For most brands, retail media starts and ends with Amazon. It's the largest marketplace and the most mature ad platform, so that makes sense. But if your products sell on other retail sites, Amazon is only part of the opportunity.

We've run campaigns across Amazon, Walmart (for both first-party and third-party sellers), Home Depot, and Wayfair. Here's what we've learned about when each network makes sense.

What Is Retail Media?

Retail media is advertising sold by retailers on their own websites and apps, and increasingly off-site and in stores too. Because these ads appear where shoppers are already browsing and buying, they reach people at the moment of purchase. Retailers also have first-party data on what their customers actually buy, which makes their targeting especially valuable.

Walmart

Walmart Connect is Walmart's retail media network, and it's the most natural next step for most brands already advertising on Amazon. Marketplace sellers can run Sponsored Products in search results and on product pages, Sponsored Brands with a logo and multiple products, and shoppable Sponsored Videos.

When it makes sense: If your products are sold on Walmart.com, whether you sell to Walmart directly as a supplier or through its marketplace, Walmart ads are worth testing. The ad formats will feel familiar if you run Amazon Ads, and competition is often lower in many categories.

Home Depot

Home Depot's retail media network, Orange Apron Media, reaches homeowners and home improvement professionals. In 2024, Home Depot launched Orange Access, a self-service platform that lets suppliers of all sizes plan, run, and report on campaigns across on-site, off-site, and in-store placements.

When it makes sense: If you sell home improvement, tools, outdoor, or home goods products through Home Depot, its ads put you in front of shoppers with clear project intent, often at the exact moment they're comparing options.

Wayfair

Wayfair offers sponsored product ads in search results, category pages, and product pages, along with display ads across its sites and apps. Advertisers can target by keyword or product and manage bids and budgets themselves.

When it makes sense: For furniture, decor, and home goods brands, Wayfair is one of the most focused audiences available. Shoppers come to Wayfair specifically to furnish and decorate, so the intent is high and the competition is category-specific.

How to Expand Beyond Amazon

Adding a new retail media network doesn't mean starting from scratch. A few principles carry over:

  • Start where you already sell well: Prioritize retailers where your products have inventory, competitive pricing, and reviews. Ads amplify a strong listing. They can't fix a weak one.
  • Bring your best data: The search terms and products that perform on Amazon are a smart starting point on other networks.
  • Measure each network on its own terms: Each retailer reports differently. Build a consistent view across networks so you can compare them fairly and shift budget to what works.
  • Right-size the mix: Just like on Amazon, balance product ads, brand ads, and display based on your goals for each retailer.

Go Where Your Shoppers Buy

Your customers don't shop in only one place, and your retail media strategy shouldn't either. Expanding beyond Amazon lets you reach shoppers wherever they're ready to buy, and it reduces your dependence on a single platform.