Affirm's in-store Apple Pay play, Kroger's coupon revival, and WTF is a retail media network

On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporter Melissa Daniels is joined by executive editor Anna Hensel. First they discuss Affirm's new rollout with Apple Pay to provide its buy now, pay later services in store (1:09). Then they unpack the trend of paper coupons making a comeback in some retail environments, with Kroger announcing it has been bringing back paper coupons to help appeal to value-mined shoppers or those who aren't comfortable with more digital savings programs (9:49). Then, on this week's featured segment (18:19), Hensel is joined by Digiday's senior marketing reporter Kimeko McCoy to talk about the rise of retail media. Retailers are in search of more ways to grow revenue, and they are enticed by the size of Amazon's business. So, more of them are looking to build their bonafide media networks. Hensel and Kimeko discuss what is fueling the rise of retail media, what the big challenges are that brands and agencies are facing as they try to sift through what retail media networks make sense for their particular business, and what it will take for more retail media networks to succeed.