6 retail media networks shaping the future of online advertising

Retail media networks (RMNs) have emerged as powerful digital advertising channels, providing brands with direct access to motivated customers through on-platform placements like sponsored ads and recommended products.
They leverage first-party data from marketplace activity for precise targeting.
To maximize return on ad spend (ROAS), marketers must understand how these networks evolve and what features to prioritize.
Key RMNs include Amazon, which dominates with 89% of US retail media ad spend and offers multi-channel opportunities including shoppable livestreams and audio ads; Walmart, with strong omnichannel capabilities linking its app to physical stores; Walgreens, which utilizes data from its 100 million loyalty members and offers OTT/CTV inventory; Instacart, focusing on CPG advertisers with highly qualified data from its app; Home Depot, emphasizing online traffic with 2.2 billion yearly visits and claiming 2x ROAS; and eBay, which provides cookieless marketing via user-ID-connected data and its Advanced Audience Technology (eAAT) that boosts impressions by 31% and CTR by 7%.
As consumer shopping shifts online, mastering data to match offers with consumers is crucial, and platforms like Moloco help digital retailers implement their own RMNs.