94% of Advertisers Want Unified Retail Media Buying, New Koddi Research Finds

Demand to reach new audiences beyond retailer-owned channels is surging, and success will hinge on making access to offsite channels simple and seamless

Koddi, the leading commerce media platform for enterprises, released new research that reveals 94% of advertisers value the ability to activate on-site, off-site and in-store from a single platform, and 69% prefer to buy through retailer-led solutions, underscoring the demand for retailer-owned first-party data. The report, created in partnership with RetailX, examines how advertisers are investing in offsite channels, the growing competition among retailers to capture that spend, and the pressure for retailers to evolve into omnichannel media hubs that deliver relevant offers wherever consumers shop.

“Retail media has seen an explosion of interest, and as advertisers look to expand reach and scale, off-site and in-store channels need to be more accessible,” said Eric Brackmann, vice president of commerce media at Koddi. “But to be future-proof, retailers must provide a unified way to buy across on-site, off-site and in-store, powered by retailer data they trust. Off-site is primed for growth, and full-stack solutions that can truly manage across channels will be the ones that win. Retailers on disparate ‘frankenstacks’ will be left behind.”

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Key takeaways for retailers to consider include:

• A single buying approach for on-site, off-site and in-store media is a strategic imperative: About 94% of advertisers value the ability to activate on-site, off-site and in-store from a single platform. What’s more, 69% prefer to buy through retailer-led solutions, meaning retailers are expected to evolve into full-funnel ecosystems, offering seamless audience extension, bundled inventory and integrated measurement across all channels to maximize return on investment.
• Social media still reigns supreme, but video and CTV are gaining traction: While 62% of advertisers are prioritizing social media investments, 66% are increasing spend in shoppable video and immersive TikTok-style ads, and 52% are moving budget into streaming, where audiences are fragmenting.
• Measurement and attribution remain the number one challenge (and the key differentiator): Measurability and attribution are driving investment decisions as 39% of advertisers struggle to compare results across platforms. Channels like video, CTV and social are all seeing heavy investment from retailers in closed-loop measurement, while lower adoption of podcasts (23%) and DOOH (21%) likely reflects attribution challenges.

• Appetite for curated deals is high: Nearly 9 in 10 retailers and brands say they want curated deals, signaling strong demand for packages that combine retailer first-party data with premium publisher inventory. Historically, offsite campaigns were routed through DSPs or direct publisher buys, but retailers are now emerging as data providers, using DSP integrations to deliver audience-rich curated packages that extend their influence beyond owned channels.

Koddi partnered with The Human Instinct to conduct in-depth interviews with senior executives and retail media decision-makers who buy media from leading brands and agencies across the U.S. The study was conducted in Spring 2025.

Koddi powers many of the top ten commerce media networks. Its technologies empower retailers, marketplaces, online travel agencies and more to take part in the commerce media opportunity projected to represent over $1.3 trillion of enterprise value by 2026.

Koddi is the leading retail and commerce media technology for enterprises. Leveraging AI and first-party data, Koddi builds retail and commerce media networks for the biggest companies in the world, including Kroger, Booking.com, Grubhub, Gopuff, Fanatics and Cars.com. With more than a decade of experience and powering billions of media spend, the company is leading the fast-growing rise of commerce and retail media. Koddi supplies technologies that empower retailers, marketplaces, online travel agencies and more to realize the $100 billion commerce media opportunity.

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