As retail media networks continue to grow, so does the pressure to deliver clear, actionable results. Measurement and attribution are no longer just operational necessities—they’re strategic differentiators.
Yet, many retailers and advertisers still grapple with incomplete data, outdated attribution models and misaligned expectations. For 2025, it’s time to set a new standard: Honest measurement must be the priority for every retailer and advertiser navigating the evolving retail media landscape.
In this blog, we'll define honest measurement and explore why it's so crucial for retail media.
What is honest measurement in retail media?
Honest measurement means providing clear, accurate and actionable insights that reflect the true impact of retail media efforts. For brands, it’s about understanding how their campaigns directly influence shopper behavior and drive sales—not just clicks or impressions. For retailers, it’s about delivering transparent reporting that showcases the value of their media networks while fostering trust with their brand partners.
Honest measurement cuts through inflated metrics and unclear attribution models, enabling brands and retailers to work from a shared foundation of truth. By prioritizing this approach, both sides can align on performance goals, optimize media spend and strengthen long-term partnerships.
The impact of honest measurement for advertisers
For advertisers—whether CPGs, brands or agencies—measurement and attribution are critical decision-making factors in retail media investment. Without clear, reliable data that proves campaign impact, advertisers often face hurdles in justifying spend and scaling their efforts.
Consider these statistics:
- 79% of U.S. CPG brands and agencies say that performance metrics are a top factor in deciding whether to continue working with their current retail media partners (eMarketer).
- 29% of agency and marketing decision-makers would increase retail media investment if offered “measurement innovation for better/easier value proof” (eMarketer).
Unfortunately, many advertisers feel their current solutions fall short. Challenges like double-counting shoppers, inaccurate or inflated attribution and poor identity resolution lead to misleading results that fail to reflect true campaign impact. This isn’t just frustrating—it also undermines confidence in retail media investments.
What advertisers should look for in retail media solutions
The best retail media solutions pair relevant and nuanced activation capabilities with advanced attribution and measurement tools. It's important for advertisers to look for platforms that offer:
- Keyword-specific bid strategies and explorer functionality
- SKU-automated and negative keyword capabilities
- Bid strategy recommendations, and automated approval processes
These features help advertisers optimize campaigns and drive stronger business outcomes on their media investment. The strongest solutions also stay ahead of the curve by offering media measurement that can:
- Connect online interactions to in-store purchases
- Accurately track and measure individual shoppers
- SKU- and brand-level sales attributionSKU-keyword automationAutomated approval processes
By leveraging platforms with cutting-edge capabilities, advertisers can achieve transparency, precision and performance, avoiding common pitfalls like double-counted or missed conversions. With the right tools, brands can confidently measure the true impact of their campaigns across channels.
Why honest measurement matters for retailers
For retailers, accurate measurement is equally critical. Your ability to demonstrate campaign success is the foundation for building trust with your brand partners—and securing future investments. But, with fragmented systems and inconsistent reporting, many retail media networks struggle to meet the rising expectations of advertisers.
This isn’t just a theoretical problem. According to eMarketer:
- 48% of retail media marketers say “attribution to sales” is the biggest challenge they face with retail media networks.
- 40% cite the “timeliness of data and analysis” as a key issue.
- 58% rely on external data analytics platforms to compensate for gaps in their retail media capabilities.
When retailers can’t provide advertisers with the insights they need, brands are forced to look elsewhere. This creates a vicious cycle where trust erodes, investments stagnate and retail media networks fail to reach their full potential.
What retailers should look for in retail media solutions
When evaluating retail media platforms, it's important for retailers to prioritize solutions that offer flexible attribution models and unified reporting capabilities (across tactics and capturing online and in-store transactions). These features help retailers achieve a holistic view of campaign performance and:
- Deliver accurate, transparent results to brand partners
- Showcase the full value of their retail media networks
- Build lasting relationships grounded in trust and performance
By choosing a solution that empowers honest measurement, retailers can stand out in a competitive market and attract the advertisers that fuel growth.
Honest measurement as the industry standard
The stakes for accurate measurement have never been higher. With retail media spend projected to grow rapidly, both advertisers and retailers need solutions that deliver clarity and confidence in their results.
For advertisers, honest measurement means knowing exactly how your campaigns drive sales and avoiding common pitfalls like:
- Over-counting shoppers or misattributing conversions.
- Missed conversions due to fragmented identity resolution.
- Disappointing performance metrics that fail to reflect true outcomes.
For retailers, honest measurement means being able to confidently answer advertisers’ toughest questions, including:
- “How can I prove my campaign impacted sales?”
- “Are my investments delivering maximum ROI?”
- “Why should I trust this media network over others?”
At Epsilon Retail Media, we believe the future of retail media lies in transparency, accountability and innovation. By setting a new standard for honest measurement, our goal is to help both retailers and advertisers achieve their goals.
Make 2025 the year of honest measurement
Honest measurement isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a resolution worth keeping. As you plan for the year ahead, consider how better attribution and reporting can transform your retail media strategy:
- Advertisers: Look for partners that offer advanced tools, unified insights, and the ability to measure true campaign impact.
- Retailers: Invest in technology providers that help you build trust with your brand partners and deliver the transparency they demand.
Let’s make 2025 the year of accountability, accuracy and growth. With Epsilon Retail Media, you’ll have the tools to achieve your honest measurement resolution through 2025 and beyond.
