Walmart Connect Expands Offsite Advertising Ambitions with Yahoo, Magnite

Why It Matters

Opening Walmart’s first‑party data to external DSPs gives advertisers programmatic access to high‑value CTV audiences, accelerating full‑funnel retail media and driving Walmart’s ad‑revenue growth.

Key Takeaways

• Walmart Connect partners with Yahoo DSP and Magnite to unlock CTV inventory.
• Offsite ad spend in U.S. to exceed $17B in 2026, up 29.5%.
• Walmart’s Vizio acquisition fuels first‑party data for CTV advertising.
• 2025 offsite campaigns yielded median 52% new‑to‑brand customers.

Pulse Analysis

Walmart Connect’s latest alliances with Yahoo’s demand‑side platform and Magnite mark a strategic pivot from a closed‑loop DSP model toward a more open, programmatic ecosystem. After ending a four‑year exclusivity arrangement with The Trade Desk, Walmart is now leveraging its massive first‑party shopper data across external platforms, beginning with connected‑TV inventory supplied through Vizio, the $2.3 billion acquisition that gave the retailer a foothold in the streaming hardware market. This integration allows advertisers to bid on Walmart‑sourced audiences in real time, blending retail intent with the scale of traditional programmatic buying.

The broader retail‑media landscape is undergoing a similar transformation. eMarketer forecasts U.S. offsite retail‑media spend to surpass $17 billion in 2026, reflecting a 29.5% annual increase as brands seek full‑funnel measurement beyond in‑store placements. Competitors such as Dollar General, Home Depot and Albertsons are rolling out comparable offsite solutions, underscoring the industry’s shift toward data‑driven, cross‑channel campaigns. Walmart’s Vizio platform provides a unique advantage: it combines household‑level viewing data with purchase history, delivering advertisers a richer view of consumer behavior across CTV and streaming environments.

For marketers, the partnership promises tangible performance gains. In 2025, Walmart Connect’s offsite display campaigns generated a median 52% new‑to‑brand customer lift, and the company reported a 44% year‑over‑year revenue rise for its advertising unit in fiscal Q1 2027. By extending closed‑loop measurement to external DSPs, advertisers can directly attribute media exposure to sales outcomes, reducing waste and improving ROI. As Walmart continues to expand its Connect Select marketplace and deepen CTV inventory, the retailer is poised to become a central hub for omnichannel advertising, reshaping how brands reach shoppers both online and in‑store.