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AUGUST 31, 2026 |
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Commerce media is entering a new phase, one defined less by rapid expansion and more by operational maturity, EMARKETER analysts and industry leaders say. |
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As the channel becomes a core part of marketers' media strategies, the conversation is shifting from whether to invest to how to make those investments deliver measurable business results. |
In a new EMARKETER guide titled
"Commerce media outlook: What industry leaders see ahead," our analysts and industry leaders give their thoughts about the capabilities brands should prioritize today, the consumer behaviors that will shape tomorrow, and what it will take to succeed as commerce media becomes a permanent pillar of the media mix. |
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Matt Barresi, president of digital commerce and capabilities at Kimberly-Clark told us why he values governance before scale and the implications of strong measurement.
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EMARKETER SUMMIT |
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Here’s what our Sept. 15 The Future of Digital event offers: |
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EMARKETER’s annual The Future of Digital forecast
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AI and agentic commerce with Horizon Media, VML, and JPMorgan Chase
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Commerce media’s role in the media mix with SharkNinja and Nanit
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Where video budgets are headed with Thorne and Bar Keepers Friend
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Intimate conversations with Gotham FC/She Pivots the Podcast and Ogilvy |
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Seats are going fast. Qualified brands attend free. Agencies discounted. |
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Ecommerce was the driving force behind Walmart’s US growth in Q2. |
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It contributed 510 basis points to the retailer’s comparable sales expansion during the quarter, offsetting a low-single-digit decline in in-store sales, per the company’s earnings release. |
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Walmart blamed the disparity on challenges within its pharmacy business, which is struggling with drug price deflation in the wake of maximum fair price rules. The retailer noted that the vast majority of sales for its health and wellness business occur in store, making any disruption detrimental to traffic. |
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Why it matters: Walmart’s physical retail struggles look increasingly like a long-term issue, rather than a short-term blip. We expect Walmart’s US ecommerce sales to outpace retail growth into 2028, with online sales growing 5.5 times faster this year. Ecommerce has propped up Walmart’s comparable sales growth since Q4 2025, raising questions about whether the retailer is losing its ability to drive shoppers to its stores. |
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