walmart Connect signaled a deeper evolution underway. Rather than chasing more inventory or novel formats, retail media players are investing in the foundational capabilities that underpin long-term credibility: measurement, data access, and intelligence.

As genAI assistants play a more prominent role in shopping, retailers and brands will have to rethink how their loyalty programs support direct consumer relationships, and how loyalty benefits can be surfaced in AI conversations.

As retailers prepare for next year, they acknowledge that convenience has evolved from a value proposition to a structural shift in how all of retail operates. We asked leaders across retail media, digital identity, payments, mobility, and connected commerce, and they agreed that convenience will continue to change throughout the next year as expectations shift and AI eliminates friction.

Instacart’s AI pricing tools may be causing some consumers to pay higher grocery prices, according to a report by Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative. The report found that consumers were routinely charged different prices for the same products, with differences as high as 23%. Instacart defended its pricing policy by emphasizing its efforts to improve affordability, and insisting that its experiments “are not dynamic pricing” because prices don’t change in real time according to supply and demand. For shoppers, whether Instacart’s tactics meet the technical definition of dynamic pricing is beside the point. Consumers overwhelmingly prefer brands with consistent pricing and respond negatively toward those that use surge pricing and hidden fees. The lack of transparency around algorithmic pricing is likely to be particularly distressing at a time when rising food prices and other stressors are pressuring household budgets.

Instacart has become the first grocery partner to launch a dedicated app within ChatGPT, enabling users to shop by prompting the assistant and then building a cart powered by Instacart’s catalog and OpenAI models. After signing in, customers can review selections and pay securely via Instant Checkout, with orders fulfilled through Instacart’s network. The move reinforces Instacart’s leadership in US grocery delivery and gives it an early chance to shape AI-enabled shopping behavior. If consumers embrace the feature, its ability to learn preferences and streamline reorders could meaningfully reduce friction and nudge more shoppers toward online grocery buying.

Canada’s digital economy is entering a faster, more competitive phase in 2026 as ad spending accelerates, short video surges, ecommerce climbs, and AI-driven search reshapes how audiences discover content.

Mobile will account for nearly half of US online sales in 2026 and become the dominant channel in 2027. To make the most of this shift, retailers and brands should enhance integration of their shopping apps and loyalty programs.

In a special Thanksgiving-themed episode of “Behind the Numbers,” we ranked the retail and brand initiatives we’re thankful for this season, from viral merchandise to purpose-driven campaigns. "We're looking at those strategies, launches, and collabs that we're genuinely grateful for, the moves that made us smile, surprised us, or gave us hope for where retail is headed," said our analyst Suzy Davidkhanian.

Kroger is overhauling its ecommerce strategy, closing three Ocado automated fulfillment centers after underperformance and leaning more on stores and third-party partners like Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber. Though initially costly, Kroger expects $400 million in ecommerce profit gains by 2026, helping fund price cuts and store improvements. The shift highlights the high cost of competing with Amazon and Walmart on delivery speed and the appeal of using delivery platforms' existing last-mile networks. The new model should cut costs, add flexibility, and support a stronger customer experience as online demand grows.

As retail media moves from side business to centerpiece, big brands are prioritizing measurement and efficiency to cement the channel as a mature budget item. Retail media will grow almost 20% this year (19.4%) to reach $58.79 billion, according to EMARKETER's September 2025 forecast. In recent earnings calls, tech leaders described a channel that is now about solid data, AI-driven relevance, and reshaping how advertisers reach shoppers.

Airbnb and Instacart plan to launch a pilot program that would enable guests in select cities to order grocery delivery before and during their stays, per Bloomberg. The partnership is a win-win, offering Airbnb the chance to improve the guest experience, and giving Instacart an opportunity to expand its reach and boost ad revenues. As competition between delivery platforms heats up, deals like these are poised to become more common as companies look for new ways to win over customers.

Convenience continues to outweigh cost savings for many shoppers, driving strong growth across the grocery delivery market. Instacart led the sector in Q3 with a 14% increase in orders and a 10% rise in gross transaction value, while Uber and DoorDash also posted solid gains. As online grocery adoption accelerates, Instacart is doubling down on affordability through price parity and loyalty integrations to counter economic pressures. Convenience remains a powerful growth driver, but its durability will depend on how effectively delivery platforms balance ease with value as consumers grow more price-conscious.