Will Cookie-Less Marketing Kill eCommerce Retargeting?

The digital ad world is in the middle of a big shift. Privacy rules are tightening, browsers are phasing out third-party cookies, and eCommerce brands are left wondering: does this mean the end of retargeting?

Not quite. Retargeting isn’t going anywhere—it’s just changing shape. The brands that adapt to first-party data and new tools will keep driving sales. Those that don’t may find themselves struggling to stay competitive.

Why Third-Party Cookies Are on the Way Out

For years, third-party cookies have been the engine behind retargeting. They made it possible to follow a shopper around the web with ads for that pair of shoes they almost bought.

But the days of that kind of tracking are numbered:

• Browsers have taken the lead. Safari and Firefox already block third-party cookies. Chrome—still the world’s most-used browser—is in the process of phasing them out too.
• Marketers are pulling back. Adobe’s 2024 survey revealed marketers’ reliance on third-party data dropped from 75% in 2022 to just 49% in 2024. Only 60% say they feel ready for a cookieless world.

This isn’t an overnight switch—it’s more of a slow fade. But the impact is real, especially for eCommerce brands relying heavily on retargeting ads.

What’s at Risk for Retargeting

When someone browses a site, adds items to a cart, and leaves without buying, retargeting has been the go-to way to bring them back. Without cookies, several hurdles pop up:

• No cross-site tracking. Following shoppers from one platform to another gets a lot harder.
• Shrinking audiences. Fewer identifiers mean smaller pools to retarget.
• Messy measurement. Multi-touch attribution and performance tracking lose accuracy.

The numbers paint a clear picture. Tests using Google’s Privacy Sandbox showed ad clicks dropped by 88% and conversions by 89% when cookies were removed. With privacy-preserving tools in place, recovery was only partial—about 46% of clicks and 43% of conversions came back.

Why Retargeting Isn’t Dead

Even with these challenges, retargeting isn’t disappearing—it’s transforming. Here’s why it still has a future:

• First-party data is untouchable. Purchase history, email sign-ups, loyalty programs—these stay valuable no matter what. Adobe reports 78% of marketers are already adopting Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) to get more out of this data.
• New privacy tools are coming up. Google’s Privacy Sandbox and data clean rooms allow targeting without exposing individual identities. They’re far from perfect, but they’ll get better.
• Platforms still own huge ecosystems. Meta, Google, and Amazon control massive logged-in audiences. Retargeting inside their platforms isn’t going away anytime soon.

So yes, retargeting is changing. But no, it isn’t going extinct.

What Will Replace Third-Party Cookie Retargeting?

The future is more about mixing strategies than relying on one silver bullet. Here are some of the approaches taking over:

• First-party data retargeting (emails, loyalty sign-ups, CRM lists)
• Server-side tracking that skips browser blockers
• Privacy Sandbox & clean rooms for safer targeting
• Contextual ads—think running shoe ads on a fitness blog
• Owned channels like SMS, push, and email where you control the data

Retargeting will no longer be one-size-fits-all. It will spread across channels and tools, each filling a piece of the gap left by cookies.

The Risk of Standing Still

Ignoring this shift isn’t an option. eCommerce brands that don’t adapt risk:

• Losing audience reach
• Paying more per conversion
• Getting weaker insights on performance
• Running into compliance issues with GDPR or CCPA

The bottom line—clinging to cookie-based tactics is a recipe for higher costs and lower returns.

How eCommerce Brands Can Stay Ahead

The smart move is to act before the cookie clock runs out. Practical steps include:

• Building stronger first-party data through loyalty programs and sign-up incentives
• Investing in tools like CDPs and server-side tracking
• Using measurement models like media mix modeling or A/B testing
• Testing contextual targeting alongside platform retargeting
• Being transparent with customers about how their data is used

Trust is becoming just as important as technology here. Brands that can balance personalization with privacy will keep their competitive edge.

Conclusion

Cookie-less marketing won’t kill eCommerce retargeting. It will reshape it. Data and studies show clear drops when cookies disappear, but solutions are already helping businesses claw back performance.

The old “set it and forget it” days of retargeting are done. The future belongs to eCommerce brands willing to adapt, diversify their tactics, and build customer trust.