Ecommerce News from the Last Week
Kroger extends retail media network to in-store screens
At Cannes Lions, Kroger and Albertson's had back to back announcements about extending Retail Media capabilities with in-store digital displays. Kroger's will be powered by Cooler Screens, enabling dynamic, context-aware advertising at the shelf level. This move builds on its existing digital media network by bridging online and in-store experiences.
Key Insight: If "Retail Media" makes you think of Sponsored Ads and DSP on phones and laptops, it's time to reframe. Whether you call it Unified Commerce, Connected Commerce, or Omnichannel, the promise of a joined up shopping experience from online to off may finally be arriving. This will further blur media budget lines across ecommerce, shopper and digital marketing.
Albertsons Media Collective debuts in-store digital display network
Also announced at Cannes Lions, Albertson's new in-store display network will span 1,800 stores, using proprietary measurement tools to offer brands greater transparency and performance metrics. The network is designed to drive sales lift and strengthen closed-loop attribution.
Key Insight: One can't help but consider that up until December, 2024, a Kroger-Albertson's tie-up seemed all but done, until the government broke it up. The merger would have created an advertising behemoth on par with Walmart's reach. It's no surprise they're both racing to make up lost ground by announcing their new networks at one of the media industry's biggest events of the year.
Walmart announces anti-Prime Day sale from July 8-13
Everyone is buzzing about Amazon Prime Day extended to four days, beginning July 8th. But buried in all the noise is that Walmart announced Walmart Deals - a SIX day event, also starting July 8th. Deals will be available in stores starting at 7pm the night before, as well as to Walmart+ members online. And oh yeah: Target and Best Buy are planning SEVEN day events, starting July 6th and July 7th, respectively.
Key Insight: The promotional calendar is expanding, and Walmart’s move signals a broader trend of major retailers attempting to hijack Amazon’s tentpole moments to grab share and loyalty. But it's still Amazon who will be laughing all the way to the bank - a four-day Prime Day event means four days of elevated CPCs as brands compete to win the biggest sales days of the year. While traffic, acquisition and deep deals are the point for other retailers, for Amazon, they're just the means to a different end: boosting the bottom line.
Amazon Prime members prefer Walmart for online grocery shopping, research shows | Grocery Dive
Walmart has surpassed Amazon as the top online grocery destination. About 60% of surveyed online grocery shoppers who subscribe to the service bought groceries from Walmart during the 12 months ahead of an April poll by Coresight Research. And 43% of Amazon Prime members now prefer Walmart for online grocery due to broader selection, better prices, and easier pickup options.
Key Insight: Walmart’s operational execution in grocery is winning loyalty, even among Amazon's core customers. Amazon has momentarily abandoned most of their grocery initiatives, but don't expect that to last long. They can't afford to keep losing ground in this battle.
Easy returns cause big trouble for Amazon sellers, but return rates show signs of slowing
Amazon’s lenient return policies have led to significant financial and operational pain for sellers, with return abuse and unclear accountability cited as major issues. However, recent data shows a slight decline in return rates, offering a potential turning point.
Key Insight: This article is a great primer for those who don't fully understand the returns ecosystem, and why it's more important than ever to get on top of it. Sellers and platforms alike must balance frictionless CX with profitability. The one thing I would add is that returns from any retailer partner can work their way back online for pennies on the dollar. It's a big issue for brands selling across multiple channels, and one that's hard to address in a vacuum.
Amazon expects to cut corporate jobs as it relies more on AI
Amazon is planning new rounds of corporate layoffs in areas like HR and cloud computing support, citing productivity gains from AI tools. CEO Andy Jassy said roles focused on repetitive tasks are most at risk.
Key Insight: AI is already reshaping corporate headcount and ecommerce pros should proactively skill up in areas where human judgment, creativity, or strategic insight remain indispensable. The biggest threat is to entry level roles as we know them today, but at every level, if you aren't learning how to superpower your expertise and execution with AI, you're falling behind faster than you realize.
Labubu: The big hype behind the tiny plushie, in 5 charts
Labubu, a quirky plushie by Pop Mart, has become a cultural phenomenon, generating resale prices hundreds of times above retail and driving frenzy in Asia and beyond. The collectible toy taps into scarcity, nostalgia, and social media-fueled hype.
Key Insight: This may feel out of place in the WER but stay with me, as I am fascinated by Labubu. According to the Prof G Newsletter, "Pop Mart, Labubu’s parent company, is now valued at over $40 billion. In 2024, sales more than doubled to $1.8 billion, profits more than tripled, and international sales jumped from 15% to nearly 40% of revenue." Largely driven by TikTok, it's a reminder that a) brands avoiding TikTok do so at their own peril and 2) those who think tariffs and de minimus changes spell doom for Asian brands need to look deeper; Asian culture and brands are more popular than ever.
Podcast Episodes from the Last Week
CPG Guys: Cannes Lions 2025 Recap with Amazon’s Jeff Cohen
Sat, 21 Jun 2025 - The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jeff Cohen, Tech Evangelist at Amazon Ads as we discuss the key themes discussed at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Earlier in the week, The CPG Guys recorded their 500th episide: Brand Building Through Superior Media Capabilities with Amazon's Tanner Elton, Vice President of US Advertising Sales at Amazon. This conversation explores how his leadership at Amazon has been shaped by key career experiences with a focus on innovation. It covers evolving consumer behavior, the future of advertising amid streaming and ecommerce growth, Amazon’s deepening brand relationships, and how advertiser feedback is addressed. It also examines industry challenges and why Amazon is well-positioned for brand building today.
