#United States #New York #Marketing Solutions #Commerce Media #GrowthLoop

Study Highlights Advertiser Spending Shifts

In today’s rapidly evolving marketing landscape, a significant study by GrowthLoop has been unveiled, indicating that a majority of advertisers are increasingly willing to allocate higher budgets when seeking faster audience fulfillment and enhanced choices. The 2026 Commerce Media Investment Index, conducted in collaboration with Ascend2, surveyed nearly 300 marketing professionals from the U.S. and Canada involved in commerce media advertising decisions.

Key Findings

The 2026 Commerce Media Investment Index sheds light on how advertisers prioritize commerce media expenditures crucial for driving revenue and growth. Here are some critical revelations from the study:

• - Speed Without Compromise: A staggering 86% of the advertisers surveyed expressed that slow audience fulfillment could prompt them to either reduce their expenditures or switch partners. In contrast, 85% indicated a willingness to pay a premium for same-day fulfillment of audience analytics.

• - Demand for Diverse Segments: Nearly all respondents stated that gaining access to a broader range of audience segments would motivate them to augment their spending. In fact, only 38% reported extreme satisfaction with the number of audience segments currently available through their partners.

• - Challenges With ROI: The study also unveiled that 32% of advertisers have either reduced, paused, or reconsidered investments due to difficulties related to proving Return on Investment (ROI) to leadership.

According to Anthony Rotio, co-founder and co-CEO of GrowthLoop, "Advertisers are telling media networks how to win more budget: Provide better audiences, activate them faster, and deliver meaningful results quickly enough to inform the next campaign."

Investment Patterns in Commerce Media

Advertisers are spreading their budgets across a crowded commerce media market, recently allocating at least 15% of their digital advertising budgets to these networks. An impressive 90% of respondents collaborate with two or more partners specializing in retail and commerce media. Most importantly, none planned to decrease their spending in the coming year; in fact, 85% intend to boost their budgets for commerce media.

Speed Is Key

The study highlighted that speed is a critical factor in spending decisions:

• - 92% of advertisers would be inclined to increase spending if audience fulfillment speeds up.
• - 94% of respondents are likely to allocate more funds to partners that offer self-service audience building tools.
• - Those experiencing the highest ROI were five times more likely to receive custom audience metrics on the same day.

Confidence in Measurement Drives Growth

While confidence in incrementality measurement remains modest—with only 40% of respondents expressing confidence in their partners' measurements—advertisers who feel assured in their partners' capabilities are more than twice as likely to substantially exceed their ROI targets.

Campaign Data Delays

An alarming statistic shows that nearly half of the advertisers wait over a week to receive post-campaign performance data, with only 8% getting immediate insights on the same day. That lack of timely data can hinder future decision-making significantly, with only 32% of respondents stating they can consistently use campaign results to refine audience targeting in future initiatives.

Real-World Example: Gopuff

Gopuff, an instant commerce platform specialized in delivering everyday products, exemplifies how media networks can effectively address the demand for speed and audience scale. By implementing a composable commerce media solution, Gopuff has managed to expand their audience segments significantly—from 100 to over 600—and for their subsidiary, BevMo!, from 75 to 400. This allowed them to present a broader selection of targeted options, serving both internal teams and brand partners effectively.

Gopuff's Director of Data Partnerships, JR Crosby, noted, "Advertisers increasingly expect both greater audience customization and faster activation, and we no longer have to trade one for the other."

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 2026 Commerce Media Investment Index reveals shifting expectations and requirements from advertisers. The emphasis on speed and audience segmentation could dramatically reshape the marketing landscape, compelling partners to deliver innovative solutions that meet these escalating demands. The full report is available for download, and it promises to be a game-changer for those looking to enhance their advertising strategy moving forward.

For further insights about GrowthLoop’s offerings, please visit their official website.

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