Start with the retailer where your product is on the shelf and where your next velocity review is coming. If Target just took your item, Roundel goes first. If Walmart is your bigger store count, start with Walmart Connect. A retailer’s network only helps sales at that retailer.
Here’s how the two compare, what we’ve seen running them, and how to decide.
The short comparison
| Walmart Connect | Roundel (Target) | |
| Self-serve | Walmart Ad Center for Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands | Roundel Media Studio for sponsored products and display |
| Main formats | Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Videos, onsite and offsite display, in-store screens | Target product ads, onsite and offsite display, search ads using Target data, streaming TV |
| Data | Walmart shopper and purchase data | Target Circle loyalty data |
| Measurement | Closed-loop online and in-store sales | Sales at Target, online and in store |
| Best for | Brands with broad Walmart distribution | Brands that just landed at Target and need to prove velocity |
What we’ve seen on Roundel
For a skincare brand that had just launched at Target, Roundel went from 1.49x return on ad spend in the first month to 2.60x by month three, with 1,926 units sold in the first 90 days. The best line items ran above 3x. Read the case study.
Three things drove it:
- Weekly cuts. Budget moved to the products and placements that paid back, and bids followed fresh per-product return.
- Budget caps checked. A campaign-level monthly cap once held spend below plan. Raising it unlocked the weekly pace we needed.
- Retailer events. During one sales event, Roundel delivered 229 units at 2.87x on about $1,350 in spend.
What to know about Walmart Connect
- Ads need a buyable item. Walmart only serves an ad when the item is published, in stock and winning the Buy Box.
- Brand Portal matters. Sponsored Brands, videos and display require brand registration on Walmart.
- Different reporting windows. Walmart’s numbers aren’t directly comparable to Amazon’s or Target’s. Compare each network to its own history.
- Start with search. Sponsored Products on your hero items first. Add display and video once search pays back.
Most of our hands-on retail media data comes from Roundel and Instacart. On Walmart, we plan and measure the same way: one return floor, weekly cuts and budget that follows the retailer’s calendar.
How to decide
- Where are you on shelf? Advertise where shoppers can actually buy you.
- Which review comes first? The retailer with the nearest velocity deadline gets the first dollars.
- What return do you need? Know your floor from your margin before you spend.
- Are you in several grocery chains? Add Instacart early. One campaign reaches all of them.
More on planning your first 90 days at a new retailer in our retail media guide.
FAQ
Is Walmart Connect or Roundel better for CPG brands?
Neither is better in general. Start with the retailer where your product is on shelf and where your next velocity review is. A network only helps sales at its own retailer.
Can I run Roundel without a big budget?
Yes. Roundel Media Studio is self-serve, and we have run it at about $4,000 to $6,500 a month for a single brand.
Does Walmart Connect measure in-store sales?
Walmart reports closed-loop sales across online and in-store purchases, so ads can get credit for store sales when the product is sold in stores.
How long until retail media results are accurate?
Give it 7 to 14 days. Attributed sales keep filling in after the click, and the two networks use different reporting windows, so compare each to its own history.
Just landed at Target or Walmart? We’d love to partner with you on the first 90 days. book a consult
