Walmart Connect has recently introduced new metrics that link online advertising with in-store purchases. I’ve researched initial trends to identify which product categories are likely to gain the most from these advancements.
Brands with products available in Walmart stores can now evaluate the omnichannel effects of their online ads. The new metrics include:
In-store attributed sales
In-store advertised sales
In-store other sales
In-store units sold
In-store orders
Omnichannel Data for a Seamless Customer Experience
In an internal Walmart survey, 81%of consumers said that they look at the Walmart app or site before going to a store to purchase. 76% said that they are likely to buy products they have seen advertised online in a physical store, and 61% said that ads they see in app help them discover new brands and products they want to try out. These figures underline the omnichannel nature of the typical Walmart shopper's customer journey, which is a combination of web, app and in-store experiences.
This behaviour isn’t unique to Walmart; many shoppers research products online before making offline purchases. The online product detail page offers more information and unbiased recommendations compared to in-store staff.
Previously, brands lacked data to connect digital ads to in-store sales. Walmart’s new attribution metrics change this by linking three types of in-store purchases to online ad interactions:
In-store attributed sale: Purchase of the advertised product.
In-store other sale: Purchase of a different product from the same brand.
In-store advertised sale: Purchase of a product advertised in a multi-SKU campaign.
These metrics allow brands to better understand how online ads influence in-store shopping.
Category-Specific Insights
My participation in Walmart’s closed beta from January to March, 2024, revealed that in-store purchases boost overall campaign data, demonstrating a positive effect of Sponsored Product ads on in-store purchases. Notably, the impact varies by category.
Categories with higher risk of purchasing the wrong product, like car parts, home accessories, toys, or specialty groceries, see more significant increases in in-store attributed sales. For example, a consumer searching for an oil filter online is more likely to be influenced by ads and make a purchase in-store.
Conversely, everyday items like standard groceries experience only minor increases in sales from in-store attribution data, as these products are purchased frequently and less likely to be researched online.
Way Ahead
This is just the start of more comprehensive approaches to measuring omnichannel performance. There’s ongoing potential for improvement in how we connect consumer touchpoints and optimize based on this data.
I anticipate further advancements in advertiser capabilities as Walmart Luminate and Walmart Connect data continue to evolve. Omnichannel brands should already be taking advantage of these new metrics, with even greater opportunities on the horizon.
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