As we all know, Q4 and the holiday selling season is on the horizon. It's important to understand that certain categories may peak even earlier in the fall. Here are a few categories that are heading into peak season and how you need to prepare ahead of time to maximize your selling window.
Category 1: Hunting. This time of year, every avid hunter is reevaluating their gear – what worked in summer or last season, and what needs an upgrade. Anticipate the search starting to pick up in August and September as people prepare for peak season September through December.
Note how search volume for “hunting backpack” first rises in August, then dips before rising consistently in October. November then sees a steep decline as most shoppers have already made their purchases. If you wait until the hunting season is already in full swing, you’ll miss the brunt of sales.
Adjust your storefront to highlight key products related to the hunting season that will remain relevant throughout the fall. Items like backpacks, insulated jackets, and decoys will be trending, and by tracking the month-to-month and even week-to-week demand, you position yourself to have better success. Make sure to advertise on priority terms before the search becomes too high, and you’ll avoid paying higher costs per click to compete.
Category 2: Outerwear Apparel. Anticipate the shift out of summer apparel. As t-shirts and shorts are relegated to the closet, evaluate the outerwear purchased for cooler, wetter seasons. Lightweight jackets and spring apparel will peak first but get ahead of the trend for heavy-duty winter jackets as well.
Since many brands will compete on broader terms, invest in niche terms related to your product specs that separate you from the competition. Instead of “rain jacket,” for example, use “insulated rain jacket” or “hooded rain jacket.” Highlighting those key specs will help your product stand out.
If you have a new product that is entering its first season on Amazon, start with your listing and backend keywords. Then make sure your brand fans know about the new product by highlighting it on the low-expense Amazon avenues: branded search and storefront.
Category 3: Home & Kitchen Supplies. No more summer vacations! As the weather turns colder and wetter, consumers spend more time indoors and begin reevaluating what they need in their homes. Think cozy and convenient: Everything from sheets to coffee to kitchen appliances will start to rise.
The homeware category can be very price sensitive, so it may be helpful to send traffic into Amazon from external sources to help the algorithm and your product position in search.
Remember to start early. Searches begin to pick up in the fall, but many of these items are also giftable. Consider the “coffee mug” and “crockpot” volume graphs below. By Christmas shopping time, it’s difficult to reach the elusive top of the category unless you capitalized on keywords as early as August and September.
Search Trends:
Key Takeaways:
Evaluate last year’s performance. Compare competitors’ performances during the same period and use that data to set goals for this year.
Examine your content from last season. Pay attention to the reviews and questions on the listing, then address them with adjustments you make to your current content.
Track key terms and invest in them early. Preparing in August and September positions you for success deeper in peak season.
Monitor BSR (best seller ranking) of competitive products to ensure you are following the same trends. Keep an eye on Google trends as well as Amazon’s.
Utilize external traffic, ads, and social media during peak season
Most importantly, know your brand’s key season. Timing is everything. Tracking trends will guide you to make key adjustments to capitalize on opportunities for success.