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Here鈥檚 how ad buyers ranked the retail media networks of 14 leading CPG-focused retailers鈥攊ncluding Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons, Amazon, Costco Wholesale, CVS, Instacart, Kroger, Target, and Walmart鈥攁ccording to the attributes they value most.

Speaking of retailers that Zak finds chaotic, number four, Costco. Arielle, why Costco? Arielle Feger (06:43):. So I think it's really interesting. Costco has been really fully behind DEI initiatives during a period where a lot of retailers are pulling back their DEI programs.

Beyond Target and Walmart, Meta is also rolling back its DEI commitments鈥攂ut companies like Ben & Jerry鈥檚, Costco, Delta, and e.l.f. Beauty remain dedicated, arguing that inclusive marketing represents both social responsibility and a business necessity.

Despite broader corporate pullbacks, the NFL, Nike, Pinterest, and Costco have maintained their commitments. Nike鈥檚 Super Bowl ad focused on elevating marginalized athletes, while Pinterest鈥檚 鈥淭ailored鈥� campaign celebrated Black fashion鈥檚 past, present, and future. These brands are betting that sustained engagement with diverse audiences will pay off in long-term loyalty. Our take:.

That鈥檚 not as easy as it sounds, because Walmart, Costco, and Amazon are some of the largest mass merchants in Canada. Many retailers have included 鈥淏uy Canadian鈥� signage in product aisles, flagging domestic goods. Loblaw has included symbols denoting products with prices affected by tariffs.

鈥淎nyone paying an ounce of attention will recognize that Costco has the scale and data to quickly become a formidable player in the space,鈥� Marzano said. "Consider that every in-store shopper is a known customer, thanks to Costco's robust membership model, and the fact that Costco is the third largest retailer in the country.鈥�.

Amazon, Costco Wholesale, and other retailers now face an uphill battle to win recurring revenues in the era of subscription fatigue.

Okay, people who aren't touching Costco yet. Suzy Davidkhanian (03:34):. Or a category. Sara Lebow (03:36):. Okay. Suzy Davidkhanian (03:36):. So it doesn't have to necessarily be Costco. Because if you're on a Costco property, you're most likely a Costco shopper, but not the category shopper. Depends on if they're onsite or offsite.

In the short term, retailers like Costco are rushing to import goods before they take effect. Over the longer term, merchants like grill maker Traeger, fashion brand Steve Madden, and Academy Sports and Outdoors are shifting sourcing away from China. Geopolitical tensions: Even though Houthi attacks in the Red Sea no longer attract headlines, tensions haven鈥檛 dissipated and risk remains.

In the short term, retailers like Costco are rushing to import goods, driving up shipping costs. It cost about $6,000 to book a 40-foot container from Asia to the US West Coast on January 1, a 50% jump from December, per Xeneta data cited by Bloomberg. While some merchants might absorb those costs, many will likely pass them on to consumers, driving up prices.

To compete against larger rivals like Walmart and Costco, the retailer plans to slash prices on some products, CEO Vivek Sankaran said. The strategy: As it attempted to merge with Kroger, Albertsons was also investing more money in capital expenditures than ever before, CFO Sharon McCollam said on the company鈥檚 first earnings call since July 2022.

Retailers like Costco are rushing to import goods, driving up shipping costs. It cost about $6,000 to book a 40-foot container from Asia to the US West Coast on January 1, a 50% jump from December, per Xeneta data cited by Bloomberg. While some merchants might absorb those costs, many will likely pass them on to consumers, driving up prices. Consumers are pulling spending forward.

While 58% of US adults are Amazon Prime subscribers, far fewer are members of Sam鈥檚 Club (27%), Walmart+ (25%), and Costco (21%). And even fewer subscribe to other services, per our survey done in partnership with Bizrate Insights.

The volume of imports has been rising, and the nation鈥檚 major container ports expect that surge to continue through spring as Costco and other merchants stock up on goods before tariffs take effect, per the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates鈥� Global Port Tracker.

Albertsons, Costco, and Instacart are enhancing their retail media offerings. TikTok Shop reached a $1 million livestream. And three-time consecutive first place winner Walmart is developing immersive ways to shop and catering product lines to younger shoppers. Here鈥檚 our Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List for June 2024.

Costco recently rebuffed a push from investors to move away from DEI initiatives, and Apple has asked shareholders to block an effort to roll back commitments.

On today's podcast episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss how Costco is getting on and the vision for the wholesale retailer in a crowded marketplace. Then, for "Pop-Up Rankings," we rank the two things Costco can take to the next level and two things it could do to get the naysayers to come back. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts vice president of content Suzy Davidkhanian and analyst Zak Stambor.

Private label products give retailers more control over sourcing, manufacturing, and pricing, which they can use to offer items for lower costs, encouraging consumers to try new products, leading to lifelong brand ambassadors who will swear by your brand. Here鈥檚 how Target, Walmart, and Costco are labeling up.

The heartiest performers鈥擝est Buy, Costco, Chewy, Lowe鈥檚, and Etsy鈥攚ill just hold on to their low-single-digit ecommerce market shares. And others鈥攊ncluding Apple, Target, The Home Depot, and Macy鈥檚鈥攚ill track very slight declines. Temu, TikTok Shop, and Shein are shaking up the agenda.

Costco wants to build a store 65% larger than its typical warehouse: The Fresno, California, facility would combine ecommerce and traditional retail under one roof.

Our take: One need look no further than cult favorites Costco and Trader Joe鈥檚 to see how unique, high-quality private label offerings can help build long-term loyalty with consumers. This article is part of 蘑菇AV鈥檚 client-only subscription Briefings鈥攄aily newsletters authored by industry analysts who are experts in marketing, advertising, media, and tech trends.