US ad spend dropped 8.0% YoY in February, according to a MediaPost analysis of Standard Media Index’s US Ad Market Tracker. That marks eight months of consecutive YoY decline as part of a trend that began in July 2022.

Retail media’s positive hype is real. We expect it will disrupt the digital advertising landscape worldwide. In Canada, a handful of players—led by Amazon, Walmart, and Loblaw—have turned it into the fastest-growing ad segment in the country, and at scale.

Friction developing between Microsoft and OpenAI: The tech companies compete for AI customers under a profit-sharing model that could undermine Microsoft’s cloud growth. An acquisition attempt is likely.

Which networks should brands be paying attention to as they refine their retail media strategy? From the king of them all to the ones that are just catching up, here are five retail media networks to keep an eye on this year.

Instacart’s revenues and profits spiked in 2022, helped by its growing ad business: That could speed up the timeline for the grocery delivery company’s long-awaited IPO.

This second installment of the “Payments Ecosystem” collection unpacks how point-of-sale (POS) hardware, software, and payment gateway services are becoming increasingly intertwined as merchants adapt to economic turmoil and consumer payment changes.

Amazon expands its ultrafast delivery options: The retail giant is investing in same-day delivery amid growing competition from Target and others.

Target is spending $100 million to expand its next-day delivery capabilities: The retailer plans to have at least six new sortation centers to make delivery cheaper, faster, and more efficient.

This report is a guideline to help marketers understand retail media through market size estimates, growth projections, and analysis of the complex landscape of buyers, sellers, and intermediaries.

Instacart has had a busy few months. Besides scrapping its plans to go public, the company has cut its valuation a few times, trimmed its workforce, and explored other cost-cutting measures. That being said, Instacart has also made investments to bolster its business, including new technologies for merchants and expanded retail media offerings.

On today's episode, we discuss the significance of Google's ChatGPT rival Bard, whether Instacart's shoppable TV QR codes can be a hit, if Fanatics can crack the US livestream shopping code, whether Twitter allegedly shedding users is a short-term issue, where (and how) we listen to music, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha and analysts Blake Droesch and Evelyn Mitchell.

Instacart will retain its status as grocery delivery king this year, capturing 73.0% of US digital grocery sales among third-party delivery services, per our forecast. However, competitors such as DoorDash and Uber will continue to eat away at its dominance.

We all know that 2023 will be the year of retail media, social commerce, and lingering economic uncertainty. But here are some more targeted possibilities for the year ahead.

Will the promise of same-day delivery—often accompanied by additional fees—be enough to woo consumers away from the ecommerce giant?

What retailers need to know about the new wave of delivery apps and quick-commerce startups.

The digital advertising landscape is shifting and it’s every person for themselves in a fight to the top. Let’s get to know the players and place our bets on who will win the battle royale for ad dollars.

BJ’s Wholesale Club is the latest retailer to launch a media network: At the same time, Instacart is adding more promotional capabilities to help drive sales among cost-conscious shoppers.

Good Measures launches prescription food delivery powered by Instacart: We unpack how health systems, health plans, and grocers are getting behind the food as medicine trend.

Consumers now expect more from brands and their loyalty programs, which need to incorporate value, ease of use, and personalization to stand out in a crowded market.

Walmart takes a shot across the bow at Amazon: The retailer’s latest holiday marketing campaign aims to go after Amazon’s dominance of online shopping holidays.