Tis’ the Season for 2019 Holiday Gift Guide Planning: Part II Ditto’s Pro Analysis & Tips

What’s a gift guide analysis without talking about the gifts, right? If you missed our infographic and first post, you should definitely check them out to get the full picture.

To recap, gift guides are super important. Now that you know about how and where to pitch your product, it’s time to take a closer look at last year’s popular gifts.

What you need to know

The average price point is lower than you think.

Budget-conscious guides are much more common than high-priced options, with affordable gifts running $50 or less. Because most lists included a mix of tech and non-tech products, your product may be on the high end of the price range. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as people are more willing to shell out cash for the holidays but it’s something to consider as you’re formulating your approach.

Luxury is a state of mind.

Are you on the most expensive product in your category? Have you invested a lot in creating something beautiful? Own it! Gifts on luxury guides typically run $100+, but can reach into the thousands in extreme cases. Consider pitching your product as a luxury option, in addition to your other verticals. That’s where you’ll find your likely buyers!

Broaden your appeal.

Is your gift geared towards women? Don’t confine yourself to one category! Think of your product as a gift for a best friend, a sister, a teenage girl, a mom, a girlfriend, a wife, etc.

Home and lifestyle publications want to help their readers cross everyone off their lists. That translates to a lot of generic guides (e.g., gifts anyone will love), but also a number of very niche gift lists. Curious about what you should get your dad based on his zodiac sign? Know a lot of bullet journalers? How about that friend that hates everyone (except you, I hope)? There’s a list for that, and outlets like BuzzFeed, POPSUGAR and Refinery29 that publish large numbers of guides are receptive to less conventional angles.

What gifts made the cut

Built-in smarts.

In 2018, everything from your sous vide to your water bottle had an associated app with added intelligence. The Tile was extremely popular, particularly due to its low price point. If your product has an unexpected app feature, that’s a differentiator, but beware that your brand name could get muddled in the noisy space.

Siri, Alexa and Google oh my.

Voice assistants, particularly Amazon, and products that integrate with them were everywhere and that trend is here to stay. The Echo Dot appeared on several budget-conscious gift guides. Bluetooth speakers and headphones benefitted from price versatility and wide appeal; Sonos and Bose were the most common brand names, but there was a lot of competition.

A picture’s worth a thousand words.

Picture gifts are so hot right now. The FujiFilm Instax Mini, HP Sprocket Photo Printer and KODAK Photo Printer were among 2018’s top gifts.

Let us guide you through the gifting season

While you’re probably too late to design the perfect new product for this holiday season, you’re just in time to position yourself strategically for high-quality placements. Get in touch with our team of experts to get started.