Prosper & Shoptalk 2025: What You Missed and Why It Matters

These are our key takeaways from Prosper Show 2025.

• Marketplace mastery was front and center. Prosper doubled down on how brands can win on marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart. Sessions focused on profitability through automation, scaling with Amazon DSP and Google Ads, fulfillment efficiency, and more.

Put it to work: Treat your product detail pages (PDPs) like your top-performing ad campaigns. Underperforming content is often the root of conversion loss. Start with A/B testing imagery and copy, and revisit your inventory planning to reduce stockouts and storage fees.

• Retail media got tactical. With sessions diving into various ad formats, targeting options, and how to measure effectiveness within platforms like Amazon Advertising, retail media was a central focus at Prosper.

Put it to work: Stop viewing retail media as a cost center. Winning brands treat it as a revenue engine. Not using Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) yet? That’s step one. AMC unlocks signals like lifetime value, multi-touch attribution, and repeat purchase patterns.

• Partnerships matter. The show floor was packed with tech partners, software providers, and ecommerce consultants. Each of them offers tools to help brands move faster.

Put it to work: Pressure-test your current tech stack. Are your partners helping you grow, or just maintaining the status quo? Now’s the time to evaluate and fill strategic gaps. 

Brush up on top insights from Shoptalk 2025.

• Customer-centricity isn’t optional. Shoptalk was clear: everything must start with the customer. Sessions like “Embracing Welcoming Retail Experiences” and “Maximizing Shopper Value” reinforced that personalization, hospitality, and relevance are table stakes.

Put it to work: Every touchpoint either builds trust or breaks it. Map out your current customer journey and identify where friction or inconsistency exists. Whether it’s mobile UX or post-purchase communication, small improvements can drive big returns.

• The rise of “The New Market.” Retail media grew up fast, and Shoptalk carved out an entire “show-within-a-show” for it. Think: connected TV, in-store ad tech, and the convergence of content and commerce.

Put it to work: If you’re not testing new ad formats, you’re falling behind. Explore influencer-led commerce, livestreaming, and video ads that blend shopping with entertainment.

• Tech, innovation, and the retail road ahead. From generative AI to loyalty tech, Shoptalk showcased practical ways brands are applying emerging tools. The “Tech Solution Spotlights” were especially insightful for seeing what’s working now, not five years from now.

Put it to work: Skip the shiny objects. Invest in tools that directly improve your workflows (e.g., AI-powered content generation, dynamic promotions, or behavioral loyalty engines).

• Future-proofing retail strategy. Shoptalk’s "Visions of the Future" track asked tough questions about what retail will look like in five to ten years. It’s clear that brands investing now in customer data, innovation, and agile operations will have the edge.

Put it to work: Think of this as your invitation to do a strategic audit. Where do you want to be in five years? Are your current tools and partners helping you get there?

• Storytelling still wins. From brand voice to creator partnerships, Shoptalk underscored the importance of resonance in crowded markets. Sessions on brand narrative and talent-led growth made it clear that people connect with stories, not specs.

Put it to work: Revisit your brand messaging. Does it still resonate? Is it consistent across marketplaces, social, and DTC? If not, your customer experience is fragmented.

• Unified commerce is the new normal. Digital and physical retail are no longer separate tracks. Sessions like “Store Operations that Blend Engagement and Efficiency” emphasized that shoppers expect one seamless journey.

Put it to work: Your customers don’t care about your internal silos. They just want a seamless experience. Audit your current ops and tech stack to make sure your front-end matches the back-end.

• Data-driven decisions drive growth. Across the board, brands shared how they’re using analytics to better understand their shoppers and drive business decisions. The key here is actionable insights, not just dashboards.

Put it to work: Set clear KPIs for every campaign and channel. Then make sure your team has the right tools (and time) to actually analyze and act on that data. 

TL;DR: Let us simplify ecommerce complexity.

We attend these events so you don’t have to—because staying on top of ecommerce trends shouldn’t take you away from running your business. Our job is to make sense of what’s next and help your team turn insights into action. 

Prosper’s biggest lesson this year: Marketplace success is operational first, media second. If you want to scale, sharpen the basics and build your growth stack from there. Specifically:

• Treat PDPs and inventory as growth levers, not maintenance tasks. 
• Retail media needs strategic oversight and cross-functional alignment. 
• The right partnerships can accelerate your growth trajectory.

Shoptalks’ biggest message: Future-proofing starts now. Customer experience, retail media expansion, and smart adoption of tech are no longer differentiators but expectations. Focus on the following:

• Customer experience is your competitive edge. Start every strategy there. 
• Retail media is evolving fast. Diversify your placements and lean into new formats. 
• Practical innovation beats flashy tech. Invest in tools that solve real pain points. 
• Think long-term. Your future strategy starts today. 

Whether your focus is retail media, marketplace growth, brand storytelling, or unified commerce, we’re here to help you take the next step. Ready to turn these insights into revenue? Let’s talk about what this means for your brand.