How to Using Retail Media & AI Assistants to Win Local Sales in 2026

How to Using Retail Media & AI Assistants to Win Local Sales in 2026

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Illustration of a bustling local retail alley where shoppers browse stalls and digital screens, highlighting how retail media and AI assistants are driving local sales in 2026.

Why Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants Matter in 2026

In 2026, retail media and AI shopping assistants are quietly training your customers how to shop. Big retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger use their own ad systems and AI tools to guide people from “I need something” to “I bought it” in a few taps—or even one conversation with a chatbot.

If you sell Digital, Connected TV (CTV), or Radio, this isn’t just a tech headline. It affects how your local store clients are judged every day. Shoppers are getting used to fast answers, easy comparisons, and frictionless checkout.

This article is part of your 2026 Marketer’s Playbook. We’ll keep things simple and sales-focused. You’ll see what retail media and AI shopping assistants are doing at the big-box level, and then you’ll get clear package ideas you can pitch to local retailers who want to keep up—without needing their own AI lab.

Plain-English Guide: What Are Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants?

Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants Without the Jargon

Retail media is just advertising inside a retailer’s own world—on their website, app, email, in-store screens, or streaming channels.

Think of it as:

End-cap displays, flyers, and in-store TV—but moved onto apps, websites, and streaming.

A Retail Media Network (RMN) is the retailer’s own ad platform. Brands pay to show up in front of that retailer’s shoppers, using the retailer’s first-party data (data the retailer collects directly from customers).

A few real examples:

  • Walmart Connect – Walmart’s retail media network, selling ads across Walmart.com, the Walmart app, in-store screens, and more.
  • Amazon Ads – Sponsored products, display ads, and video ads across Amazon’s shopping sites and streaming services.
  • Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) – Kroger’s data-driven media offering, built on loyalty card data and its analytics arm, 84.51˚.

You don’t need all the technical detail. Here’s the line you can use with local clients:

“Retail media is the way big retailers show ads to their shoppers right where they’re already shopping—on their own sites, apps, and screens. We’re going to bring that same idea into your local marketing.”

Where AI Shopping Assistants Fit In

AI shopping assistants are tools that let customers “chat” their way to a purchase. Instead of searching and clicking, people can say things like:

“I’m hosting a game-day party for 10 people—help me build a cart.”

The assistant then suggests products, answers questions, and can even send the order to checkout.

Big picture:

  • Retail media decides which products get shown.
  • AI shopping assistants decide how those products get recommended in a conversation.

For your local clients, the key is not the technology. The key is the customer expectation:

“Help me decide quickly, with less effort, and make me feel smart about my choice.”

Walmart + ChatGPT: The Headline Case Study for Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants

What Walmart’s Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants Actually Do

Walmart’s partnership with OpenAI lets shoppers use ChatGPT to:

  • Ask for ideas (“I need snacks and drinks for movie night”)
  • Get a curated list of Walmart products
  • Use an Instant Checkout style flow to buy directly from the chat

Customers don’t have to hunt through categories. They just describe their situation, and retail media and AI shopping assistants do the work.

Here’s how you can phrase it to clients:

“Walmart just made it normal to plan, shop, and pay inside one conversation. Your customers are learning to expect that kind of simplicity. Let’s talk about how your store can feel just as smart and easy—using the channels we already have.”

Why This Matters for Local Sellers

You can’t build your own ChatGPT integration tomorrow. But you can copy the feeling:

  • Guided
  • Helpful
  • Clear
  • Confidence-building

That’s exactly what your CTV, radio, and digital campaigns can give local shoppers.

Amazon and Kroger: More Proof That Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants Are Here to Stay

How Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants Shape Habits on Amazon

On Amazon:

  • Sponsored products show up where shoppers are already searching.
  • Recommendations are built from past behavior.
  • Streaming video and CTV ads connect brand stories with shopping moments.

When people open Amazon, they’re not just browsing. They’re stepping into a retail media environment that’s constantly nudging them toward a purchase.

Kroger: Data + TV + “What Actually Sold”

Kroger Precision Marketing uses loyalty card data and analytics to:

  • Show relevant ads on digital and CTV
  • Track what people actually bought
  • Prove that the campaign drove sales

You probably don’t have access to that level of data. But the idea is what you can borrow:

  • Clear product stories
  • Obvious offers
  • Reasonable ways to measure impact (even if it’s just coupons or landing page visits)

What Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants Mean for Local Media in 2026

Your New Role in the Era of Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants

The old media pitch:

“Buy some spots and impressions.”

The new 2026 pitch:

“Let’s guide your shopper from ‘I’m thinking about it’ to ‘I’m ready to buy’ using the same behaviors retail media and AI shopping assistants are training them to expect.”

