Leading Brands in the Hobbies/Interests Shopping Category: Q2 2024 Insights

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving market of hobbies and interests shopping, three brands have emerged as leaders in the United States: Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., Michaels Stores, Inc., and Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. This article examines their performance from Q1 to Q2 2024, focusing on audience trends, app engagement, and advertising strategies. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data allows us to explore these insights across web and app platforms, offering an unparalleled view into consumer behavior.

Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

Hobby Lobby is renowned for its extensive range of arts and crafts supplies. Its digital footprint includes its website, hobbylobby.com, and the Hobby Lobby app.

• Audience Trends: The website saw a significant surge in visits in May, reaching over 51M, before settling to around 34M in June. Monthly true audience numbers remained above 6M throughout the quarter, peaking at over 10M in April.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users decreased from 930K in January to approximately 678K by June, mirroring a shift in user engagement from mobile to web.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Hobby Lobby increased its monthly ad spend from $2.3M in March to nearly $3.8M in June, with a notable focus on OTT and Facebook, which drove significant impressions.

Michaels Stores, Inc.

Michaels is known for its wide array of craft supplies and custom framing services. It operates both michaels.com and michaelscustomframing.com, alongside the Michaels Stores app.

• Audience Trends: Michaels.com consistently attracted over 57M monthly visits, with a peak in March. Monthly true audience figures hovered around 9.5M in early 2024, declining slightly by June.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users began at over 1.8M in January, decreasing to around 1.4M by June, indicating a stable yet declining trend in app usage.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Michaels maintained robust monthly ad spending, exceeding $11M in March. Facebook and YouTube were primary channels, with substantial reach and impressions.

Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.

Jo-Ann is a leading retailer for fabric and craft supplies. Its digital presence includes creativebug.com and joann.com, supported by the JOANN - Shopping & Crafts app.

• Audience Trends: Joann.com maintained a steady audience with visits ranging from 32M to 34M monthly. Creativebug.com experienced a notable increase in May, with visits reaching over 4M.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active user base was strong, starting at 2.4M in January, before a dip to approximately 1.8M in June.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Jo-Ann's monthly ad spend peaked in May at over $800K, with Facebook and Pinterest being the dominant channels for impressions.

Conclusion

The Hobbies/Interests Shopping category is marked by dynamic shifts in digital engagement and advertising strategies. Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Jo-Ann have leveraged their unique strengths across web and app platforms to maintain leading positions. Sensor Tower's data provides critical insights into these trends, enabling brands to make informed decisions and adapt to evolving consumer behaviors.

For more detailed insights, explore Sensor Tower's offerings in Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics.