Fluent, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLNT) announced a partnership with Squire, an AI‑powered barbershop management and booking platform that serves thousands of shops nationwide and processes millions of appointments each year. The deal will allow Squire’s network to activate post‑booking commerce media moments, delivering contextually relevant offers immediately after appointment confirmations through Fluent’s Data Clean Room and AI‑driven ad‑serving technology.
The partnership extends Fluent’s Commerce Media Solutions beyond traditional e‑commerce and retail into the appointment‑based service sector. By integrating with Squire, Fluent can monetize high‑intent consumer interactions that occur outside of conventional checkout flows, creating a new revenue stream that complements its growing post‑transaction media business. The collaboration also broadens Fluent’s addressable audience to the service‑industry segment, where recurring bookings generate repeat touchpoints and higher lifetime value.
Fluent’s financial performance in recent periods underscores the strategic importance of this expansion. In Q4 2023, the company reported revenue of $72.8 million, a 14.1% decline from Q4 2022, and a full‑year 2023 revenue of $298.4 million, down 17.4% from 2022. In Q4 2024, Commerce Media Solutions revenue surged 139% to $17.2 million, while Owned and Operated revenue fell 23% to $38.2 million. These figures illustrate Fluent’s pivot toward higher‑margin commerce media and the need to diversify beyond legacy marketplace segments.
In a statement accompanying the partnership announcement, CEO Donald Patrick said, "In 2024 we are continuing to invest into expanding our new syndicated performance marketplaces while strengthening our owned and operated marketplaces based on the current macro‑economic realities. We are creating more effective customer acquisition solutions for our clients, while positioning Fluent as a market leader." The quote highlights management’s focus on scaling the commerce media business while managing macro‑economic headwinds.
The partnership deepens Fluent’s data moat by combining Squire’s first‑party customer data with Fluent’s identity graph and AI engine. The integration will enable highly personalized offers tailored to each customer’s purchase history and behavioral signals, reinforcing Fluent’s competitive advantage in delivering relevant advertising at high‑intent moments. By entering the service‑based vertical, Fluent also positions itself to capture a broader share of the growing commerce media market, which is expected to account for a significant portion of digital media spending in the coming years.
Overall, the Fluent‑Squire collaboration represents a strategic step toward expanding the company’s commerce media footprint beyond retail, diversifying revenue sources, and leveraging data and AI to monetize high‑intent moments in the service sector. The partnership aligns with Fluent’s broader strategy of prioritizing high‑margin commerce media and signals confidence in the company’s ability to scale its technology across new verticals.
The content on EveryTicker is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. We are not financial advisors. Consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Any actions you take based on information from this site are solely at your own risk.