Summer Playtime Trends: How first-party data helps brands thrive in a customer-centric world
Take the guesswork out of shopper trend analysis and ensure your brand continues to thrive with actionable, customer-centric insights.
By Walmart Data Ventures
August 23, 2023
With the media saturated with pink dream houses and nearly impossible spy missions this summer, Walmart shoppers took advantage of the warmer weather to enjoy the outdoors and experience sun-powered joy in the toy aisle. Unsurprisingly, summer toy sales are up, with the most popular summer toys inspiring creativity, imagination, and movement for the entire family. This is a shift from the tech-powered play boom we've seen over the last decade.
Understanding shifting shopper behaviors is crucial, especially during the summer months when parents are looking for new ways to engage and entertain their children. With Walmart Luminate, brands have the unique opportunity to investigate the latest needs (and wants) of shoppers of all ages and create personalized and relevant experiences across the category. In this article, we will explore the top four summer toy trends, what they mean for your brand, and tips to leverage Walmart Data Ventures' portfolio of advanced data science products to capitalize on emerging trends and drive growth in your category.
Trend 1: Land of Make Believe
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in sales of action figures and dolls fueled by a rising trend in popular characters from movies, TV shows, and video games. Both children and adults are captivated by these collectible toys. One of the main drivers is the nostalgia factor, as adults who grew up with action figures and dolls now seek to share their childhood memories as they become parents. Moreover, the rise of influencer culture and the increased focus on representation have influenced the demand for diverse and inclusive action figures and dolls – expanding the range of offerings both in-store and online, opening new doors for toy brands, and providing the opportunity to expand their assortments to cater to the evolving interests of shoppers.
Tip: Explore customer sentiment with Qualitative Video Research in Walmart Luminate Customer Perception. Clarify the “why” behind the buy, through self-recorded video clips from our Walmart Customer Spark Community and gain candid answers from real customers to strengthen product strategies, test new concepts, gain feedback on products, and launch new innovations and experiences.
Trend 2: Bursting the Bubble
Bubbles have become increasingly popular during the summer season as families were eager to find ways to spend time outside. Between April 2023 and July 2023, bubbles rose in both sales and frequency of purchase in the U.S, attributed to their inexpensive price point and ability to provide hours of entertainment. In fact, the most popular day for buying bubbles was Saturday and the most popular time 1:00 pm local time —just in time for weekend festivities1. By focusing on simple, age-inclusive fun, brands can capture the attention of shoppers – at the right time to make summer fun pop.
Tip: Identify customer behavior metrics driving performance for your brands with Walmart Luminate’s Shopper Behavior Performance in Detail Report. Track changes in customer behavior and shopping trends during peak and non-peak periods.
Trend 3: Tech-Integrated Toys
In today's digital age, technology has seeped into every aspect of our lives, including playtime. Tech-integrated toys have continued to gain immense popularity, especially during the summer season, but with a focus on learning and expanded realities. Examples of popular tech-integrated toys include karaoke machines, walkie-talkies, and virtual reality headsets. Parents are well aware of their children's fascination with technology and its ability to provide stimulation that promotes both learning and fun outside the classroom. By combining sales and customer metrics, brands can identify the top and bottom performing products by customer profile and help parents nurture the growing imaginations of their children.
Tip: Determine the busiest day of the week and hour of the day for your category. Use Walmart Luminate’s Shopper Behavior Hourly/ Daily Trends Report to identify when your brand’s sales are highest. Leverage these insights to plan for in-store activations and inventory changes.
Trend 4: Active Play and Sports Toys
The summer season is synonymous with outdoor activities and sports. Families are eager to engage in active play and encourage movement among children. With Walmart's omnichannel options, it is easier than ever to buy kids bikes. The majority (86%) of shoppers continue to buy kids bikes in-store at their local Walmart followed by 9% who purchase them online2. Seize this trend by comparing the performance of your products in each channel and identify what other products your opportunity shoppers are buying to keep their children active and entertained throughout the warmer months.
Tip: Use the Walmart Luminate Shopper Behavior Multi-Channel Report to understand how your customers are shopping across Walmart’s omnichannel offerings. Uncover new opportunities to maximize sales and relevancy for multi-channel and single channel customers.
How to Leverage Summer Playtime Trends to Drive Your Growth
With warm weather still lingering and planning for next seasons begins, it's important to stay on top of trends and analyze shoppers' buying behavior to optimize category and brand plans. If you don't have the right data and insights, you risk missing opportunities to engage with shoppers and drive sales all year long. Discover the power of first-party data with a demo of Walmart Luminate, Walmart Data Ventures' flagship data analytics product suite. Walmart Luminate combines the power of 'what', 'why,' and 'where' along the omnichannel path-to-purchase. Best of all, you'll be able to see what's next for your brand with confidence.
1Source: Walmart first-party data provided by Walmart Luminate, July 2023. Reflecting Jan 14, 2023, to March 31, 2023.
2Source: Walmart first-party data provided by Walmart Luminate, July 2023. Reflecting Apr 8, 2023, to Jul 7, 2023.
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