What an Open Retail Media Platform Means for In-Store Audio
An open retail media platform for in-store audio is an API-driven system that lets retailers plug licensed music, ads, and announcements into their existing technology stack, instead of relying on a single closed vendor for hardware, software, and content delivery. Enterprise music streaming provider Custom Channels is bringing this idea to retail media with its new In-Store Open Media Platform, introduced at InfoComm 2026. The platform is built for in-store media management, giving retailers and their technology partners direct, programmatic control of commercial audio systems and infrastructure. Rather than forcing a migration to proprietary players or CMS environments, Custom Channels connects into what retailers already run—digital signage platforms, demand-side platforms (DSPs), content management systems (CMS), and broader retail technology infrastructure. That shift turns in-store audio from a siloed channel into an extensible layer of retail media that retailers can manage, measure, and scale on their own terms.
Inside Custom Channels’ In-Store Open Media Platform
Custom Channels’ In-Store Open Media Platform focuses on core audio functions that most retail media networks need but often source from closed systems. It supports music scheduling, zone control, ad insertion, proof-of-play reporting, and device management through API-based access to in-store audio infrastructure. According to Custom Channels, the framework provides “direct, programmatic access to in-store audio infrastructure, including music scheduling, zone control, ad insertion, proof-of-play reporting and device management.” Retailers can connect their existing CMS, DSP, or digital signage platforms, then use Custom Channels as the licensed content delivery and control layer. The platform also supports integration with control systems and on-site AV for locations that require local management alongside cloud-based tools. For technology partners, the same engine can be embedded or white-labeled, allowing them to add licensed audio and in-store media capabilities without building a full audio stack from scratch.
Breaking Vendor Lock-In in In-Store Media Management
Custom Channels is pitching its open retail media platform as a direct response to vendor lock-in that many retailers face with in-store audio. Traditional systems bundle content, playback devices, and management tools into a single ecosystem, making it hard to switch vendors or merge audio with wider retail media strategies. Custom Channels’ approach separates the licensed audio delivery layer from the rest of the retail technology infrastructure. Retailers keep control of ad inventory, audience data, and revenue models, while the platform handles the mechanics of in-store media management at scale. René Arnold, senior director of partnerships at Custom Channels, said, “Retailers don’t want to be locked into a single ecosystem, especially as their media strategies evolve.” By remaining vendor-neutral, the platform acts as a bridge between existing CMS, DSP, measurement, and signage tools, helping retailers avoid costly rip-and-replace projects.
Multi-Source Audio Integration at Scale
The open, API-driven design of the In-Store Open Media Platform is meant to make multi-source audio integration routine rather than a custom project. Retailers can choose their own DSP, CMS, and measurement partners while still running a consistent in-store media experience across thousands of endpoints. Audio zones can be centrally coordinated but locally adapted, blending branded music, retail media ads, and contextual announcements in one managed stream. Because the system connects into existing digital signage and enterprise content platforms, retailers can align what shoppers see on screens with what they hear in-store. Technology partners can embed or white-label the platform to add licensed audio to their offerings, widening the ecosystem of tools retailers can mix and match. This model turns in-store audio into an extensible service layer that can evolve over time as new partners, formats, and monetization options emerge.
A Shift Toward Open Retail Technology Infrastructure
Custom Channels’ launch reflects a broader shift in retail technology infrastructure toward open standards and modular platforms. Retail media networks are expanding from online channels into physical stores, and retailers want consistent control over data, formats, and revenue across both. By connecting to existing CMS, DSP, digital signage, and enterprise content systems rather than replacing them, the In-Store Open Media Platform fits into this open, composable model. Joe Comer, chief executive officer at Custom Channels, said the platform gives retailers the ability to integrate in-store audio “without being forced into a single system or vendor.” As retailers look for vendor lock-in solutions that protect long-term flexibility, open retail media platforms for audio are likely to influence how other in-store systems—screens, sensors, and analytics—are designed and purchased, favoring interoperable, API-first architectures over closed stacks.
