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Retail media has traditionally been the playground of the big guys — think Amazon, Walmart, Takealot.
These retailers use their owned channels, from websites and apps to in-store screens and newsletters to sell ad space to brand partners, turning shopper touchpoints into high-performing ad environments powered by first-party data.
That’s where commerce media levels the playing field.
Instead of relying solely on your own ecosystem, commerce media lets any retailer monetise their audience across the broader digital landscape, from Meta and Google to programmatic platforms.
And the opportunity is far from theoretical: the global commerce media market is projected to grow from $130B in 2026 to $1.3T by 2030.
It’s a model built for flexibility, scale, and accessibility — whether you’re a national chain or a niche online store with loyal customers.
Flow connects you directly to brands’ demand for your data, making it easy to activate your audience data off-site, share access to new segments with your brand partners, and strengthen your commercial offering — all without building a retail media network from scratch.
In this post, we’ll walk you through:
- The difference between retail media and commerce media
- Why first-party data is your biggest untapped asset
- How smaller retailers can earn from their audience and offer more to brand partners
- Real examples of businesses already doing it
Because you don’t need to be a media giant to act like one — just the right tools and a valuable audience.
Retail Media vs Commerce Media: What’s the Difference?
Retail media is what happens when big retailers turn their owned platforms into advertising machines. Think banner ads on a supermarket’s app or sponsored products on an e-commerce site — all sold to third-party brands who want to reach high-intent shoppers at the point of purchase.
Great if you own the site, the shelves, the traffic, and the tech.
Not so great if you’re a smaller retailer without that scale.
That’s where commerce media steps in.
Instead of being limited to your own real estate, commerce media uses your first-party data to help brands target relevant customers off-site — on social platforms, in programmatic environments, even on other commerce-focused platforms within a shared network.
It’s:
- Not limited to retail
- Not limited to your website or app
- No need for a big ops or tech team
And the kicker? You can monetise your audience without disrupting your customer experience. No cluttering your website with ads. No building out an entire media sales team. Just plug into a platform like Flow, and let your data do the heavy lifting.
Retail media monetises your platforms. Commerce media monetises your audience.
For smaller retailers, that’s a game-changer.
How to Monetise Without a Retail Media Network
Here’s how smaller retailers are tapping into commerce media — simply, smartly, and on their own terms:
1. Start with First-Party Data
Your most valuable asset isn’t your ad space — it’s your audience data.
Site traffic, purchase history, CRM lists, email subscribers — this is what brands want. Especially as third-party cookies fade, first-party data is becoming the new currency in digital advertising.
2. Plug into a Commerce Media Platform
This is where platforms like Flow can offer a fully turnkey tech solution.
From data activation to connecting you directly with data buyers — so you can focus on your core business while earning from your audience.
No tech lift. No manual campaign management.
Just a clean way to activate what you already have.
3. Monetise Off-Site (and Stay in Control)
Your audience can also be activated away from your owned platforms… off-site — on platforms like Meta, Google, and programmatic channels. You stay in full control of your data and brand relationships, while brands get precision targeting based on real customer behaviour.
It’s a win-win:
- You unlock a new revenue stream
- You drive more traffic back to your website, boosting your retargeting pool
- Your brand partners and suppliers get better campaign performance
- Your customer experience stays clean and uninterrupted
4. Offer More to Brand Partners
This isn’t just a monetisation play — it’s a relationship builder.
Commerce media lets you bring more to the table when working with brand partners: access to broader audiences, better performance, and real insight into who’s buying what.
It strengthens your competitive positioning, increases retention, and gets more of the ad budget flowing your way.
Real Examples: How Others Are Already Winning
Commerce media isn’t theory — it’s already working for businesses that don’t have a retail media network, a giant audience, or a big ad ops team.
Here’s how a few smart players are making it happen with Flow:
Hellopeter
Once seen mainly as a complaints site, Hellopeter has evolved into a high-intent review platform with a valuable audience actively researching products and services.
Instead of running display ads, they now monetise their audience behaviour off-site — letting brands in insurance, telco, and e-commerce reach consumers at key decision-making moments.
And it works: one SA retailer achieved a 1,420% ROAS using Hellopeter audiences through Flow.
No ad clutter. No tech build. Just clean, commerce media revenue.
DigsConnect
South Africa’s largest student housing platform didn’t just monetise their user base, they turned it into an audience offering. By tapping into Flow, DigsConnect enabled brands to reach students based on real behaviour and life stage, not assumptions.
Now, they’re helping brands target a niche, highly engaged segment across multiple channels — while earning revenue in the process.
These aren’t media giants. They’re just businesses with smart data, engaged audiences, and a willingness to try something new. With Flow, they were able to monetise, grow partnerships, and stay focused on their core business — no ad network required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a retail media network?
An ad platform run by a retailer, where brands buy space on the retailer’s site, app or email, like sponsored products on Takealot or banner ads on Checkers Sixty60.
What’s the difference between commerce media and retail media?
Retail media refers to ads placed within a single retailer’s owned ecosystem, like on-site banners, app placements, or in-store screens and is powered by shopper behaviour from that retailer alone.
Commerce media, on the other hand, is a broader model. It uses first-party data from a wide range of digital interactions (not just shopping) to target high-intent consumers across channels like Meta, Google, and programmatic platforms. And unlike retail media, it’s not limited to retailers. Any business with valuable audience data, from marketplaces to review platforms can play.
Is commerce media only for retailers?
Not at all. Marketplaces, review sites, classifieds, and even niche e-commerce brands can all take part if they have first-party data.
