Here come the holidays: How toy brands can better connect with customers

September 01, 2021 | By: Matt Miller, Sr. Copywriter

Whether shopping for your children, a friend, or a relative, shopping for the right toy is the first step toward having fun. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday around the corner, customers are starting to look for gifts for their loved ones. And during that shopping experience to find the next best doll, game, or action figure, there are some important moments where brands can connect with customers to help them get right to the fun part—actually playing.

An April Kantar survey, commissioned by Amazon Advertising, of 1,000 Canadian consumers found that 60% of all toy shoppers surveyed visited Amazon before buying, and 74% of surveyed shoppers who purchased online reported researching in Amazon’s store.1 The survey showed that 80% of all respondents are shopping for a gift—35% for their own kids, 15% for grandchildren, and 30% for others.2

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming up fast, here are some key ways your brand can better connect with these shoppers during their journeys:

Toy shoppers are researching products online prior to purchase—and it’s important for brands and customers

The research process is an important first step to finding the perfect toy. According to the Kantar survey, 64% of Canadian buyers shop for toys regularly.3 Based on responses, these are shoppers who routinely purchase new, similar items to ones they already own, shoppers who received a special offer, wanted to replace an item they owned, or were purchasing a gift for a special occasion like a birthday or holiday. And more than half of these shoppers research online prior to purchase. Of these shoppers who reported browsing products on Amazon, 30% said the product caught their eye while browsing online, and 25% said the product was on sale or promotion.4

Shoppers are often inspired by the brands they discover during this research process, making it a great opportunity for you to connect with potential buyers. Brands who use a full-funnel, always-on approach can meet these customers during the research process with products like Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Products, or video ads.

Shoppers are open to discovering new brands

Much like walking the toy aisle, online shoppers are open to discovering great new products while they browse. According to the Kantar survey, 64% of buyers are undecided on a brand while toy shopping and are open to engaging with advertising.5 Of these shoppers, 12% had a brand in mind and switched, 13% had multiple brands in mind and decided while shopping, and 37% had no particular brand in mind and made the decision while browsing.6

Amazon Advertising products like Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Products can help give your brand visibility and pique customers’ interest while browsing online. Meanwhile, Stores can help tell your full brand story and display your offering of products during the customers’ shopping journey.

Price matters—but so does quality and recommendations

It’s a great feeling to get an awesome deal on a new toy. Shoppers care about price: 31% of those surveyed by Kantar said they purchased a toy because the price was right.7 But quality, reviews, and recommendations are also important deciding factors. Of those surveyed who were browsing multiple brands, 25% made a purchase because the quality was better, 23% because family or friends recommended it, and 23% because it had great reviews or ratings.8

Amazon’s customer reviews assist customers in their shopping journeys. To optimize your brand’s performance with features like Sponsored Products, we suggest advertising products with five or more customer reviews, plus a rating of 3.5 stars or higher.

The customer journey is fragmented yet ongoing

Customers today don’t simply discover new products either online or offline. They’re active across multiple channels while deciding what to buy. Sixty percent of toy buyers surveyed looked on Amazon even though they may have bought elsewhere. Of the total surveyed shoppers who researched online before purchase, 74% reported that they found Amazon or the Amazon app highly useful.9 Even if a customer does not end up purchasing your product in Amazon’s store, many of them may engage with your brand while browsing products on Amazon.

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday getting closer, now is a great time to get ahead of the holiday season and understand how customers are interacting with brands during the shopping journey.

Interested in learning more about advertising for the holiday season? Visit our collection of online courses on using sponsored ads and Stores in your holiday marketing strategy.

1-8 Kantar Amazon’s role in the path2purchase for toys, May 2021