Many retail media networks operate independently from core business functions, but staying disconnected may limit how far they can grow. "Most retail media networks essentially were launched as startups within large legacy organizations, and they are tasked to grow and scale quickly in an industry that the rest of the retailer is not familiar with, which is media," said Molly Hjelm, head of retail media for Ace Hardware's RedVest Media network, during IAB’s Connected Commerce event last week.

AI-powered network promises sharper targeting and measurable impact.

In today's podcast episode, EMARKETER Vice President & Principal Analyst, Sarah Marzano, examines what's holding in-store back, what it will take to overcome these constraints, and where the most meaningful opportunities lie as retailers work to scale the next stage of retail media.

Physical stores represent retail media's largest untapped growth opportunity, but the industry's ecommerce-first infrastructure is preventing that potential from being realized. "Retail media in the US was never built for physical stores," said our analyst Sarah Marzano at EMARKETER's Commerce Media Trends Summit. "The system we built was designed around ecommerce native signals, ecommerce native formats, and ecommerce native measurement."

In-store is retail media’s biggest missed opportunity. Ecommerce-first design, weak measurement, and internal friction keep budgets small, even as stores drive most sales. Closing the gap demands new standards, aligned incentives, and real infrastructure investment.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss why Gap is introducing a Chief Entertainment Officer, whether this is a bold, transformational move or a distraction from retail fundamentals, and how success should be measured 12 months from now. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Senior Analyst Blake Droesch.

Retail is entering a more complex, multichannel era, testing retail media strategies as a result. In this video, Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano examines the structural shifts reshaping how consumers discover and purchase, and what those changes signal for growth.

As commerce media ad spend shifts, clear gaps emerge in buyer maturity and execution. From setup friction to system-level optimization, spend levels signal today’s constraints and what it takes to unlock scalable growth.

In the coming year, experts believe retailers will aim to consolidate their operations and link retail media silos with broader organizations.

Retail media strategies are diverging; Macy’s and Iceland show how retailers are choosing between faster scale through partners and deeper control through bespoke in-store systems.

Sam’s Club and BJ’s aim to show that samples and screens drive sales.

Our analysts (or “bakers”) compete in a Great British Bake Off–style episode, discussing how retailers will be restructuring their commerce media teams and focusing on hard launching their in-store retail media capabilities. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, along with Analyst Arielle Feger and Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano.

"Retail and growing a business today relies a lot more on developing alternative revenue streams and brand building that goes far beyond the typical selling products at a good price," said our analyst Blake Droesch during a recent “Behind the Numbers” podcast recorded live at the National Retail Federation's (NRF) 2026 Big Show.

Out-of-home (OOH) ad spending keeps climbing, powered by digital screens, in-store placements, and programmatic buying. Growth is steady, but budgets still lean on traditional formats as automation reshapes how brands plan and buy.

A 229,000-square-foot superstore may help Amazon boost offline share and strengthen its ecommerce fulfillment.

This FAQ addresses how retail media works, who the major players are, and what marketers should consider when allocating budgets.

Kroger, CVS, and others are increasing in-store retail media investments as interest grows.

While we were right that retailers would offer richer in-store experiences to attract shoppers, we were wrong about how Amazon, discount retailers, and dollar stores would evolve their physical and digital strategies. From AI tools that stayed online to unfulfilled marketplace ambitions, here’s how we did with our 2025 predictions.

Looma raised $10 million in Series B funding and a $3 million credit facility to expand its network of 7,000 in-store screens, which now reaches 27 million shoppers monthly across major grocers such as Kroger and H-E-B. Its recent rollout to 600 Kroger wine and spirits departments followed a multiyear test that boosted category sales and delivered strong returns for featured brands. Although in-store retail media is scaling more slowly than expected, grocery remains a key proving ground, with most retailers planning activations. Success will hinge on solutions that pair broad reach with measurable sales lift—an area where Looma’s early results stand out.

The commerce media landscape is bracing for a defining year. Pressure is building across retailers and platforms to rethink how shoppers discover, evaluate, and buy products.