Grocery TV and the Interactive Advertising Bureau surveyed marketers and found that 43% report underutilizing in-store retail media as a channel, according to the Shelby Report. The same research shows marketers recognize the medium's full-funnel potential—driving awareness at the top and conversion at the point of sale—yet nearly half admit they are not deploying it effectively. The gap is not belief. It is execution.
In-store retail media refers to digital screens, endcap displays, and audio spots inside grocery and mass retail locations. The format captures shoppers during the highest-intent moment: walking the aisle with a cart. Marketers told IAB and Grocery TV they see value across the funnel, meaning the channel can introduce a new brand and close a sale in the same visit. Despite that recognition, the 43% underutilization figure signals a structural problem—likely rooted in creative production, attribution complexity, and the operational lift required to coordinate with retailers.
The mechanism that makes in-store media effective is contextual immediacy. A shopper sees a message for a snack brand on a screen ten feet from the shelf, then adds the product to the cart. No click, no landing page, no abandoned session. The conversion path is two steps: see, then reach. Traditional digital advertising optimizes for attention in a low-intent environment—someone scrolling on a couch. In-store media flips that: lower reach, but the audience is already shopping. The format works because it compresses the funnel into a single location.
Why the underutilization? Marketers face three friction points. First, creative production for screens in hundreds of stores requires localized assets, often with retailer-specific compliance rules. Second, attribution is harder than digital: a CPG brand cannot pixel-track a cart add in aisle five. Third, the buying process is fragmented. Some retailers sell in-store media directly, others through intermediaries, and formats vary by chain. A brand running a national campaign must negotiate multiple contracts, creative specs, and reporting standards. The operational cost often exceeds the media spend for smaller brands, so they skip the channel entirely.
The steal is to start with one retailer and one format, treating it as a test-and-learn budget line rather than a scaled campaign. A small physical-product brand—say, a hot sauce or a candle line—identifies the single retail partner that drives the most velocity, then approaches that chain's media arm or works through an aggregator like Grocery TV. The brand produces one fifteen-second spot with a clear product shot, a short benefit line, and a shelf location callout. No celebrity, no narrative arc. The entire creative budget for a regional test can run under $2,000 if the brand uses in-house design tools and stock footage. Media placement for a four-week run in 50 to 100 stores typically costs $5,000 to $15,000, depending on geography and retailer. The brand tracks baseline sales in those stores for the four weeks prior, runs the spot, then compares lift. If velocity increases 10% to 20%, the test paid out. The brand then replicates the format in a second retail partner, using the first result as proof in the pitch.
The broader pattern is that in-store retail media favors brands with distribution already in place. If the product is not on the shelf, the screen does nothing. But for any brand with even modest placement—a few SKUs in a regional grocer or a specialty chain—the channel offers a rare compressed funnel. The 43% underutilization figure means the competitive set is smaller than it should be, and early movers gain shelf attention without bidding against a crowded field. The next move is to map your top three retail accounts, confirm they offer in-store media, and budget one quarter's worth of creative and placement as a pilot.
In-store retail media compresses the funnel into one location, but execution friction keeps 43% of marketers out—start with one retailer, one spot, and track lift.
Editorial & Disclosure Notice: This article was written with artificial intelligence from public sources and is published without individual human review. Artificial intelligence and other digital tools are also used for research, analysis, editing, formatting, and production. Errors, omissions, outdated information, or inaccuracies may occur. References to companies, brands, products, services, organizations, or individuals are for informational and editorial purposes and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation, partnership, or approval unless expressly stated. All trademarks and other intellectual property remain the property of their respective owners. Opinions, analysis, estimates, and commentary are informational only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, tax, medical, procurement, or other professional advice. Information may be corrected, clarified, or updated after publication. Corrections or removal requests: jenny@pops4.com.
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