Macy's Media Network: department-store retail media, explained

Macy's knows who most of its store shoppers are because of how they pay. Its credit card ties into the Star Rewards loyalty programme. CFO Thomas Edwards said in 2026 that this gives Macy's a view of how over 70% of customers spend (Macy's Q1 2026 call, 3 June 2026). A store sale is hard to link to an ad when the buyer pays cash. Michael Krans, who ran the network in 2024, said "a very high majority" of customers pay with traceable tender, even in stores, which supports a good match rate (Digital Commerce 360, 11 September 2024).

Macy's also discloses the network's quarterly revenue on earnings calls. The table lists the figures we found. For context across networks, see retail media network revenue benchmarks.

The holiday quarter was the largest of the three disclosed.

The third difference is the buying route. Macy's is piloting Amazon Retail Ad Service for sponsored products, so brands can manage Macy's campaigns in the Amazon Ads console they already use. Amazon's ad technology runs on separate AWS systems with access controls, and Macy's says it keeps control of formats and placements (Macy's Media Network news, accessed 9 November 2026).

Onsite. Sponsored products appear in search and browse on macys.com and bloomingdales.com. Display placements use contextual, behavioural and keyword targeting on desktop, mobile web and apps. Brands can also commission branded landing pages.

Owned channels. Macy's sells placements in its email and in printed inserts sent to homes.

Offsite. Offsite campaigns use Macy's first-party data for targeting and measurement. Since fall 2023, Rokt has placed offers on the Macy's order confirmation page, scaled to all of macys.com by September 2024 (Digital Commerce 360, 11 September 2024).

In-store. Macy's used digital screens for ads in 98 stores in 2024. A current count is not public. Our onsite, offsite and in-store comparison explains how buyers weigh these surfaces.

Targeting draws on purchases across categories, from fragrance to furniture, plus credit card and loyalty data. That cross-category view lets a brand target, for example, recent buyers of home goods with a bedding launch. Under the Amazon pilot, ads use real-time availability, price and context such as search queries.

Brands receive audiences and reports, not customer records. Macy's says the Amazon service keeps its business information separate from Amazon's other systems.

Macy's says its closed-loop reporting tracks conversions online and in stores and the share of new buyers a campaign brings (company claim). Amazon Retail Ad Service advertisers get reporting in the Amazon Ads console.

We found no MRC accreditation, published incrementality method or third-party verification. Ask for test-and-control results if you need incremental sales evidence.

1. Contact Macy's Media Network. Use the site's form for managed media plans across Macy's and Bloomingdale's.
2. Choose your banner. Bloomingdale's reaches a premium audience; Macy's offers broader reach.
3. Run sponsored products first. If you already buy Amazon Ads, ask about the Retail Ad Service pilot.
4. Add onsite display, email or inserts around seasonal moments such as holiday and back-to-school.
5. Agree measurement before launch. Confirm how store sales and new-buyer rates are counted.

It suits:

• apparel, beauty, fragrance and home brands sold at Macy's or Bloomingdale's;
• advertisers that want gifting-season reach and in-store sales measurement;
• teams already working in the Amazon Ads console.

It suits less:

• grocery and everyday-essentials brands, given Macy's categories;
• buyers who need large in-store screen networks;
• advertisers who require accredited metrics.

• Full-year 2025 Macy's Media Network revenue.
• Whether the Amazon Retail Ad Service pilot has become generally available.
• The current number of stores with ad screens.
• Minimum spend and rate cards.
• Current leadership of the network after 2024.

1. Macy's Media Network, homepage (accessed 9 November 2026). https://www.macysmedianetwork.com/
2. Macy's Media Network, news page on Amazon Retail Ad Service (accessed 9 November 2026). https://www.macysmedianetwork.com/news
3. Macy's, Inc., Q4 2024 earnings call (6 March 2025), transcript by The Motley Fool. https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2025/03/06/macys-m-q4-2024-earnings-call-transcript/
4. Macy's, Inc., Q1 2026 earnings call (3 June 2026), transcript by The Motley Fool. https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/06/04/macys-m-q1-2026-earnings-call-transcript/
5. Macy's, Inc., Q2 2026 earnings call (10 September 2026), transcript by The Motley Fool. https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/09/10/macys-m-q2-2026-earnings-call-transcript/
6. Digital Commerce 360, "Macy's Media Network adds expanded AI capabilities through Rokt technology" (11 September 2024). https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2024/09/11/macys-media-network-rokt-ai-capabilities/
7. Digital Commerce 360, "These are the 10 biggest retail media network updates of 2024 so far" (1 May 2024). https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2024/05/01/10-biggest-retail-media-network-updates-2024/