That means:

  • Explaining how the shopper discovers, compares, and decides
  • Designing your TV/CTV, radio, and digital to support that path
  • Talking less about “frequency” and more about “confidence and clarity”

Why “Shop Local, Spend Smart” Is the Right Story

Retail media and AI tools lean hard into:

  • Saving time
  • Saving money
  • Reducing stress

Your local story should be:

  • “Shop local, spend smart.”
  • “Local store, big-brand confidence.”
  • “Real people, real advice, easy decisions.”

You’re not trying to beat Walmart at tech. You’re positioning local as:

“Just as smart, with better service and community value.”

Audience Snapshot: Who You’re Talking To

Busy Families and Overloaded Shoppers

They:

  • Compare prices on their phone
  • Mix big-box and local
  • Look for shortcuts that feel smart and safe

Your job: Make local feel like a smart shortcut, not a chore.

Value-Driven Shoppers Who Still Care About Local

They like:

  • Keeping dollars in the community
  • Freshness, service, or specialty items
  • Feeling informed, not pushed

Your job: Turn these values into clearly explained offers that your media can support.

Turning Walmart’s AI Play into Local Packages

Now let’s translate retail media and AI shopping assistants into concrete campaigns you can sell.

Package 1 – “Shop Local, Shop Smart” with Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants

Goal: Modernize the perception of local retailers.

Core idea:
“Walmart uses AI to help you shop smart. We help you shop local and smart.”

What’s in the package:

  • CTV / Local TV:
    • :15 or :30 spots showing a family or shopper comparing options and choosing local.
    • Tagline: “Shop local. Spend smart.”
  • Radio:
    • :30 spots where the host acts like a “human shopping assistant,” explaining how the store helps you decide.
  • Digital:
    • A simple “Smart Ways to Shop Local This Week” landing page with two or three featured deals.

Measurement:

  • Track page visits to the “smart shopping” page.
  • Use a “mention this campaign” line for in-store or phone orders.

Package 2 – “Compare and Win” Offer-Driven Campaign

Goal: Turn comparison behavior into visits and orders.

Core idea:
“Everyone compares prices on their phone. Here’s why local wins this week.”

What’s in the package:

  • CTV / Local TV:
    • Short spot showing “cart vs local,” focusing on a few clear examples (price, service, delivery time).
  • Radio:
    • Drive-time spot: “Before you check out online, screenshot your cart and bring it to [Store]. We’ll help you compare and show you where local wins.”
  • Digital/social:
    • Carousel ads: “Online vs Local – See the Difference This Week.”

Measurement:

  • Count how many people bring in screenshots or ask for the “compare and win” offer.
  • Use a promo code for any online orders.

Package 3 – “Store-to-Sofa” Storytelling Bundle

Goal: Give local shoppers the guided feeling of retail media and AI shopping assistants without the tech.

What’s in the package:

  • CTV / Local TV:
    • Mini-story: a shopper is overwhelmed online, then relieved when they talk to a local expert.
  • Radio:
    • Host tells a story: “I almost trusted a chatbot for my new mattress, then I called [Store] and talked to someone who actually lives here…”
  • Digital:
    • Short article: “Three Questions to Ask Before You Buy [Category] Online.”

Measurement:

  • Track calls or website visits tied to that content.
  • Ask new customers “Where did you hear about us?” and log answers.

Retail-Media-Inspired Ideas Any SMB Can Use

1. Create a “Best Picks This Week” Page

Borrow from retail media:

  • Build one simple page with 3–5 “best picks”
  • Use clear photos, prices, and reasons why
  • Drive traffic from TV/CTV and radio: “See our best picks this week at [Brand].com/bestpicks.”

2. Use Assistant-Friendly Language

Even if your client never uses AI themselves, write copy that an assistant could quote:

  • Clear product name
  • Clear benefit
  • Clear situation

Example:

“Family-size freezer packs under $50, ready for pickup today.”

That helps with search, AI, and human understanding.

3. Pre-Load Shopper Questions with Your Media

AI shopping assistants are strongest when the shopper knows what to ask. Your campaigns can plant those questions:

  • “Ask your phone for ‘local carpet install under $X’ and look for [Brand].”
  • “Search ‘fresh local meat bundle Medford’ and see what comes up—you should see us.”

You’re training the shopper to look for local when they use their phone or assistant.

2026 Channel Playbook: Using Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants Ideas with TV, Digital, and Radio

Digital: “Near Me” and “Smart Choice” Moments

  • Search ads for “[category] near me”
  • Social ads that echo your “shop smart, shop local” message
  • Landing pages that answer one problem clearly (meals, projects, pets, etc.)

