CDON Ads and CDON Group retail media: sponsored products on the Nordic marketplace

CDON is starting over. The company launched CDON Ads in 2021, but Topsort's 2026 case study says that after the merger with Fyndiq, CDON Group "had no existing retail media program to build on" (Topsort, accessed 9 November 2026). We could not establish what happened to the 2021 tool. What is clear is that the group chose a clean-sheet design for two marketplaces at once.

The design puts relevance ahead of volume. Topsort says sponsored placements are ranked on bid value and relevance signals together. A product that would not appear organically in a placement is not eligible for that placement's auction. For shoppers, that means fewer off-topic ads. For a merchant, it means a high bid cannot buy a slot where its product does not fit.

The second difference is the mix of demand. CDON wants both endemic demand from its own merchants and "carefully curated non-endemic opportunities" from outside brands, according to Topsort. It chose a partner that can bring advertisers from its own network. On a marketplace, sellers are the natural advertisers; the marketplace retail media guide explains why. Adding outside brands is how CDON hopes to grow beyond its seller base.

Onsite. Sponsored products in search results and on category pages are the first layer. In 2021 CDON said merchants could bid on search words linked to a product's relevance (CDON, 24 May 2021). A merchant selling headphones could bid on "wireless earbuds" to rise in results.

Planned. Branded placements, offsite activation on Google and Meta, and attribution connecting retail media with wider marketing are on CDON's roadmap. None had a launch date in the sources we read.

In-store. None. CDON and Fyndiq are online marketplaces.

Targeting starts from what shoppers search for and browse on the two marketplaces. Topsort's API works from catalogue, event and auction calls, and eligibility follows catalogue logic. CDON keeps admin control over approvals and what runs where.

The sources do not describe audience segments, loyalty data or how data would be used for offsite campaigns on Google and Meta.

We found no description of what merchants see in reports today. Topsort's platform includes attribution, and CDON's roadmap mentions attribution that "connects commerce media activity with broader marketing performance". Until CDON publishes its metrics, ask for the attribution model, the attribution window and whether results cover both marketplaces.

1. Sell on CDON or Fyndiq. Sponsored products are built for marketplace merchants.
2. Ask CDON's merchant support for access to the retail media tools; CDON's help centre has a "Retail Media on CDON" article.
3. Start with sponsored products on your best-selling, well-described listings, since relevance affects eligibility.
4. Set keyword and category targets and a cost-per-click budget.
5. Non-endemic brands: ask CDON or Topsort about curated placements.

It suits:

• merchants already selling on CDON or Fyndiq;
• brands that want Nordic marketplace shoppers in one place;
• sellers with strong catalogue data, which a relevance-led auction rewards.

It suits less:

• brands that need offsite reach today;
• advertisers who need published measurement before buying;
• products without a listing on either marketplace.

• Whether the 2026 program is live, and on which marketplace first.
• What happened to the 2021 CDON Ads tool and who built it.
• Measurement, reporting and fees.
• The text of the Topsort release of 2 September 2026.
• Any disclosure of CDON's advertising revenue.

1. CDON, "Increased visibility and sales in focus as CDON Ads is launched" (press release PDF, Malmö, 24 May 2021). https://cdn.bequoted.com/media/1/2e51eda9-82cd-44b6-b5ea-2f375170e7ff/Press-Release-CDON-launches-CDON-Ads.pdf
2. CDON Investors, "About CDON Group" (accessed 9 November 2026). https://investors.cdon.com/en/about-cdon-group/
3. Topsort, "Why Nordic Marketplace Group CDON Chose Modern Commerce Media Infrastructure From Day One" (case study, undated; accessed 9 November 2026). https://www.topsort.com/post/cdon-modern-commerce-media-infrastructure