Great campaigns fail if the budget is scattered. A clear Retail Media Budget Allocation framework aligns spend with goals, channels and measurement—preventing overspend on low-impact ads and underspend on high-value SKUs. Yet planners often debate which KPI should steer dollars: iGRP (internet Gross Rating Point) for reach or ROAS for efficiency. Here’s how to strike the right balance.
1. Start With Objective-Driven Tiers
| Goal | Primary KPI | Budget Rule of Thumb |
| Brand Awareness | iGRP / Reach | ± 40 % |
| Mid-Funnel Consideration | View-Through Rate, CPC | ± 30 % |
| Performance / Sales | Incremental ROAS | ± 30 % |
Allocate top-line percentages first, then fine-tune by SKU using your SKU-Level Brief
2. Weigh iGRP Against Incremental ROAS
- iGRP tells you how many shoppers you’ve reached and how often—a digital update of TV GRP that unifies on-site, off-site and CTV impressions. Learn the basics in What You Need to Know About Online GRP and iGRP.
- ROAS reveals efficiency—but raw ROAS can hide cannibalisation. eMarketer warns that marketers must track incremental lift, not just attributed sales
Rule of thumb:
- Use iGRP to set reach floors (e.g., 70 % of category shoppers, 3+ frequency.
- Optimise inside that reach window for incremental ROAS.
3. Apply a Simple 70-20-10 Split
- 70 % Core Budget → proven on-site formats that hit both reach (iGRP) and performance (ROAS).
- 20 % Growth Budget → high-impact off-site or CTV units that expand reach beyond core audiences.
- 10 % Test-and-Learn → new placements (in-store DOOH, retail media beta features).
4. Monitor & Re-Allocate Weekly
Create a dashboard that blends:
- iGRP / Reach (for awareness layer)
- Incremental ROAS (for performance layer)
If iGRP exceeds target but incremental ROAS drops, shift budget to high-converting SKUs or pause low-margin items.
Practical Example
Brand Y launched a new cold-brew line:
- Phase 1:* Spent 60 % on Sponsored Brands to secure 80 iGRPs in two weeks.
- Phase 2:* Redirected 25 % to retargeting, lifting incremental ROAS from 3.5 to 5.1.
- Result:* 18 % sales lift vs control SKU with no extra budget.
Internal Links for Context
– Review channel choices: Retail Media Advertising Mix
– Build your team to manage budgets: Building the Ideal Retail Media Team
A disciplined Retail Media Budget Allocation grounded in both iGRP and incremental ROAS keeps spend efficient and scalable. This is post #8 in my Retail Media Mastery series. Next, we’ll explore Programmatic 2025: In-Housing & Retail DSPs—don’t miss it!
