7-Eleven is making bold moves that contradict retail wisdom, expanding its footprint despite declining same-store sales and traffic. "It's not that they're opening a ton of new stores, it's just they're rejigging their footprint," said our analyst Blake Droesch on a recent episode of “Behind the Numbers.”

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.

Key stat: 72% of US buy-side retail media advertisers say they are buying video ads offsite, second only to social media, according to a March RetailX survey commissioned by Koddi.

Grocery retail sales are robust, and ecommerce is gaining share as more people buy groceries online—making retail media a growing opportunity.​

Pinterest reported Q3 2025 revenue of $1.1 billion, up 17% YoY and slightly ahead of forecasts, as global user growth and AI-driven ad features continue to lift engagement. Monthly active users climbed 12% to 600 million, with international markets up 16% and driving most of the gains. Yet softer Q4 guidance spooked investors, sending shares down 20%. CFO Julia Donnelly cited “moderating ad spend” among US retailers facing tariff pressures. Globally, Pinterest’s AI tools—visual search, generative creative, and shoppable feeds—are strengthening its position as the web’s most frictionless bridge between inspiration and purchase. Consistency remains Pinterest’s quiet advantage.

Grubhub is partnering with Instacart to power its grocery ordering as the Wonder Group-owned platform works to better compete with DoorDash and Uber. Instacart will manage fulfillment and delivery through its 1,000-plus retail network, marking the first time its grocery experience is embedded in another app. The deal expands Instacart’s reach to Grubhub’s urban, suburban, and college users while helping Grubhub diversify into grocery and pharmacy delivery. As rivals deepen partnerships and retail media strategies, both companies aim to boost order volume and ad revenues, leveraging collaboration to counter intensifying competition in the delivery market.

Grocery shopping is more digital than ever, but the physical store remains the cornerstone of the experience, amplified by digital tools and touchpoints. Shoppers blend in-store visits with online discovery, opening new opportunities for brands and retailers to connect with them at every stage. Here’s what marketers need to know about today’s grocery shoppers and what it means for retail media strategies.

Walmart has expanded its Scintilla Digital Landscapes platform with new capabilities that give suppliers a clearer, data-rich view of how customers move from discovery to purchase.

While many Amazon Big Deal Days shoppers sought savings on essentials, nearly one in three participated “just for fun,” per a new CivicScience survey. About 41% planned purchases in advance, while 38% made impulse buys, showing a mix of deliberate and spontaneous shopping. Despite signs the event may have underperformed, it still offered strategic value by driving engagement, boosting retail media investment, and generating incremental sales. Retailers can build on this momentum by personalizing offers, sustaining engagement post-event, and using campaign data to refine future promotions and deepen shopper loyalty.

Albertsons Media Collective, Evan Hovorka, retail media, RMN, commerce media, omnichannel marketing, contextual advertising, data collaboration, clean rooms, LiveRamp Habu, The Trade Desk, Meta, Pinterest, DV360, performance marketing, campaign continuity, retail media standardization, creative innovation, measurement transparency, non-endemic brands, PayPal, digital out-of-home, CTV, shopper experience, brand storytelling, in-store media, performance optimization, KPI-driven campaigns, grocery retail, media maturity, Ad Week New York

At Philadelphia’s 1682 conference, Coca-Cola’s Benny Lee and Hershey’s Andy Hunt shared how two of the world’s oldest CPG brands are transforming retail through creativity, data, and AI. Coca-Cola is evolving from selling beverages to designing experiences—using AI to power global design systems and create immersive in-store storytelling through products like Y3000. Hershey’s is closing the gap between physical and digital by embedding data into every stage of retail, from aisle feedback to retail media KPIs. Both executives envision the store of the future as dynamic, data-driven, and human-led—where AI supports storytelling, not automation.

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days failed to spark early holiday shopping, with only 23% of consumers buying holiday items and just 7% picking up Halloween goods, according to a Numerator survey. Most shoppers used the event for everyday essentials, apparel, and beauty products rather than seasonal purchases. Despite 59% planning future holiday buys on Amazon, many were cautious due to inflation and economic concerns. With weaker engagement and no sales statement from Amazon, this year’s event likely underperformed expectations, highlighting a shift toward more deliberate, budget-conscious consumer behavior ahead of the holidays.

AppLovin’s launch of Axon marks its transformation from mobile gaming to full-scale AI ad platform — and one of ad tech’s boldest pivots yet. The new Axon Ads Manager promises real-time AI bidding, Shopify integrations, and transparent attribution as the company positions itself as a performance-driven alternative to Meta and Google. The rollout comes as the SEC investigates AppLovin’s data practices, spotlighting the tension between AI-powered innovation and compliance. Marketers see opportunity — regulators see risk.

The growth of commerce media investments promises to connect brands with customers for longer stretches of the customer journey, especially when shoppers are close to purchasing. Though much of this extended digital journey leaves out the physical store, this strategy is changing.

In five years, Instacart’s retail media network (RMN) has transformed from a simple performance engine into a full-funnel, end-to-end marketing ecosystem.

For years, the commerce media conversation has centered around one theme: Measurement. But that may be changing. “We are finally moving past just talking about measurement,” said Collin Colburn, vice president, commerce and retail media at the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). “It’s a horse that’s been beaten over the head a little bit too many times.”

Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) has introduced a new suite of off-site capabilities, aiming to help small- to mid-sized brands navigate the complexities of programmatic channels.

In-store retail media has the “reach, quality, rent, safety, and cultural relevance that marketers traditionally want,” said Andrew Lipsman, founder and chief analyst, media, ads, and commerce at Colosseum Strategy, during IAB’s Connected Commerce Summit.

Retail media has rapidly evolved from a nascent idea into a core pillar of digital advertising. “If retail media was a baby, it would be like crawling or maybe walking… you still need to get the fundamentals right,” said Arthur Sylvestre, vice president, digital commerce at Danone North America at EMARKETER’s Future of Digital Summit event.