# Kantar study: Retail media networks deliver 92% more first-party data value than conversion lift alone *Brands mining customer insight from retail platforms outperform those chasing transaction volume, Kantar research finds.* By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC. Published 2026-09-16. Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/retail-media-networks-pattern-2026-09-16t09-6 Subject: Retail Media Networks (pattern) Tags: retail media, first-party data, social commerce, customer insight, channel strategy --- Kantar's 2025 research reveals that retail media networks and social commerce platforms drive measurable sales growth, but the brands extracting the highest return are those treating these channels as data collection infrastructure rather than pure transaction engines. According to Kantar, platforms that enable direct brand participation—where the brand controls the customer relationship and captures first-party behavioral data—deliver **92% more** long-term value than those optimized solely for conversion lift. The mechanism: When a brand sells through a retail media network like Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, or Instacart's Carrot Ads, the platform records not just purchase but also search terms, abandoned carts, time on page, and cross-shop behavior. Brands that negotiate data-sharing agreements or operate storefronts within these networks gain access to anonymized customer signals unavailable through traditional retail placement. Kantar's research shows these signals improve product development, pricing strategy, and retention campaigns more effectively than post-purchase survey data. Why this works: Retail media networks sit at the intersection of high purchase intent and logged-in user behavior. A shopper searching for "organic dog treats grain-free" on Instacart is signaling need, budget, and dietary preference in real time. Brands that capture this signal can refine SKU assortment, adjust pack size, or test messaging variants in weeks, not quarters. Kantar notes that brands using retail media data to inform product roadmaps see **34% faster** time-to-market on line extensions compared to brands relying on traditional focus groups. The steal for a small physical-product brand: Start with one retail media network where your product already has distribution or can secure a试listing. If you sell dog treats and have a wholesale account with a regional grocer using Instacart, contact your buyer and request access to Carrot Ads or the grocer's in-house retail media dashboard. Budget **$500–$1,000** for a four-week sponsored product test. Your goal is not immediate ROAS—it's data. Run three ad variants with different benefit callouts ("grain-free," "vet-recommended," "single-ingredient"). Track which search terms generate impressions, which drive add-to-cart, and which convert. Export this data weekly. Within 30 days, you'll know which benefit resonates, which pack size moves, and which customer cohort (urban vs. suburban, repeat vs. trial) responds. Use that insight to brief your next production run, adjust your Amazon detail page, or pitch a new retailer with a data-backed story. If the platform doesn't offer self-service data export, request a monthly report from your account rep. Most retail media networks provide at least summary metrics to participating brands. The broader pattern: Retail media is maturing from a pay-to-play visibility tax into a customer intelligence layer. Brands that treat it as a listening post—running small tests, capturing signals, feeding insights back into product and messaging—compound advantage quarter over quarter. Kantar's research suggests this shift is permanent: as third-party cookies disappear and privacy regulations tighten, first-party data from high-intent retail environments becomes the scarcest, most defensible asset a physical-product brand can own. The next move is to map your current retail footprint against available retail media platforms, identify one where you can secure data access, and allocate a modest test budget to start the feedback loop. ## The takeaway Retail media value compounds when brands mine first-party behavioral data, not just chase conversion volume. --- ## Publisher **Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339. Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**. - Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about - LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt - MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp - Client dashboard: https://dashboard.pops4.com/ - Catalogue: 70,000+ products, 200+ brands