Here’s how Medical Supplies & Equipment performed in Amazon’s store
By: Bharani Nittala, Analytics and Media Manager, and Ashton Brown, Technical Writer
Amazon Category Insights: Each year, Amazon Ads researchers analyze shopping behaviors at the category level to provide advertisers with insights that can help inform marketing strategies.
Story highlights:
In this article, we will look at the year-over-year metrics of the Medical Supplies & Equipment category between November 2019 and October 2021 through two lenses. First, we look at how the category performed overall within the Health & Personal Care category on Amazon in terms of total sales and sales growth. Second, we highlight the shopping behaviors and trends within the category.
After looking through both lenses, Medical Supplies & Equipment advertisers should have an understanding of how the category is performing overall, as well as how shopping behaviors within the category have changed.
Combined, these insights provide advertisers with a few metrics and considerations for media and product planning.
Medical Supplies & Equipment is the fifth-largest category in Health & Personal Care
At the time of our analysis, the Medical Supplies & Equipment category was fifth in sales and sales growth rank amongst other peer categories. Below are the top-ranking categories in the Health & Personal Care industry.
- Nutrition & Wellness (first in sales and sales growth)
- Household Consumables (second in sales and third in sales growth)
- Health Care (third in sales and second in sales growth)
- Baby Care (fourth in sales and sales growth)
Medical Supplies & Equipment category performance between November 2020 and October 2021 in Amazon’s store
Sales rank amongst Health & Personal Care categories
Sales growth rank amongst Health & Personal Care categories
Shopping behaviors
Shifting from category performance metrics to consumer metrics, we look at two behaviors: (1) how new-to-category customers (customers purchasing a product within a category for the first time) entered the Medical Supplies & Equipment category, and (2) what they are shopping for within the category.
In 2021, new-to-category customers entered the Medical Supplies & Equipment category asynchronously throughout the year
Medical Supplies & Equipment shoppers who visit the category for the first time are potential new customers, so it is important to understand how and when they enter the category. Our data showed that new-to-category customers entered asynchronously throughout the year, with November, January, and August having higher-than-average new-to-category customers.
Monthly share of annual new-to-category shoppers (December '20–November '21)
(December '20–November '21)
37% of new-to-category customers entered through the Daily Living, Safety, and Bathroom sub-category
37% of new-to-category customers entered into the Medical Supplies & Equipment category through the Daily Living, Safety, & Bathroom sub-category.
Top entry sub-categories
Daily Living, Safety, & Bathroom: 37%
Oximeters: 28%
Mobility Aids: 19%
Heat/Cold Pads & Therapy: 15%
65% of new-to-category Medical Supplies & Equipment shoppers purchased other products on Amazon.com
While it is important to understand how and where customers are entering the category, it may also be useful to know where else these consumers may be shopping in Amazon’s store. Our data shows that 65% of new-to-category customers purchased products from other categories prior to purchasing a Medical Supplies & Equipment product. Top overlap categories, ordered by purchase propensity, are:
- Professional Medical (thermometers and other testing equipment)
- General Medicine & Health Care (adhesives)
- Grocery Supplies (nutrition bars / protein powders)
- Janitorial & Sanitation (paper towels / toilet tissue)
- Breakfast Foods (cereal / eggs)
Conclusion
As seen in this study, the Medical Supplies & Equipment category was the fifth-ranked category in terms of sales in the Health and Personal Care industry on Amazon.com. In the period observed, we find that shoppers enter the category throughout the year, with November through January being the highest months for entry.
To improve performance on Amazon.com, Medical Supplies & Equipment advertisers can consider adjusting ad spend to align with the top entry segments and categories within the Health and Personal Care industry. Advertisers looking to attract first-time buyers can also consider marketing products in top overlap categories, as well as including top keywords (by size and by trending) in their sponsored ads campaigns.