Retail Media Planning
Part of Approving a UK retailer media campaign brief
Verifying formats in a UK retailer media proposal
Check a UK retailer media quote for bookable on-site, off-site and in-store inventory, eligibility and delivery evidence.
A retailer's media menu indicates what it may sell; a proposal should specify what can be booked for your products and dates. Use on-site, off-site and in-store as labels to check a quote, then ask for the eligible inventory, buying unit and delivery evidence. The distinction matters when a broad format name conceals a narrower placement or store footprint.
Check the proposed inventory, not just the format name
| Proposed environment | What the label usually covers | Evidence to request before accepting the line item |
|---|---|---|
| On-site | Advertising on the retailer's own website or app, including sponsored product placements and display formats. | Named page or search placement, app or web coverage, eligible SKUs, dates, buying unit and how delivered impressions or clicks will be reported. |
| Off-site | Retailer-informed advertising on inventory outside the retailer's own properties. | Named activation channel or partner, eligible audience or product rules, buying unit, delivery report and the boundary of any retailer sales attribution. |
| In-store | Media in the physical shopping environment, such as digital screens or audio. | Store list and zone, planned schedule, booked unit, proof of actual plays where available and whether reported opportunity to see is an estimate. |
These are verification prompts, not a guarantee that every retailer offers every format or measure. IAB UK industry definitions describe the environments. IAB Europe publishes separate online and in-store measurement standards; neither document establishes the availability or reporting specification of a particular booking.
Reconcile the quote with what can run
For each line item, record the retailer's exact format name and the matching product set, geography, dates, device or store coverage, and cost unit.
Ask the retailer to identify what is confirmed, what depends on a later availability check, and what must be supplied by your team. If a proposal names a format but omits the eligible SKU set or store list, treat that as an open booking question.
Do not treat a proposal's audience estimate as a delivered-reach claim. For online activity, ask which impressions, clicks and sales are in the contracted report and which attribution window applies. For in-store activity, distinguish scheduled media from logged plays and estimated opportunity to see. An estimated opportunity is not evidence of individual attention.
Record a format-level decision
Mark each proposed line item accepted, conditional or removed, with the missing fact and its owner. A hypothetical store-screen line could remain conditional until the retailer confirms the store list and playback evidence.
A proposed sponsored product line could remain conditional until the launch SKUs are confirmed eligible. This is a check on the retailer's offer; the broader campaign approval belongs in the parent brief, while provider shortlisting and cross-retailer allocation are separate decisions.
