How the Amazon toy catalog became the must-have of the holiday season

In recent days, a parents’ Facebook group in Maplewood, New Jersey has been abuzz over one of the holiday season’s hottest commodities—the Amazon toy catalog. Several parents complained they had not received the printed mailer yet, while others offered extras on “Buy Nothing” and “In search of” groups to those in need. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today While Amazon has been sending the catalog since 2018, its rising popularity shows how an old-school marketing technique—direct mail—can still be highly effective even for a brand such as Amazon, which almost singlehandedly revolutionized digital selling. An online post titled “To gift: the hottest catalogue of the year, Amazon Toy gift book” attracted numerous comments from parents begging to be considered. The search has even prompted advice columns from publications including Good Housekeeping on how customers can get their hands on one of the coveted catalogs, which were sent out by Amazon earlier this month. Just got this in my mailbox and I gotta hand it to Amazon.A physical book for holiday gifts and toys is absolutely brilliant marketing. Because everybody my age is gonna get this and think the exact same thing. "OMG IT'S THE SEARS WISH BOOK!" pic.twitter.com/KtSsnoBYEE— Zero (@GrandZeroGaming) October 1, 2024 Rewind: Amazon’s 2023 holiday campaign had a retro feel ‘A treasure hunt approach’ that can boost sales It’s no accident that Amazon’s physical advertisement landed in mailboxes days ahead of the e-commerce giant’s Oct. 8 and 9 Prime Day sales extravaganza, experts said. Plus, the paper catalog has modern twists meant to send readers online. For example, this year’s 94-page edition, titled “Share the Joy,” is peppered with shoppable QR codes. Some items, such as a pink cow Squishmallow, have promotions directing customers to play with the toys on Roblox. “From Amazon’s point of view, it’s another way to broaden the consideration set but in an experiential way—this is a treasure hunt approach and that’s not typical for Amazon,” said Barbara Kahn, a professor of marketing at The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, noting that what the retailer typically presents online is based on price and filters versus impulse and discovery. “And it’s before Prime Day which is no coincidence,” she added. The cover art shows woodland animals opening an Amazon brown box and boasts ads for “over 700 toys & gifts!” An Amazon web address is listed at the top that takes viewers to a web page where they can shop for holiday toys, sorted by topics of interest, age range and even characters (such as Bluey). Inside the catalog are stickers, a word search, maze and coloring page to keep youngsters entertained—when they aren’t circling favorites. Hot items include a 2-foot-tall Gabby’s Dollhouse, exclusive Amazon Squishmallows and a buildable Lego roller skate. “The catalog is very well done and nice to look at it with your child,” said Lauren Beitelspacher, professor in the marketing division of Babson College, noting that both adults and kids can spend a lot of time browsing. “All the research shows engaging the customers for a longer period of time ultimately yields a higher sale.” Seven-year stretch Since the first edition in 2018, the mailer has grown in both distribution and size. According to the retailer, this year’s list of toys and gifts is its largest yet. Older catalog issues are even selling for upwards of $25 on eBay. The popularity of Amazon’s toy book calls to mind that of Toys ‘R’ Us, Sears, or even a more affordable version of Neiman Marcus’ iconic Christmas Book, which was known for its lavish offerings. In a statement from a spokeswoman, Amazon said, “On social media and in customer anecdotes, we see that customers love interacting with the print Holiday Kids Gift Book, marking up the pages, circling exciting gift ideas, and doing the activities and games.” Old-school appeal Of course, Amazon is not the only retailer recognizing the power of print. Last month, J.Crew resurrected its fall catalog, last spotted in mailboxes seven years ago, to rave reviews by nostalgic customers. Several direct-to-consumer brands have also recently begun to invest in direct mail as they try to stand out from competitors that are solely reliant on digital marketing. Part of Amazon’s catalog success also lies in its multigenerational appeal. It’s interactive for kids and a tool for parents. Influencers have also begun to engage with the format by posting read-throughs online. “It’s another tool for information search and discovery,” said Beitelspacher.

How the Amazon toy catalog became the must-have of the holiday season

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