Research: Winning shoppers and creating moments with in-store retail media

We’ve all been there. A quick trip into a convenience store to grab one item turns into leaving with a full basket. It’s a familiar experience, and new research confirms it, proving brands that understand their consumers’ needs and the potential of in-store retail media can influence decisions in real time.

Last week, at Madfest’s MAD//North, Co-op Media Network unveiled exclusive research in partnership with Trinity McQueen. This new shopper behavior study explores how consumers navigate small convenience stores compared to large stores. Most importantly, it seeks to uncover how shoppers make purchase decisions.

By observing more than 700 Co-op shoppers, the research uncovers clear opportunities for in-store media to shape the shopper experience. Below, we break down the key findings from this study, and, crucially, what this means for brands and their approach to retail media.

1. Convenience shoppers don’t rely on lists.

The study found that 68% of small-store shoppers had no shopping list guiding their in-store mission. And for the shoppers who did arrive with lists, only half stuck to them. This presents a powerful opportunity for brands to spark inspiration for shoppers.

“The reality is that physical cues in the in-store environment do the heavy lifting,” said Becki Jarvis, Research Director at Trinity McQueen. 

By showing up with relevant messaging, bold creative, and smart placement throughout the shopper journey, brands create mental shortcuts that inspire and simplify decision-making. Effective in-store media acts as a navigation tool, guiding discovery, and making choice easier in the moment.

2. Brands don’t own shopper loyalty. They win moments.

While we often assume shoppers have predetermined brand preferences, only one in five lists specified a brand at all. Even when brands were named, shoppers remained open to alternatives.

Dean Harris, Head of Co-op Media Network, said: “Brands don’t automatically get chosen because they were chosen last time. They get chosen because, in the moment, when a decision had to be made, they stood out mentally and physically.”

Loyalty is fluid, especially in an in-store environment. Winning the consumer requires visibility, clarity, and relevance at the exact point of decision. Through strategic positioning at the shelf edge, aisle entry, and key decision points, brands can expand basket size beyond what was pre-determined. The right message, delivered at the right moment, drives conversion and encourages brand switching, trade-up behavior, and even product experimentation.

3. Convenience shoppers don’t like to leave empty-handed.

Convenience shopping is mission-focused. Shoppers have a need or a problem, and they are looking for the store to help solve it. And with 88% of shoppers unwilling to walk away empty-handed, for brands, it’s all to play for.

“History is not a contract,” Harris told the MAD/North audience. “When a brand isn’t available, shoppers have a decision to make. If fresh choices are being made every single time, then no brand owns any shopper.” 

Additionally, not only do advertisers need to show up in-store at the point of consideration and conversion to be selected, they need to build brand equity beforehand by aligning messaging with missions, not categories.

“What these findings show very clearly is that in-store retail media isn’t a nice-to-have, but fundamental to how decisions are actually made,” said Lee LeFeuvre, Chief Client Officer, SMG. “Customers were seen picking up baskets mid-journey, which shows that strong product, placement, and messaging drive brand switching and increase spend. 

For advertisers, that’s an opportunity to win at the point of decision,” he continued. “For retailers, it’s proof that great in-store experiences drive trial and increase basket size. And for shoppers, it reinforces something simple: they’re looking for inspiration, and in-store is where it happens.” 

SMG’s approach to reaching and enticing shoppers focuses on integrating first-party data, retail insight, and creative excellence to ensure brands are not just present in-store but positioned to convert. In environments where attention spans are measured in seconds, strategic in-store retail media becomes a growth engine.

At SMG, we believe in the strength of in-store media to influence real behavior, not just awareness. By harnessing the full potential of in-store messaging, brands can win shoppers in the aisle, at the shelf, and in the moment that matters most.

Watch the full MAD//Fest North “Brands don’t own shoppers. They win moments.” session to learn more about the shopper behavior study.