Retail media has gone from being the “next big thing” to one of the most powerful channels in digital advertising. As more consumers shift their shopping journeys online and retailers evolve into full-fledged media companies, the line between commerce and advertising is blurring at an increasingly rapid pace.
The upcoming years will mark a period of accelerated innovation, consolidation, and creativity in the retail media space. Mobupps has prepared five predictions for what’s ahead. Let's explore together!
Retail media will become the center of omnichannel marketing. In 2025–2026, expect retail media networks (RMNs) to expand beyond sponsored product listings and onsite banners into true omnichannel hubs. Think connected TV, in-store digital signage, social commerce tie-ins, and even programmatic out-of-home. Marketers will increasingly treat RMNs as the glue connecting upper-funnel branding with bottom-funnel conversions, demanding seamless attribution across every touchpoint.
AI-powered personalization will drive every click. As we have all noticed, AI is moving retail media from static placements to predictive commerce advertising. In the coming years, retailers will deploy machine learning models that anticipate shoppers' needs and recommend products before they are even aware of them. Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) will pair with first-party purchase data to create hyper-relevant ads, like suggesting meal kits to a customer browsing recipes at 6 PM. The outcome? Ads that feel less like ads, and more like helpful nudges that drive higher conversion and loyalty.
First-party data wars will continue to escalate. Retailers already have vast amounts of purchase history, loyalty data, and app engagement metrics. By 2026, we’ll see exclusive data partnerships between retail media networks, CPG brands, and ad-tech platforms, creating closed opportunities that wall off competitors. But this could create fragmentation. Advertisers will have to balance the benefits of precision targeting with the headache of navigating multiple walled gardens.
Measurement will be retail media’s make-or-break. Do you know what the biggest criticism of RMNs is so far? A measurement. In 2025–2026, retailers will be under pressure to prove incrementality, not just deliver clicks. Expect a rise in standardized reporting frameworks, third-party verification, and partnerships with measurement companies to address this credibility gap. Brands will demand transparency: Did this campaign drive new sales, or just capture purchases that were going to happen anyway? Retailers that can answer confidently will pull ahead.
Commerce advertising will blur into content. Shopping and entertainment are merging. TikTok Shop, YouTube Shorts, and live-stream shopping are early signals of a trend that’s about to explode. Over the next two years, content-driven commerce is expected to become mainstream. For advertisers, this means learning to design creative that sells without being overtly promotional: blending storytelling, influencers, and immersive formats that make buying as easy as liking a post.
Retail media is evolving into the most dynamic frontier in advertising, where data, creativity, and commerce collide. If you want to be the winner in 2025–2026, offer measurable performance, frictionless omnichannel experiences, and personalized content that feels native to the shopping journey.
At Mobupps, we’ve built our own technology solutions designed to empower advertisers in this exact moment of change. With our in-house platforms for user acquisition, media monetization, and marketing automation, we help brands harness first-party data, optimize performance across channels, and deliver personalized experiences that convert. From scaling campaigns across retail media networks to delivering transparent measurement and commerce-driven creativity, Mobupps equips advertisers to stay ahead of the curve in 2026 and beyond.
Retail media has gone from being the “next big thing” to one of the most powerful channels in digital advertising. As more consumers shift their shopping journeys online and retailers evolve into full-fledged media companies, the line between commerce and advertising is blurring at an increasingly rapid pace.
The upcoming years will mark a period of accelerated innovation, consolidation, and creativity in the retail media space. Mobupps has prepared five predictions for what’s ahead. Let's explore together!
Retail media will become the center of omnichannel marketing. In 2025–2026, expect retail media networks (RMNs) to expand beyond sponsored product listings and onsite banners into true omnichannel hubs. Think connected TV, in-store digital signage, social commerce tie-ins, and even programmatic out-of-home. Marketers will increasingly treat RMNs as the glue connecting upper-funnel branding with bottom-funnel conversions, demanding seamless attribution across every touchpoint.
AI-powered personalization will drive every click. As we have all noticed, AI is moving retail media from static placements to predictive commerce advertising. In the coming years, retailers will deploy machine learning models that anticipate shoppers' needs and recommend products before they are even aware of them. Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) will pair with first-party purchase data to create hyper-relevant ads, like suggesting meal kits to a customer browsing recipes at 6 PM. The outcome? Ads that feel less like ads, and more like helpful nudges that drive higher conversion and loyalty.
First-party data wars will continue to escalate. Retailers already have vast amounts of purchase history, loyalty data, and app engagement metrics. By 2026, we’ll see exclusive data partnerships between retail media networks, CPG brands, and ad-tech platforms, creating closed opportunities that wall off competitors. But this could create fragmentation. Advertisers will have to balance the benefits of precision targeting with the headache of navigating multiple walled gardens.
Measurement will be retail media’s make-or-break. Do you know what the biggest criticism of RMNs is so far? A measurement. In 2025–2026, retailers will be under pressure to prove incrementality, not just deliver clicks. Expect a rise in standardized reporting frameworks, third-party verification, and partnerships with measurement companies to address this credibility gap. Brands will demand transparency: Did this campaign drive new sales, or just capture purchases that were going to happen anyway? Retailers that can answer confidently will pull ahead.
Commerce advertising will blur into content. Shopping and entertainment are merging. TikTok Shop, YouTube Shorts, and live-stream shopping are early signals of a trend that’s about to explode. Over the next two years, content-driven commerce is expected to become mainstream. For advertisers, this means learning to design creative that sells without being overtly promotional: blending storytelling, influencers, and immersive formats that make buying as easy as liking a post.
Retail media is evolving into the most dynamic frontier in advertising, where data, creativity, and commerce collide. If you want to be the winner in 2025–2026, offer measurable performance, frictionless omnichannel experiences, and personalized content that feels native to the shopping journey.
At Mobupps, we’ve built our own technology solutions designed to empower advertisers in this exact moment of change. With our in-house platforms for user acquisition, media monetization, and marketing automation, we help brands harness first-party data, optimize performance across channels, and deliver personalized experiences that convert. From scaling campaigns across retail media networks to delivering transparent measurement and commerce-driven creativity, Mobupps equips advertisers to stay ahead of the curve in 2026 and beyond.
