A retail media rate card is built in four steps: audit the inventory, value each format bottom-up, benchmark those values against real market rates, and structure the rate card so partners can buy with confidence. The same process applies to a commerce media network’s rate card.
Step one: audit the inventory. List every format an organisation owns, on-site placements, app, email, in-store screens and physical media. Most rate cards fail here, by pricing only the obvious digital formats and ignoring physical media entirely.
Step two: value each format. Price from the bottom up, taking into account factors like audience size, audience profile, industry category, partner demand, audience engagement, location and size of real estate. Never copy a competitor’s rate card, their audience is not yours.
Step three: benchmark. A rate card is only credible if the market agrees with it, benchmarking each rate against verified market data. Sonder’s reference is a $12B global rate pool with 2,500+ benchmarked owned media CPMs (cost per thousands). It matters more than most teams expect: on average, organisations with a rate card undervalue their rates by 16%.
Step four: structure and maintain. Organise the rate card by format and audience, set the seasonality, discount and packaging rules, and re-verify rates on an annual basis so the rate card keeps pace with the market.
FAQs
What should a retail media rate card include?
Every available owned media format, digital and physical, with its audience, specifications, rate rationale, format image and the rate.
How do I know if my rates are right?
Benchmark them against verified market data. On average, organisations with a rate card undervalue their rates by 16%, which compounds into significant lost revenue at scale.
Should physical media be on the rate card?
Yes. In-store digital and physical formats are among the most valuable owned media for many sectors, and they are the most commonly missing items on rate cards.
