DoorDash has announced its intention to acquire Instacart in a deal valued at about $17 billion, with the transaction not expected to close before late 2027 or early 2028. The move, pending Federal Trade Commission approval, has already prompted advertisers to question future costs, data access and the complexity of managing campaigns across merged platforms.
Industry analysts say the combined entity could offer a single ecosystem for closed-loop data reporting and scaled advertising, but warn that larger platforms do not guarantee simplicity. Brands may face new challenges in managing investments across different data sets and measurement standards. Media buyers are also weighing whether the deal will justify higher ad prices, given the expanded audience reach and potential for more robust reporting.
Walmart and Amazon currently dominate U.S. retail media spend, but DoorDash and Instacart’s merger could help them compete for a bigger share. However, the lack of a standard for measuring incrementality and the need for independent verification of media quality remain concerns for advertisers.
For marketing leaders, the focus will be on how quickly the merged company can deliver unified measurement and prove value. The regulatory review process and the pace of integration will be key factors to monitor.
