<b>The SPO 'direct' deal that isn't direct</b>

<b>The SPO 'direct' deal that isn't direct</b>
Heard: a few SSPs are pitching 'supply path optimization' bundles that route your inventory through a single preferred path — then quietly rebate the buyer, not you. You see fill, the buyer sees a discount, and the take rate vanishes into a curation fee.
— Ask for the seat-level take rate in writing, not a blended number
— Compare your eCPM on that path vs your second-cleanest SSP
Impact: SPO marketed as efficiency can be margin extraction. Confidence: rumor.