Why mastering On-Site Retail Media is essential for brand growth

Let’s face it: real on-site retail strategies are much more than a visibility race. The real question is: how can brands use these platforms to truly stand out and build lasting value? By leveraging on-site retail media, brands can connect with shoppers at key decision-making moments, foster trust, and create long-term loyalty, but only with on-point content and messaging.

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It’s not just about being seen—it’s about making a connection. And with mobile devices playing a crucial role in consumer decision making, optimizing for mobile is more important than ever.

With smartphones accounting for over 75% of retail site visits and generating 66% of online shopping orders in the U.S., it's evident that consumers heavily rely on their mobile devices for shopping. Additionally, 61% of shoppers expect to use their smartphones more while in physical stores, and 92% use their phones to find the best deals or price promotions while shopping.

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Here’s how behavioral in-context testing can help brands not only break through the clutter but also leverage their assets for the brand building.  

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How on-site retail media content shapes consumer experience

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Mobile e-commerce content encompasses all the digital information and interactive elements optimized for smartphones to help customers discover, evaluate, and purchase products online. This includes product descriptions, images, videos, reviews, personalized recommendations, navigation tools, and payment options—designed to create a seamless and engaging shopping experience on mobile devices.

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In a previous blog, we explored the results of our internal e-commerce content optimization study, highlighting how A+ content can significantly enhance brand perception by making it feel more relatable, trustworthy, and innovative. The study examined both static and dynamic stimuli on PLPs (Product Listing Pages) and PDPs (Product Detail Pages), as each type of content plays a distinct role in the consumer shopping experience.

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For instance, the study revealed that on PDPs, image carousels—particularly those with videos—are highly engaging and encourage deeper scrolling. However, videos must convey key information within the first few seconds, as the average attention span does not exceed 3.5 seconds.

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However, whether a brand's content is presented as visuals or videos to connect with consumers, its true strengths and weaknesses become apparent only when placed in the context of a busy environment and alongside competitors’ offerings.

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The benefits of in-context testing in mobile e-commerce replicas

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Mobile e-commerce replicas offer unparalleled flexibility and precision for brands aiming to optimize their online strategies. Let’s break down the key benefits:

Testing any kind of SKUs

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One major advantage of replicas is the ability to test any SKU, including slow-moving products or those at a positioning disadvantage. In live e-commerce environments, these products often don’t generate enough consideration from shoppers - through views, exploration & add to basket —to gather meaningful insights. Replicas solve this problem by simulating user interactions, allowing brands to evaluate and optimize these products without relying on organic traffic only.

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In the context of brand building, some SKUs may not be category leaders, but their role within the portfolio is invaluable and should not be overlooked in on-site retail communication. On the contrary, some of these SKUs may hold significant untapped potential for driving brand growth.

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Variety of retailers

Amazon may be the leader in onsite retail media, but it’s far from the only relevant platform. Mobile e-commerce replicas allow brands to test their content and strategies across multiple retailer websites – not only Amazon but also Walmart, Tesco, Target, Kroger etc., providing a broader understanding of performance in different environments. This versatility ensures tailored strategies for each platform, increasing overall effectiveness.

Saving investments

Testing in an in-context mobile e-commerce replica is crucial to avoid wasting investments, as it allows brands to optimize their content and strategy before launch rather than after. By simulating the actual shopping environment, brands can identify and address potential issues early, ensuring their efforts resonate with consumers and drive results from day one.

Simulating the real e-commerce experience

By offering a controlled, versatile, and efficient testing process, mobile e-commerce replicas empower brands to refine their strategies and achieve optimal performance across a wide range of scenarios.

Retail mobile websites vs. apps: Insights from behavioral testing

Our e-commerce replica mirrors the look and feel of mobile websites, ensuring an authentic testing environment. However, many retailer apps use a web-view interface for most of their functionality, making them nearly identical to their mobile web counterparts—Amazon being a prime example.

With full customization based on client inputs, we can ensure that both web and app scenarios provide reliable and actionable insights, eliminating any impact these minor variations might have.

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In conclusion

Mobile devices dominate the shopping journey, accounting for the majority of retail site visits and online orders. To thrive in this mobile-first landscape, brands must create engaging, optimized content that seamlessly integrates into the consumer experience.

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Behavioral testing with e-commerce replicas offers a game-changing approach, enabling brands to test any brand or SKU, tailor strategies for multiple platforms, and gather actionable insights prior to launch. By replicating real shopping environments, these tools ensure that mobile strategies are not only effective but indispensable in capturing consumer attention and driving success.

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