In 2026, several retailers offer programs designed to connect brands with influencers, enabling brands to develop influencer content that can ultimately be amplified using the retailer’s first-party audience data.
For example, Amazon maintains a large network of affiliate influencers that allows brands to generate multiple product reviews and creative deliverables simultaneously. Target partners with LTK, connecting brands with a curated network of vetted influencers. Sam’s Club collaborates with The Shelf to produce influencer content that meets the retailer’s brand-safety standards. Walmart has begun developing its own preferred influencer network, with beta testing starting in the fourth quarter of 2025. These are only a few examples of a growing category of retail media offerings.
These influencer network partnerships are designed to connect brands with retailers’ preferred social creators. Typically, brands and influencers collaborate through a shared creative brief that ensures compliance with retailer brand-safety guidelines while also enabling efficient paid amplification through the retailer’s media network.
Most RMN influencer programs emerged post 2022, when shopper marketing teams were eager to participate in the growing influencer marketing trend but often lacked the ability to secure brand-level creative assets tailored for retail environments. Retailer-facilitated influencer programs offered a turnkey solution for teams without direct access to content creators or influencer agencies.
However, the market has evolved quickly. While RMNs were developing these programs, many brands began shifting toward end-to-end influencer strategies, where commerce media plays an integrated role within broader social media campaigns. Today, brands increasingly develop influencer content with retail conversion in mind from the start.
In parallel, brands have begun negotiating broader content usage rights with influencers. These agreements allow shopper marketing teams to reuse influencer assets across retail media placements and product detail pages (PDPs). Historically, some influencers hesitated to represent specific retailers out of concern that it could limit future partnerships. Expanded rights agreements have helped resolve this challenge while also creating new revenue opportunities for influencers, who often charge usage fees per retailer.
Key Concerns from Media Decision Makers
Despite the growth of RMN influencer programs marketers often raise several concerns:
- Influencer Quality and Relevance
The available influencer pool may consist primarily of micro-influencers or creators without strong category relevance to the brand or the tentpole moments being supported. - Overlap with Existing Agency Partnerships
Many brands already invest heavily in influencer agencies and established creator relationships. Media teams may be reluctant to allocate additional budget to retailer programs for capabilities their brand teams already manage effectively. - Direct-to-Creator Tools
New influencer platforms and creator marketplaces have made it significantly easier for brands to work directly with influencers. This can reduce the need for intermediaries and eliminate additional fees associated with RMN-facilitated partnerships.
Where RMN Influencer Networks Add Value
Despite these concerns, RMN influencer programs still provide meaningful value—particularly for small and mid-sized brands that may not have direct access to influencer agencies or established creator relationships.
For these brands, RMN influencer networks offer:
- Quick access to a curated influencer pool
- Simplified briefing and creative approval processes
- Built-in compliance with retailer brand-safety standards
- Seamless integration with retailer media amplification
Recommended Approach for Marketers
For marketers evaluating RMN influencer programs, the recommended first step is to coordinate with the brand marketing team to determine whether existing influencer partnerships can be leveraged.
If brand-developed influencer assets are available, shopper marketing teams can often repurpose that content within retail media networks for paid amplification. This approach allows marketers to combine:
- Established influencer relationships
- Retailer-specific audience targeting
- Paid amplification within the RMN ecosystem
When executed effectively, this strategy enables brands to maximize the value of influencer content while ensuring strong alignment between brand marketing and commerce media initiatives.
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