This post is sponsored by Amazon Ads
Demand for home and furniture goods has continued to grow in the US, with a Statista study on furniture showing a 31% increase since 2019 and a 4.5% annual growth rate through 2026. Remote working has become more common, and people have made their living and home office spaces more comfortable. But the current economic indicators could dampen those forecasts. A poll from Ipsos found that 81% of consumers surveyed are trying to watch prices and 77% are cutting back on nonessentials. Despite these uncertain times, brands have an opportunity to continue building trust and loyalty with consumers.
“Brands should be empathetic to the needs of shoppers right now. Marketing strategies focused on building consideration and customer loyalty are standing out in the current environment,” said Jay Symonds, senior manager for the Home Industry at Amazon Ads.
Here are three ways brands can build long-term relationships with new and existing customers.
1. Appeal to shoppers through brand storytelling
Any great TV show, movie, or book must start with a good story. The same could be said for a brand. As people, we can better connect with the world around us through the power of storytelling. That’s why, when it comes to engaging with customers, brand awareness is just one of many things that matter — it’s also about weaving a thoughtful thread around a compelling story. Customers are engaging with brands in new ways, but they are also developing an affinity based on a brand’s story, what it stands for, and how they identify with it. According to a 2022 Ipsos survey, nearly three-quarters of customers understand that a favorite brand may need to increase prices during shortages or inflation, but there is still an opportunity to appeal to them through relevant storytelling.
Amazon Ads offers a number of solutions to help brands showcase their brand story. Stores, for example, give advertisers the opportunity to showcase their brand and products in a multi-page, immersive shopping experience. Brands can help shoppers learn about their brand story by using drag-and-drop tiles or pre-designed templates to create a customized, multi-page Store with dynamic and rich media, like images and video.
Along with Stores, brands can use Sponsored Brands to tell their unique story. Sponsored Brands can help brands increase visibility and decide how they want to present their brand to customers. Whether it is creating custom headlines to share brand messages or optimizing their bid strategy for the placements that best meet your performance goals, there are many ways for brands to create relevant experiences with relevant audiences.
According to Amazon Internal Insights 2022, home and furniture brands that include brand-building solutions such as Stores, Sponsored Brands, and Amazon Live in their strategy have observed, on average, 14.1X higher awareness (brand searches) and 1.1X sales growth on Amazon.
2. Reach your audiences throughout their day
It is now possible to browse, compare, and buy furniture between meetings, classes, appointments, or simply while watching TV at home. Streaming TV ads from Amazon Ads help brands reach these consumers at scale throughout their day, while they are doing what they normally would do. One-third of shoppers no longer pay for traditional cable TV, and, among those who still do pay for cable TV, half spend their TV watching time on streaming services. (Amazon Connected Consumers study, US, July 2021) Ads on Streaming TV are performing for home and furniture brands, which saw a 179% growth in average repeat customers compared with the previous period. (Amazon Internal Insights 2022)
Storytelling through audio can be just as powerful, because audiences listen at their convenience or while they’re doing activities like commuting, exercising, or cooking. Audio ads on the Amazon Music ad-supported tier are another way brands can reach home and furniture audiences. Customers interact with Alexa each week across the hundreds of millions of Alexa-enabled devices. Adding home items to their shopping list with the Alexa app provides a seamless shopping experience.
3. Provide a seamless online and in-store shopping experience
Home and furniture purchases are no longer a single trip, or even a single shopping experience. Shoppers may browse on their phones while they’re in physical stores. According to a joint study conducted by Amazon Ads and Kantar in 2021, 74% of mattress buyers research online before buying. Shoppers may order online and return at a shop. As such, brands are finding ways to enhance the omnichannel experience, including ads on streaming services. Amazon is frequently a part of the customer offline path to purchase.
By connecting the shopping experience across delivery and physical stores, brands can meet shoppers wherever they choose to buy products through in-store and online advertising. Home and furniture brands that were savvy in combining three or more Amazon Ads solutions such as Sponsored Products, Display, and Amazon Streaming TV ads achieved 2.7 times average repeat customer growth results compared with brands that only opted for one or two Amazon Ads solutions over the period.
The takeaway? Consumers are shopping on their own time, throughout the day, all year round. Brands can stay present during these daily moments through immersive ad experiences to deliver relevant information before, during and after shopping to help inform buying decisions. In spite of uncertain economic times, brands can still find thoughtful and relevant ways to connect with shoppers, building trust and helping them feel valued.
“A full-funnel strategy can help you reach more shoppers across more touch points. At Amazon Ads, we are committed to continue connecting the omnichannel shopping experience to help brands engage shoppers across a broad range of experiences, whether they shop in-store, online or both,” Symonds said.
Find out how Amazon Ads can help you build trust with your customers throughout their shopping journeys.