Is Your Retail Media Strategy Wasting Money? Here’s Why Most Brands Get Measurement Wrong

If you’re still chasing last-click attribution, you’re playing an outdated game. Retail media promises precision: spend a dollar, make a dollar. But when every ad is linked to a sale, it’s easy to get addicted to instant gratification—and even easier to miss the bigger picture.

Jacob Snelson, Chief Media Officer at The Bluebird Group, sees it firsthand:

“This is the blessing and the curse of retail media: everything is rooted in direct attribution. We’ve gotten so used to that instant gratification of a sale. But as you move up the funnel, it’s not instant anymore. It’s harder to track, and it’s harder to sell internally to finance teams.”

Welcome to the world of retail media measurement, where the obsession with direct attribution is limiting your brand’s growth potential. As more brands invest in platforms like Target’s Roundel, Walmart Connect, and Amazon Ads, they’re realizing that tying every dollar to a sale isn’t just misleading—it’s costing them big time.

Why Your Upper-Funnel Strategy is Getting Killed

Moving up the funnel is supposed to build brand awareness and drive long-term growth. But for most brands, it’s a tough sell—literally. Finance teams want numbers, and upper-funnel metrics like engagement, brand searches, and social listening don’t deliver the instant ROI they’re used to seeing.

That’s a problem. Chase Arnold, Director of Retail Media, breaks it down:

“Retail media measurement gets especially messy when the attribution model changes as you move up and down the funnel. So many brands struggle to reconcile the last-click attribution bias with view-based attribution. It looks good on paper, but it fails to capture anything really incremental.”

When you are addicted to last-click data, it’s almost impossible to justify spending on awareness campaigns that pay off later. That’s why so many brands over-fixate on lower-funnel metrics—where every click looks like a sale—but end up missing out on meaningful growth.

The ‘Walled Garden’ Problem

You’re running campaigns across Roundel, Walmart Connect, and Amazon Ads. But here’s the catch: each network keeps its data locked away in its own “walled garden,” making it impossible to see how your ads are influencing the customer journey across platforms. The result? Disjointed campaigns and wasted budgets.

Brands are frustrated. They’re asking for consistent metrics across platforms, but the reality is even more complex. Each network has its own KPIs and reporting formats, making it a nightmare to compare performance or measure incremental impact.

To make matters worse, these networks don’t play well together. A shopper who sees your ad on Amazon might convert in-store at Walmart—but good luck trying to connect those dots. This data silo issue is why many brands feel like they’re flying blind, even as they pour millions into retail media.

Why Retail Experience is the Missing Ingredient

The biggest mistake brands make? Thinking digital marketing skills alone will cut it. In retail media, knowing how to navigate each retailer’s ecosystem and understanding in-store dynamics is crucial. Otherwise, you’re not just wasting ad dollars—you’re losing opportunities.

Jacob Snelson says it best:

“Retail media is a different beast. It’s not just about placing ads; it’s about understanding how people shop. If you don’t get that, you’re setting yourself up to fail.”

This is where having retail experience pays off. It helps you make smarter decisions about where and how to invest, ensuring your campaigns actually drive sales—not just clicks.

What’s Next? Predictions for the Future of Retail Media Measurement

Retail media isn’t going anywhere, but the way brands measure it is about to change. Here’s what to expect:

1. Omnichannel Measurement Integration: The future is about connecting online and offline touchpoints. Expect to see more tools that link digital ads to in-store sales, giving brands a fuller picture of how campaigns drive purchases.
2. Advanced Attribution Models: Last-click attribution is on its way out. Multi-touch models that account for every touchpoint in the customer journey will become the new standard.
3. Independent Verification and Standardization: Third-party measurement tools will play a bigger role in verifying data and creating standard metrics across platforms. This will be key to building trust and making smarter investment decisions.
4. AI-Powered Insights: Artificial intelligence will revolutionize retail media measurement. By analyzing massive datasets, AI will help brands optimize campaigns in real time, making adjustments based on shifting consumer behavior.

The Bottom Line

Retail media is rewriting the rules of marketing. But if you’re still clinging to outdated attribution models, you’re not just leaving money on the table—you’re setting your brand up to lose.

The key to winning? Stop obsessing over last-click metrics and start thinking about the entire funnel. Invest in independent measurement tools, embrace advanced attribution models, and don’t underestimate the power of retail experience.

In a world where every click counts, the smartest brands are the ones that see the full picture. Are you ready to level up?