The Big Shift - How Brands Tip the Retail Power Balance

Since the beginning of commerce, brands and retailers have been locked in a dynamic power struggle.

In the early days, the retail ecosystem was incredibly fragmented and retailers paid reputable brands a premium to list them. But when the ecosystem began to consolidate into a handful of larger retailers, they suddenly had leverage over brands. Retailers now own marketplaces, ad platforms, robust customer insights, and consumer relationships, but winning brands will be able to turn this on its head, leveraging marketplaces’ consumer infrastructure to their own advantage. Data is power - and retailers are forced to give it away.

Highlights

• Power implications for large brands on digital marketplaces that value selection, not scale
• Motivations of retailers both as retailers and as advertising platforms
• How brands can evaluate and select the best retailer partners in a crowded RMN landscape