The Retail Round Up - You Get an Ad Platform, You Get an Ad Platform…We All Get an Ad Platform? - Episode 378
🎙️Interview with Ross Walker and Armin Alipahic
DESCRIPTION
Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.
We officially closed the book on the first month of 2025 and it’s the perfect time to introduce a fresh new format we’re calling the Retail Roundup.
For this inaugural edition, we’ve brought in two of our go-to experts to break down what’s really happening in the industry.
Joining us today are Ross Walker, Director of Retail Media at Acadia, and Armin Alipahic, Operations Team Lead — and a walking, talking encyclopedia of Amazon knowledge since the days Bezos sold his first book.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
“The hottest take I have is that Target’s retail media network is a hot mess. Always has been. If I’m Target’s new CEO, which inevitably there will be, I’m just going to say forget it. We’re just going with Amazon’s ad stack here because Criteo can’t get it right, Citrus can’t get it right, and we don’t seem to be able to build it.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Ross, and Armin discuss:
Amazon Retail Ad Services:
Announced the launch at CES.
Enabling brands to create ads using Amazon’s ad stack.
Compared to Critio and Citrus ads but with Amazon’s unique reach.
Amazon Reimbursement Policy Change:
New reimbursement based on cost of goods sold (COGS) instead of retail price.
Required sellers to report their COGS.
Discussions on potential privacy concerns and impact on margins.
B2B-Specific Bids for Amazon Ads:
Allows brands to bid specifically for business buyers.
Seen as a significant feature for B2B-focused products.
Five-Year Look Back for Amazon Marketing Cloud:
Provides extended access to purchase signals for analysis beyond the typical 12-month period.
Seen as a major development for mid-tier and enterprise brands.
Amazon’s Title Character Count Requirement:
Automatic AI revision of non-compliant product titles.
Aim to eliminate word souping and improve title quality.
Image Compliance Platform Overhaul:
Streamlined approach to identifying and correcting image issues using AI.
Greater automation to reduce manpower and costs for Amazon.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Connect with Acadia’s Director of Retail Media, Ross Walker
Connect with Acadia’s Operations Team Lead, Armin Alispahic
Connect with our host, Julie Spear
Connect with our host, Jordan Ripley
Learn more about Acadia
