Criteo is one of the major technology companies behind retail media. Many retailers use Criteo to run their ad networks, which means a brand can often buy sponsored products and display across a long list of retailers through one Criteo relationship instead of negotiating with each one separately.
What Criteo Does
Criteo works on both sides of retail media. For retailers, it provides the technology to sell ads on their sites and apps. For brands and agencies, it offers onsite sponsored products and display across the retailers it powers, plus offsite campaigns that use retailer data to reach shoppers elsewhere. Criteo GO is its self-service buying platform. In 2026 Criteo also became OpenAI's first advertising technology partner, supporting brands advertising in ChatGPT.
The business has also shifted. Criteo reported in August 2026 that retail media revenue fell 21% year over year in the second quarter, largely because of scope changes with two major retail clients, while revenue from its underlying client base grew. For brands, the practical takeaway is to confirm which retailers are available through Criteo before planning around it.
Why It Needs a Real Owner
Buying across many retailers at once is efficient, but it can hide which ones are actually working. The owner should break results out by retailer, decide where to concentrate spend, and compare Criteo-powered retailers with buying direct on Amazon, Walmart, and others. Offsite campaigns need extra scrutiny, because they are harder to tie to sales than onsite ads.
Who Should Own It
Criteo usually belongs with a Retail Media Manager responsible for retailers beyond Amazon, often the same person who manages Walmart, Target, and grocery networks. At larger brands with a retail media team, a Director of Retail Media typically decides how much to invest through Criteo versus direct retailer relationships.
What to Screen For
- Multi-retailer experience, including second-tier and regional retailers, not only Amazon.
- Retailer-level analysis, with examples of shifting spend based on retailer-by-retailer results.
- Offsite measurement skepticism, and a clear view on how to judge offsite campaigns.
- Self-serve platform comfort, such as Criteo GO, alongside managed programs.
- Awareness of emerging formats, including AI and conversational shopping placements.
A strong answer breaks results out by retailer, weighs sales potential and margin, and tests before scaling. A weak answer lets the platform allocate automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would a brand buy retail media through Criteo instead of going direct?
Criteo powers ad networks for many retailers, so one relationship can cover a long tail of sites that would be impractical to buy separately. Brands still usually buy Amazon and often Walmart directly, and use Criteo to reach the retailers it powers and for offsite campaigns.
What role should own Criteo?
A Retail Media Manager responsible for retailers beyond Amazon is the most common owner, often alongside Walmart, Target, and grocery networks. Larger teams may have a Director of Retail Media decide the overall split between Criteo and direct retailer buying.
More Retail Media Tools
For the full set, browse the retail media and marketplace tools guide. For pay ranges for these roles, see the 2026 eCommerce Salary Guide.