ShopX launches global retail media group across 27 markets

ShopX has launched as a global retail media group combining Shopfully, Flipp and MEDIA CENTRAL. It says it reaches 400 million shoppers across 27 markets, including Australia.

The new structure brings together three regional businesses under one parent group, while each brand continues to operate under its current name. The combined organisation employs more than 1,000 people and works with thousands of retailers and consumer brands.

The launch reflects a broader push by retail media companies to capture advertising linked to purchases made in physical stores, where most retail spending still takes place. According to ShopX, about 80% of all retail sales still happen offline, rising to close to 90% for everyday consumer goods.

In Australia, ShopX pointed to Shopfully research showing that 83% of shoppers research online before making an in-store purchase. That behaviour has increased pressure on retailers and brands to connect digital marketing activity with store sales.

Retail media has expanded rapidly as retailers seek new advertising revenue and brands demand clearer evidence that marketing spend leads to purchases. ShopX says the sector has grown into a USD $200 billion global market, but much of that activity remains concentrated in online conversion channels rather than in-store buying.

The group is positioning itself around that gap. Its stated aim is to make the path to purchase in physical retail easier for retailers and brands to measure, using a cross-retailer model rather than one built by an individual chain.

Under the new structure, the three operating brands will keep their customer relationships and market positions. The parent group will provide shared technology and a larger international footprint.

ShopX is led by a management board that includes Michael Silverman as Group Chief Executive Officer, Stefano Portu as Group President & Chief Operating Officer, Jaclyn Welsh as Group Chief Financial Officer, and Ingo Wienand, who also serves as Chief Executive Officer of MEDIA CENTRAL.

Silverman said the launch brings long-established operations together on a single platform.

“We have spent decades building solutions that drive real impact for hundreds of millions of households. This engagement allows our retail and brand partners to trust our platform to drive measurable results in store. ShopX turns that foundation into one platform, with a shared direction to grow further,” said Michael Silverman, Group Chief Executive Officer, ShopX.

Store focus

The group's strategy is rooted in a long-running imbalance in retail advertising. While digital channels have become more measurable and easier to buy at scale, most consumer spending still takes place in stores, where attribution is often harder and media opportunities are fragmented across retailers, catalogues, apps and publisher networks.

That has created room for intermediaries that aggregate audiences and promotional inventory across multiple retailers. By combining Shopfully, Flipp and MEDIA CENTRAL, ShopX is seeking to offer that reach across several regions while keeping local operating brands in place.

It plans to keep investing in technology, expand into additional markets and add complementary businesses. The group has completed 10 acquisitions to date, suggesting further consolidation may remain part of its growth model.

Portu said the business still views its current scale as an early stage in a broader effort to improve visibility into in-store shopping behaviour.

“What we have built so far is the starting point. Most shopping still happens in stores, and most of it is invisible to the brands that pay to influence it. At ShopX, we are here to change that by connecting shoppers, retailers, brands, and publishers around physical retail,” said Stefano Portu, Group President & Chief Operating Officer, ShopX.