Too often, retail media performance gets boiled down to a single number: ROAS. But is that really enough to guide smart investment decisions? In this episode, I share another highlight from the Retail Media Tech Jam livestream with Tom Limongello and Scott Messer from The Middlemen podcast. Together, we unpack why relying solely on ROAS can be misleading, and what metrics and insights media buyers should be demanding instead.

You’ll hear us explore the buyer’s checklist for retail media success, from securing log files to evaluating PDP quality scores, and why brands themselves now need to think more like publishers. We also dig into marketplace dynamics, the evolving role of creative optimization, and whether retail media could ever move toward performance-based pricing models.

This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta Group

Timeline

[00:00] - Setting the stage: why ROAS isn’t enough
[01:19] - Asking the right questions: site lists, log files, and media plans
[02:37] - Understanding retail media as a marketplace
[03:15] - PDP quality scores and their growing influence
[05:20] - Comparing networks through efficiency, not just ROAS
[06:18] - Why creative optimization matters more than ever
[08:04] - Audience question: will retail media move to CPA models?

Links & Resources

Watch the full Retail Media Tech Jam: The Middlemen X Retail Media Breakfast Club livestream replay on LinkedIn
Listen to The Middlemen podcast
Follow Tom Limongello on LinkedIn
Follow Scott Messer on LinkedIn
Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
Follow Kiri on LinkedIn

ROAS Isn’t Enough — The Buyer’s Checklist for Retail Media