From Store to Media Channel: How Retail Monetizes In-Store Trends in 2026

When short-form video, real-time data, and audience targeting move into the physical store, something entirely new emerges. A commercial model where retailers generate revenue both from product sales and from their role as a media channel.

According to Michael Lemner and Christian Bönnelyche at BizLab, 2026 will be the year when more retailers begin to capitalize on the value they already possess — their store visitors. They identify three clear trends shaping physical retail in 2026.

1. New revenue streams through in-store retail media

“The most significant revenue shift occurs when physical retail starts selling audience contacts instead of space. With technology that shows who actually sees a message based on gender, age, time, and location — the store can offer advertisers the same level of measurability as online,” says Christian Bönnelyche.

This means:

• Payment per actual exposure, not estimated reach

• Campaigns that can be compared with other media channels

• Higher advertiser willingness to pay, since the audience is close to the point of purchase

“When a store can show who it reaches, when it reaches them, and in what context, it becomes a truly relevant media channel. That’s when advertising budgets begin shifting from traditional media into the store,” Christian continues.

2. Increased sales through higher relevance — not more messages

Alongside new media revenues, the store’s own sales increase. When messages are adapted to who is actually in the store, noise and irrelevance decrease and conversion rises.

Instead of running the same campaign for everyone with static messages over time, retailers in 2026 can work with:

• Different messages depending on the target audience

• Adaptation based on time of day, weather, and situation

• Short video formats that builds recognition and supports decision-making

“The result is higher average basket size, more effective campaigns, and a clearer link between communication and sales,” says Michael Lemner, international retail strategist and board member at BizLab.

“When relevance increases, there’s no need to push harder. The customer is already there. The right message at the right moment goes a long way,” Michael adds. “Retailers can also achieve better profitability by collecting more data on all store visitors.”

“Physical retail can become much better at capturing data from all store visitors not just those who make a purchase,” Michael continues. Today, 60–80 percent of visitors leave without buying anything. With new technology, retailers in 2026 can understand:

• Who they are, based on gender and age group

• How long they stay

• How they respond to different messages

This data can be used to:

• Improve staffing and assortment

• Optimize content and offers

• Increase conversion over time

“Even small improvements in conversion have a major impact on results especially in an industry with tight margins,” says Michael.

3. A new business logic for physical retail

Taken together, this means that in 2026 retail will no longer make money only at the checkout, but also from:

• Who visits the store

• The attention created by campaigns

• How that attention can be measured and monetized

“The physical store can become a multi-dimensional revenue platform,” says Michael Lemner.

“This is not a distant future vision. The technology already exists. The question is which retailers choose to act and build new revenue streams while others continue to just talk about retail media,” concludes Christian Bönnelyche.