Connected TV (CTV) and Over-the-Top (OTT) Streaming

  • Connected TV (CTV): TV content delivered via the internet on smart TVs and devices.
  • Over-the-top (OTT): Streaming content delivered over the internet (apps like Hulu, YouTube, etc.).

Use CTV/OTT to:

  • Show quick stories of real customers solving real problems
  • Make the local store feel modern, trustworthy, and easy to work with

Radio: The Everyday Trust Builder

Radio is still your daily habit builder:

  • Morning and drive-time spots that repeat the same simple message
  • Live reads that sound like a friend giving advice

Simple weekly flow:

  • Early week (Mon–Tue): Heavier CTV/OTT + digital
  • Mid-week (Wed–Fri): Radio reminders and social retargeting
  • Weekend: Push in-store visits or same-day service

Quick-Sell Structures for Marketers and Sellers

Good / Better / Best Example

  • Good:
    • 25x :30 radio spots
    • Basic “Best Picks” landing page
  • Better:
    • Good + 50,000 CTV impressions
    • One “compare and win” creative concept
  • Best:
    • Better + paid social
    • In-store promotion + simple end-of-month recap showing results

Simple Talk Track for Client Meetings

  • “Retail media and AI shopping assistants are teaching your customers to expect fast, clear answers.”
  • “You don’t need that tech stack—but you do need that level of clarity.”
  • “Here’s a three-part plan using TV/CTV, radio, and your website to make shopping local feel just as smart.”

7-Day Action Plan for 2026 Marketers

Days 1–2: Review Retail Clients

  • List your top 5–10 retail accounts
  • Ask: Who is most at risk of losing shoppers to big-box plus AI?

Days 3–4: Build One “Retail Media Style” Package

  • Choose one client category (grocery, furniture, home improvement, etc.)
  • Build a named package (“Shop Local, Shop Smart 2026”) using one of the templates above

Days 5–7: Prospect and Pitch

Send a short email like:

“Walmart just made shopping through chat normal. I built a simple plan to help your store feel just as smart—using the TV, radio, and digital tools we already have. Can I walk you through the ‘Shop Local, Shop Smart 2026’ idea this week?”

Bring a one-page visual that shows:

  • CTV/OTT at the top
  • Radio in the middle
  • Digital/website at the bottom

And a shopper moving through all three.

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants

  • Getting too technical. Clients don’t need acronyms; they need stories and outcomes.
  • Treating AI as the enemy. It’s a signal of what customers expect, not a rival you can defeat.
  • Ignoring local advantages. Local stores have human advice, community roots, and flexibility that big-box can’t match.

Stay focused on:

  • Clarity
  • Confidence
  • “Shop local, spend smart”

Final Takeaways: Turning Retail Media and AI Shopping Assistants into Local Sales

By now, you should see the pattern:

  • Retail media and AI shopping assistants show people how easy shopping could be.
  • Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger are setting the bar for convenience and clarity.
  • Your job in 2026 is to bring that same feeling to local retailers using the tools you already sell: Digital, CTV/OTT, and Radio.

If you can walk into every client meeting with one simple idea that makes shopping local feel smarter and easier, you’re not just selling ads—you’re acting as a local shopping guide in an AI-driven world.

That’s exactly where you want to be in your 2026 Marketer’s Playbook.

FAQs

1. What’s the simplest way to explain retail media to a local business?

Try this:

“Retail media is when a store sells ad space inside its own website, app, and screens—like Walmart showing sponsored products on Walmart.com. We’re going to borrow that idea by using your website, plus our TV/CTV and radio, to highlight your best offers.”

2. Do my clients need their own AI shopping assistant to compete?

No. They need:

  • Clear messages
  • Simple offers
  • A basic path from interest to action

Your channels—TV/CTV, radio, digital—can handle the “assistant” role by guiding shoppers step by step.

3. How do I bring up Walmart’s AI moves without overwhelming the client?

Keep it to one line:

“Walmart just taught your customers that shopping can happen in one conversation. I want to help your store feel just as simple, using the media we already have.”

Then show a package, not a diagram.

4. What’s an easy way to measure whether this kind of campaign is working?

Start with basics:

  • Coupon codes or “mention this ad” offers
  • Landing page visits
  • Simple POS (point-of-sale) notes: “How did you hear about us?”

You can get more advanced later. The first step is directional proof, not perfect data.

5. How can I keep my language less technical but still sound smart?

  • Replace acronyms with plain phrases (“Walmart’s ad system” instead of “RMN”) when possible.
  • Use stories and examples instead of charts.
  • Tie everything back to the shopper: “Here’s how this makes life easier for your customer.”

If you do that, you’ll sound both smart and practical—and that’s exactly what local clients need in 2026.

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