Retailers today face a strategic fork in the road: as retail media networks, agentic AI systems, and connected commerce ecosystems grow into major revenue streams, they must determine whether they are best positioned to operate these platforms, participate in them, or play a hybrid role. The answer depends on a retailer’s data maturity, media assets, and ability to deliver differentiated value.

Retailers with strong first-party data, owned media environments and the operational strength to support full-funnel creative and measurement are increasingly positioned to operate their own platforms. The opportunity now goes beyond sponsored listings. Growth comes from delivering high-quality, immersive story-telling experiences across CTV, DOOH, in-store screens and mobile. Retails who can deliver this in an integrated environment are able to unlock brand budgets, not just shopper marketing spend.

Decide your retail media strategy for the AI economy.

For others, participating in broader ecosystems can be where they find greater value. As marketing shifts toward connected operating systems where data, creative and measurement work together, many retailers benefit from tapping into platforms that already offer scale, identity and AI-driven optimization, rather than building that infrastructure themselves.

What we’re seeing more often is a hybrid approach. Retailers operate their own RMNs to monetize high-intent moments while partnering across larger ecosystems to extend reach, sharpen measurement and access deeper creative intelligence.

Our advice is simple: play to your strengths, but don’t operate in isolation. Choose the role that best leverages your unique assets, while staying connected, interoperable and ready for what’s next.