Retail media trends to watch, without the hype

Most trend pieces predict everything and commit to nothing. This one tries to do less. The retail media trends worth watching are the ones already visible in how the industry works, where the open question is how far they'll go and what they'll mean for buyers. None of what follows is a forecast. Each is a development to track, with questions a buyer can ask now.

The useful stance is curiosity with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Will measurement become more standardized?

It's a live question. Buyers often point out that networks measure results differently, which makes comparisons hard. Industry groups, including the IAB, have published guidance on retail media measurement, and some networks describe their methods with reference to that guidance.

What to watch: whether networks adopt common definitions for impressions, attribution and incrementality, and whether buyers start requiring them in RFPs.

What to do now: ask every network to explain its methods in detail, and favor those that report incremental results against comparison groups, with ranges. Buyers who keep their own consistent measurement approach across networks are better placed however standardization unfolds.

How will in-store screens develop?

In-store screens have become a visible part of retail media, alongside retailer websites and apps. Screens at entrances, in aisles, at coolers and at checkouts each offer different placements.

Placement is a key difference between screens today. A screen at the entrance, one in an aisle and one at the counter reach shoppers at different moments, and each suits different messages.

What to watch: how networks measure in-store audiences, how they connect screen exposure to store-level sales, and how creative practices adapt to screens seen in brief glances.

What to do now: treat in-store screens as their own channel with their own creative rules. Test what works for your products, and keep results separate from online retail media.

NRS Digital Media, for example, runs screens on NRS point-of-sale systems in independently-owned stores, placing them at the counter where shoppers pay.

Will programmatic DOOH become more common?

Programmatic advertising has extended into digital out-of-home, allowing buyers to purchase screen inventory through technology platforms. Private marketplaces offer a middle ground between open buying and direct deals.

What to watch: how much DOOH inventory becomes available programmatically, how targeting and reporting compare with direct buys, and whether programmatic makes planning across channels simpler.

What to do now: understand the buying routes each network supports. NRS Digital Media campaigns can be bought directly or by PMP. Compare the reporting you'd receive through each route before choosing.

Will independent stores play a larger role?

Much of the retail media conversation has focused on large chains with loyalty programs. Independent stores serve many neighborhoods and shopping trips that chains don't.

Independent stores also differ from one another more than chain stores tend to, which makes store-level measurement and careful comparison groups especially important.

What to watch: how networks that cover independent stores measure and report, and how brands plan across chain and independent channels together.

What to do now: if your products sell in independent stores, consider whether your retail media plan reaches them. Measure each channel separately.

What about privacy?

Privacy expectations and rules continue to change, and they vary by state. Retail media approaches that rely on aggregated store-level data face different considerations from those built on individual profiles.

What to watch: changes in privacy law and industry practice, and how networks adapt their targeting and measurement.

What to do now: ask each network what data it uses and how, and involve legal counsel early. To discuss any of these topics, contact the NRS Digital Media team, or visit the NRS Digital Media site.