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Ace Hardware says its RedVest Media network has influenced more than $100 million in retail sales in its first year, with more than 100 vendors joining. The vendor-funded program has added social, influencer, weather-triggered and DoorDash advertising, along with expanded sales measurement. Ace has not specified how it calculates the $100 million figure or completed its stated three-year growth goal in the available report.
Ace Hardware’s RedVest Media network has influenced more than $100 million in Ace retail sales during its first year, the company says, as it adds advertising channels and measurement tools to the vendor-funded program. More than 100 vendors have joined since the network launched in 2025, according to Molly Hjelm, Ace’s corporate vice president and head of RedVest Media.
RedVest gives vendors a centralized way to advertise products across Ace’s digital channels and assess whether customers exposed to those ads later made purchases. Placements include Acehardware.com, email and push messages, as well as offsite display, video, connected TV and mobile advertising. The network uses Ace Rewards data to connect ad exposure with later sales, according to Hjelm.
Ace expanded the program this summer after receiving feedback from participating vendors. Additions announced at its August Upfront event included social and influencer marketing, weather-triggered programmatic advertising and placements in Ace’s storefront on DoorDash. Weather-based ads can respond to local conditions such as rain or snow. DoorDash placements give vendors another way to reach customers shopping for Ace products through the delivery platform.
The program is funded by participating vendors promoting products sold through Ace. Individual retailers do not have to build RedVest campaigns or manage advertising buys. Ace says vendor marketing can raise awareness and bring customers to stores, though the source report does not give a breakdown of sales attributed to particular campaigns or explain the method behind the $100 million figure.
A Central Ad Route Across Ace Stores
RedVest offers brands a way to reach customers across Ace’s cooperative network through one program. Hjelm described the challenge of coordinating with a large group of independently owned stores: “Navigating a 5,300-store co-op has its challenges.” A centralized channel can make it easier for vendors to promote products across Ace’s digital ecosystem while allowing local retailers to benefit from campaigns they do not have to manage themselves.
The sales measurement may also affect how vendors decide where to spend advertising budgets. RedVest reporting lets vendors review return on advertising spend, total sales impact, the share of converted customers who are new to a brand, and differences among products, placements and creative. Ace says the network has also added incrementality measurement for offsite ads, designed to estimate whether a campaign generated sales that would not otherwise have happened. These measures could help distinguish sales linked to ad exposure from sales that the campaign actually added, though the report does not provide independent validation or campaign-level results.
For retailers, the potential benefit is vendor-funded marketing that may bring more shoppers or product demand to stores. That benefit depends on whether campaigns translate into purchases through Ace and whether spending continues; the available report does not quantify the effect on individual stores.
How RedVest Reached Its First Year
Ace introduced RedVest to vendors at its 2025 Fall Convention in Chicago and formally launched the network days later. Its first-year update followed the 2026 Fall Convention in Orlando and a recent expansion of the program, according to Hardware Retailing’s report.
The network is designed around Ace’s digital properties and loyalty data. Ace Rewards supports what the advertising industry calls closed-loop measurement: connecting exposure to an ad with a later purchase. Hjelm said the company and advertisers can view sales from customers exposed to media through vendor-facing reporting.
RedVest also includes RetailerReach, which gives eligible vendors a route to reach Ace and Emery Jensen retailers through retailer-facing banners, emails and educational content. This is intended to build awareness of products among retailers and may support wider store-level distribution. The source does not state how many vendors use RetailerReach or report distribution outcomes.
““With RedVest, all of our retailers benefit from an influx of marketing, driving awareness and foot traffic to their stores as a result of vendors investing to message their products.””
— Molly Hjelm, Ace Hardware corporate vice president and head of RedVest Media
How Ace Counts Influenced Sales
The report does not describe the methodology behind the more than $100 million in influenced sales, including the time period used for the calculation, how influence is defined, or whether the figure reflects sales linked to ad exposure or sales estimated as incremental. It also does not provide campaign-level results, a comparison baseline, or an independent assessment of the measurement.
It remains unclear how much of the reported sales reached individual independently owned stores, how many vendors are using each new advertising option, and how the program’s expansion has affected store traffic. Hjelm said the network’s growth would continue to be guided by vendor feedback and by reaching Ace customers where they spend time. The report’s final description of the three-year goal is cut off, so the specific target is not available.
More Channels and Measurement Ahead
Ace says RedVest’s development will continue to respond to vendor feedback and customer media habits. The newly added options give vendors more ways to reach audiences, including shoppers using DoorDash and customers in areas where weather may prompt an immediate home or project need.
Further updates may show how vendors use the added placements and what the expanded measurement tools report about sales. Hjelm also described a three-year goal for the network, but the available source text cuts off before stating what that goal is. Ace has not provided a timeline or detailed milestones for the next stage in the report.
Key Questions
What is Ace Hardware’s RedVest Media?
RedVest Media is Ace Hardware’s vendor-funded advertising network. It lets participating brands promote products through Ace’s digital channels and use Ace Rewards data to assess sales among customers exposed to advertising.
How much retail sales has RedVest influenced?
Ace says the network has influenced more than $100 million in retail sales in its first year. The report does not explain the calculation method, provide a comparison baseline or break out incremental sales.
Who pays for RedVest campaigns?
Participating vendors fund the program to promote products sold through Ace. Individual retailers do not have to build campaigns or manage advertising buys, according to the report.
What new advertising options has Ace added?
Ace added social and influencer marketing, weather-triggered programmatic ads and advertising in its DoorDash storefront. The options were announced at RedVest’s August Upfront event.
What is Ace’s three-year goal for RedVest?
The source says Hjelm discussed a three-year goal, but the available text cuts off before giving its details. The specific target is not stated in the report provided.
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