Retail Media Breakfast Club: Cannes Confessionals #1-4
Episode 1: Where are all the brands? I just landed in Cannes, and wow—talk about a tale of two coastlines! On one side, CMOs and creatives are tucked away in the Palais soaking up award glamour, while out on the Croisette the retail-media crowd is wheeling and dealing under beach umbrellas.
Episode 2: Are You Sitting on a Retail Media Goldmine? Partnering with Forrester, Mirakl unveiled a report titled “Are You Sitting on a Retail Media Goldmine?” From cultural shifts in retail to tapping into the overlooked mid- and long-tail advertisers, we cover the evolving retail media landscape and what it really means for brands and marketplaces. Plus, recapping the inaugural “celebrity death match” debate alongside Colin Lewis and Andrew Lipman—a spicy and engaging alternative to the usual panel talk.
Episode 3: The Funnel is Now a Tunnel. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Paul Longo, GM of AI in Ads at Microsoft Advertising. Later, I dropped in on a compelling panel from the Women in Retail Media Collective event hosted by Criteo. Elisabeth Rommel of eBay delivered some powerful advice on leadership, navigating male-dominated executive teams, and knowing your own value.
Episode 4: RMNs Should Chase That Brand Marketing Budget. I sat down once again with Lauren Livak, Director at the Digital Shelf Institute, and Colin Lewis, an experienced retail media commentator, to unpack the day's highlights. From global retail media strategies to the role of ad tech and B2B innovation, this episode captures the evolving narrative of our industry in real time.
Unpacking the Digital Shelf: Live from Cannes Lions with Jeff Cohen from Amazon Ads
Mon, 23 Jun 2025 - Tune in to hear some of Amazon’s announcements from Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and how AI will change discover for the consumer.
BONUS EPISODE: Live Recaps from Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. On this bonus episode of Unpacking the Digital Shelf you will hear the recap of each day of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity as Lauren Livak Gilbert sits down with Colin lewis & Kiri Masters each day to summarize the themes.
Brave Commerce: Danone’s Arthur Sylvestre on Embracing Digital Commerce to Fuel Growth in Perishables
Tue, 17 Jun 2025 - In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Arthur Sylvestre, VP of Digital Commerce at Danone North America. Arthur shares how the company’s mission and strategic renewal have positioned it for outsized growth, especially in a category as complex as perishables.
Retailgentic: Why the Next Billion-Dollar Brand Won’t Have a Website | Roy Rubin, Entrepreneur and Investor
Thu, 19 Jun 2025 - In this episode of Retailgenic, host Scot Wingo sits down with Roy Rubin, co-founder of Magento and General Partner at R-Squared Ventures, to explore the future of e-commerce in an AI-driven world.
Ecommerce Braintrust: Fueling Families, Driving Growth: The Recipe Behind the #1 Brand on Instacart | Category Disruptors - Anouck Gotlib of Belgian Boys - Episode 397
Tue, 17 Jun 2025 - We’re excited to share Part 2 in our series spotlighting the female CEOs and founders behind some of the fastest-growing and most innovative brands in their categories. This episode features Anouck Gotlib, co-founder and CEO of Belgian Boys—the company behind the high-quality, ready-to-eat Belgian waffles, pancakes, and crêpes we all know and love. Belgian Boys was recently named Instacart’s #1 Fastest-Growing Emerging Brand in 2024, a reflection of its strong momentum and growing presence in the market.
Commerce Collective: Navigating What’s Next: Key Insights from Flywheel’s Future Retail Disruption Report
Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:30:00 +0100 Flywheel Retail Insight's "Future Retail Disruption" report is live, and Hannah Donoghue (SVP, Consulting) and Emma are here to break it all down. They cover what’s driving change across the industry, exploring the biggest forces shaping retail, the assumptions you should make about the future, and the capabilities brands need to build or enhance to stay ahead. Hear how this year’s trends compare to past editions, and get practical insights to help your organization win in a rapidly evolving landscape.
EMARKETER Behind the Numbers: From Prime Time to Screen Time: How Our Attention Is Shifting | Behind the Numbers
Fri, 20 Jun 2025 - On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the battle between linear TV and CTV, one mobile device metric that is going down, and a surprising finding about which age group uses YouTube the most. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Forecasting Writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, and Senior Director of Forecasting Oscar Orozco.
The CPG View: Tariffs, Trust & Trade: Navigating the Future of Supplements on Marketplaces (Loren Israelsen, Founder and President, United Natural Products Alliance)
Thu, 19 Jun 2025 - How are tariffs impacting the landed cost structure and margin pressure for supplement brands selling on marketplaces like Amazon? From UNPA’s vantage point, how prepared is the VMS industry to navigate growing regulatory and trade complexity while scaling globally via platforms like Amazon? As Amazon continues to dominate supplement discovery and purchase behavior, how should brands balance regulatory compliance with the speed and scale that eCommerce demands?
AM | PM Podcast: #452 - Fix Your Listings, Not Your Ads Kamaljit Singh’s $100K Amazon Image Hacks
Thu, 19 Jun 2025 - One of the fastest ways to boost your Amazon sales? Fix your damn listings. Our guest today drops $100K image hacks, avatar secrets, and AI tips you can use today.
FMCG Guys: 246. Search: Entering the AI / LLM Era with Charley Hackerson (CRO at Botify) and Richard Lim (CEO at Retail Economics)
Wed, 18 Jun 2025 - Together with Marco Kormann (AWS), we explore how Generative AI is reshaping the way consumers search, discover, and shop — and what that means for brands and retailers. To do that, we are accompanied by two star guests: Richard Lim , CEO at Retail Economics, and Charley Hackerson , CRO at Botify.