Leading Brands in the US Hobbies/Interests Shopping Category: Q1 2025 Analysis

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of hobbies and interests shopping, several key brands have made significant strides in attracting and retaining audiences across digital platforms. This analysis delves into the performance of three leading brands: Michaels Stores, Inc., Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., and Jo-Ann Stores, Inc., from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025. Utilizing Sensor Tower's comprehensive data offerings, we explore web and app engagement trends and advertising strategies for each brand.

Michaels Stores, Inc.

Michaels Stores maintains a robust digital presence through its websites, michaels.com and michaelscustomframing.com, alongside the Michaels Stores app.

• Audience Trends: The primary site, michaels.com, experienced fluctuating monthly visits, peaking in December 2024 with over 111M visits. The monthly deduplicated audience remained stable above 10M in Q1 2025, with web users dominating over app users.

• App Engagement: The Michaels Stores app saw stable monthly active users, hovering around 220K throughout the period.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly advertising spend showed a notable decline in January 2025, dropping to around $3M, with a subsequent increase in March. YouTube and Facebook were prominent channels, with significant monthly impressions.

Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

Hobby Lobby's digital strategy includes its website, hobbylobby.com, and the Hobby Lobby app.

• Audience Trends: Hobby Lobby's website saw consistent monthly visits, with a slight dip in February 2025. Monthly deduplicated audience figures remained stable, exceeding 9M.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users showed a downward trend from 146K in November 2024 to under 100K by March 2025.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly ad spend peaked in October 2024 at around $10M, with significant focus on OTT (Over-the-top media service) and YouTube channels.

Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.

Jo-Ann Stores leverages creativebug.com and joann.com, along with the JOANN - Shopping & Crafts app to engage consumers.

• Audience Trends: Joann.com saw a peak in December 2024 with over 57M visits. The monthly deduplicated audience remained robust, consistently above 5M.

• App Engagement: The app maintained high engagement, with monthly active users consistently near 1M.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly advertising spend decreased significantly in Q1 2025, with minimal activity by March. Facebook and Instagram were primary channels for monthly impressions.

Conclusion

The data from Sensor Tower highlights the dynamic nature of the hobbies and interests shopping sector. Michaels Stores, Hobby Lobby, and Jo-Ann Stores have effectively utilized both web and app platforms to maintain strong audience engagement. Sensor Tower's unparalleled insights provide a comprehensive view of these trends, underscoring the critical role of cross-platform analysis in understanding consumer behavior.

For more detailed insights, explore our Web Insights, Pathmatics, and App Performance Insights offerings.