The 2026 State of Brand Commerce: H2 Planning Edition
Six months into the year, see which marketplace trends have already played out and where leading brands are investing next.
As H2 planning accelerates, the 2026 Brand Survey offers a benchmark for how more than 1,000 brand and e-commerce leaders are adapting to today’s retail landscape. Explore how leading organizations are responding to rising advertising costs, AI-driven discovery, evolving retail media strategies, and growing pressure to prove profitable growth.
Use these insights to validate your strategy, uncover emerging priorities, and see where the market is headed next.
Key Takeaways for E-Commerce Brands
78% of brands saw increases in retail media costs, citing rising CPC’s y-o-y
74.8% of brands expect Amazon advertising budgets to increase
61% of brands expect up to 25% of product discovery traffic to come from AI-driven interfaces
If you are responsible for retail media, advertising performance, or e-commerce growth, this report provides a data-backed view into:
- Where incremental retail media dollars are flowing
- How brands are responding to CPC inflation and margin pressure
- Why advertising performance must now be evaluated through incrementality and margin impact, not just attributed efficiency
- What AI-driven commerce means for discovery and performance in 2026
Access the 2026 State of Brand Commerce Report
Data and insights from 1,000+ brands