US Retail Digital Ad Spending 2019

Mobile and Search Continue to Power a Dominant Vertical

Report by Ross Benes  | Jul 25, 2019

Digital Ad Spending by Industry

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Forecasts for 10 verticals in the US, six in Germany and five in the UK

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Retail Digital Ad Spending Outlook
Digital Ad Spending by Device
Digital Ad Spending by Format
Key Takeaways
eMarketer Interviews
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Retail ad budgets continue to grow at a steady pace as retail stalwarts battle disruption from Amazon and other digitally savvy companies.
Topics
Digital Ad Spending
United States
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Retail Digital Ad Spending Outlook
Digital Ad Spending by Device
Digital Ad Spending by Format
Key Takeaways
eMarketer Interviews
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery

Executive Summary

The US retail industry will increase its digital ad spending by 19.1% to $28.33 billion in 2019. Retail ad spending growth is in line with the growth of total US digital ad spend. Retail is the largest ad spending vertical we cover, and it is growing at the same rate as total US ad spending.

What is retail’s share of total US digital ad spend?

We anticipate that retail will account for 21.9% of total US digital ad spend in 2019 and 2020.

Which digital ad format is growing the fastest?

Search is the fastest-growing digital ad format for retail advertisers. In 2019, US retail search ad spend will increase 22.5% to $13.12 billion.

How much will retail advertisers spend on mobile?

Retail advertisers will spend $19.41 billion on mobile in 2019, up 22.9% over the previous year.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report includes our annual breakdown of US retail industry digital ad spending. It includes a comprehensive overview of total digital ad spending, as well as estimates by channel, device and format.

KEY STAT: The US retail industry will increase its digital ad spending by 19.1% to $28.33 billion in 2019.

Here’s what’s in the full report

3files

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8charts

Reliable data in simple displays for presentations and quick decision making.

22expert perspectives

Insights from industry and company leaders.

Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Retail Digital Ad Spending Outlook
  3. Digital Ad Spending by Device
  1. Digital Ad Spending by Format
  2. Key Takeaways
  3. eMarketer Interviews
  1. Read Next
  2. Sources
  3. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

US Retail Ecommerce and Total Retail Sales, Q1 2018-Q1 2019US Retail Ecommerce Sales Growth, by Product Category, 2018 (% change vs. prior year)
US Amazon Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) Share of Ecommerce and Total Retail* Sales, 2015-2021 (% of total)How Will Marketing Departments at Digital Retailers in North America Invest in Select Emerging Technologies in 2019? (% of respondents, Feb 2019)
Allocation of Digital Video Ad Spending According to US Agency and Marketing Professionals, by Industry and Channel, March 2019 (% of total)How Do Advertisers Worldwide View Amazon and Its Digital Ad Options? (% of respondents, by industry, April 2018)
Change* in Marketing Spending on Amazon Ads in 2019 Among D2C Brands Worldwide, by Industry (% of respondents)Google Shopping Performance Metrics for US Retailers, by Industry, 2018

Interviewed for This Report

Joe Barbagallo
Jaguar Land Rover North America
Department Manager, Digital, Social and CRM
Interviewed April 10, 2019
Jonathan Barnard
Zenith
Head of Forecasting
Interviewed April 3, 2019
Jim D’Antoni
Dish Media
Director, Ad Sales
Interviewed April 24, 2019
Mike Fisher
MediaMath
Vice President, Advanced TV and Video
Interviewed April 9, 2019
Richard Gagnon
Havas
Head of Havas Healthmedia
Interviewed April 8, 2019
Doug Grumet
AMP Agency
Senior Vice President, Media
Interviewed April 11, 2019
Cheryl Huckabay
The Richards Group
Media Group Head
Interviewed April 9, 2019
Sarah Kramer
Spark Foundry
Chief Client and Operating Officer
Interviewed April 8, 2019
Jon Morgenstern
VaynerMedia
Senior Vice President, Head of Investment
Interviewed April 2, 2019
Ali Plonchak
Crossmedia
Managing Director, Digital Strategy and Integration
Interviewed April 2, 2019
Krish Sailam
DWA
Senior Vice President, Global Programmatic Solutions
Interviewed April 5, 2019
Sarah Scherer
Sarah Scherer
Product Marketing Manager
Interviewed April 8, 2019
Jon Schulz
Viant
CMO
Interviewed April 11, 2019
Mike Seiler
AKQA
Director, Search and Shopper Marketing
Interviewed April 1, 2019
Jeremy Tate
DWA
Senior Vice President, General Manager
Interviewed April 3, 2019
Vanessa Vignon
Ubisoft
Vice President, Media and Audience Management
Interviewed April 18, 2019
Matthew Waghorn
Huge
Vice President, Strategy
Interviewed April 12, 2019
April Weeks
Centro
Executive Vice President, Media Services and Operations
Interviewed April 8, 2019
Chris Wexler
Cramer-Krasselt
Senior Vice President, Director, Media and Analytics
Interviewed April 3, 2019
Brian Wieser
GroupM
Global President, Business Intelligence
Interviewed April 3, 2019
Sarah Wilson
DWA
Media Director
Interviewed April 3, 2019
Michael Zacharski
EMX Digital
CEO
Interviewed April 11, 2019

authors

Ross Benes

Contributors

Andrew Lipsman
Principal Analyst
Peter Vahle
Forecasting Analyst
Amy Rotondo
Director, US Research
Oscar Orozco
Director, Forecasting