Why verified in-store visibility is becoming retail’s most profitable and overlooked asset

Why verified execution drives higher margins: 

Retail media has evolved from a marketing experiment into a global growth engine.

Analysts estimate retail media operating margins commonly range between 50 and 70 percent. Onsite formats can reach as high as 90 percent. These margins far exceed traditional retail operations, which often average in the single digits.

The takeaway is clear. Data that validates in-store performance has real financial value. When brands see proof that items are correctly priced, properly displayed, and consistently in stock, they spend more to advertise and activate those products.
Verified execution creates measurable ROI on both sides of the partnership.

Why every missed shelf check is a missed revenue opportunity:

Every time a shopper encounters an empty shelf, a pricing error, or a missing display, the impact goes beyond a lost sale. It erodes the value of the supplier’s advertising investment.

NIQ estimates that out-of-stocks cost U.S. retailers tens of billions annually. Shoppers who cannot find what they want often buy from a competitor or walk away entirely. That disruption undermines both operational performance and retail media ROI.

Retailers that cannot measure in-store conditions quickly and accurately are leaving money on the table. Valuable data and revenue are going untapped.

Why automation turns shelf scans into financial returns:

The difference between good operations and great operations is verification.

Manual audits gave retailers partial insight. Today, automation delivers continuous visibility with precision that human teams alone cannot match.

Badger Technologies’ autonomous robots scan sales floors to detect out-of-stocks, verify pricing, and confirm planogram compliance. Every scan captures structured, timestamped data that retailers can analyze, share, and monetize.

This verified data drives real business impact:

• Identify and fix inventory gaps faster
• Build supplier trust through transparent reporting
• Monetize shelf visibility via retail media and co-funded programs

In short, it turns the shelf into a source of operational intelligence and revenue.

Why credibility is the new currency in supplier partnerships:

In digital advertising, impressions and clicks are verified by third-party systems. Physical retail has lacked an equivalent, until now.
Automation closes that gap.

By collecting and validating data in real time, retailers can offer suppliers credible proof that marketing and merchandising programs are executed correctly. This verification protects supplier investments and boosts confidence in joint initiatives.

For retailers, proof isn’t just a technical advantage. It’s a credibility engine that attracts bigger budgets and stronger partnerships.

Why data monetization works best when everyone wins:
 

Monetizing data is not about selling information for its own sake. It is about creating measurable value for everyone involved.

When retailers share verified insights, suppliers gain clarity. They can adjust inventory, refine promotions, and optimize media spend. In return, retailers unlock new funding, reduce disputes, and improve category performance.

This shared model transforms supplier relationships. Meetings shift from guesswork to verified results. Planning accelerates. Execution improves. Collaboration becomes more profitable.

Why automation pays for itself when paired with monetization:

When automation improves store accuracy and generates new income through retail media, the financial conversation shifts, from cost to return.

Every verified scan contributes to cost savings, supplier trust, and top-line growth.

In a market where retailers must do more with less, this dual impact is essential. The same technology that strengthens compliance and safety can also fund future innovation.

That’s why more retailers are rethinking automation, not as a cost of doing business, but as a strategic investment.

Why retailers with verified visibility will lead the next wave of growth:

The convergence of operations, data, and marketing is accelerating. Retailers who connect in-store visibility with media performance are shaping the future of commerce.

Those who delay risk being left behind.

As retail media networks grow more sophisticated, the value of verified, first-party in-store data will only rise. Retailers without reliable visibility will be excluded from the partnerships and funding opportunities that drive growth.

In a market this dynamic, standing still is the most expensive decision a retailer can make.

Why insight per square foot is the new metric for retail excellence:

The future of retail won’t be defined by sales per square foot alone, but by insight per square foot.

Retailers who harness verified in-store data will operate with greater precision, make faster decisions, and earn stronger returns. Suppliers will invest more confidently in retail media programs backed by proof, not estimates.

Badger Technologies’ next-gen digital teammates make this model attainable. They transform everyday store activity into continuous insight, delivering the visibility retailers need to unlock operational savings and new revenue streams.

Automation and data monetization aren’t optional anymore. Together, they form the foundation of a more profitable, resilient retail model.

Your stores are already generating the data. It’s time to make it pay.

Retailers don’t need more data. They need better data, data they can verify, trust, and monetize.

The market for retail media is expanding fast. The value of first-party in-store insight has never been higher. Retailers who capture, validate, and activate this data will lead their industries, attract new revenue, and fund future innovation.

Every scan. Every shelf check. Every price verification has value.

Let’s turn that value into growth.

• Protect your employees and customers with Hazard Detection Technology
• Learn more about our Retail Automation Services

Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil, is a leader in retail automation and artificial intelligence solutions. Its autonomous robots and digital teammates help retailers improve on-shelf availability, pricing accuracy, planogram compliance, and store safety.

With deployments across grocery, building supply, and other high-SKU retail environments, Badger Technologies provides retailers with real-time data and actionable insights that drive measurable results. Headquartered in Nicholasville, Kentucky, the company is committed to helping retailers build smarter, safer, and more efficient stores.