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South Bend Woodworks is a small, family-owned Indiana company that makes heirloom-quality wooden goods. Puzzles, step stools, cutting boards, learning tools. All handmade by a small team of woodworkers who take pride in every piece.
Like many seasonal brands, more than half their sales happened between October and December. When Q4 2020 approached, they needed a partner who could handle Amazon while they focused on production. SupplyKick stepped in with a coordinated strategy: better advertising, stronger listing content, and a seasonal Amazon Storefront built for gifting behavior.
This is a historical case study from 2020. The tactics still work. The results still matter. Here's what happened.
South Bend Woodworks started 2020 expecting marketplace growth. It didn't happen. The internal team couldn't decode Amazon Advertising on their own, and they didn't have time to become experts while also running the business.
Then the pandemic hit. Production shut down. When the team came back, they needed a partner who could handle Amazon independently while they focused on getting operations back up.
The clock was ticking. Q4 was coming. They needed results, not training.
SupplyKick reviewed the existing campaigns and implemented a full advertising strategy: Sponsored Products for high-intent search terms, Sponsored Brands for brand visibility, and Sponsored Brands Video to showcase the handmade story.
The video creative included lifestyle footage and an animated explainer. That Sponsored Brands Video work alone generated $20k in incremental sales at the target advertising cost of sale.
As Q4 approached, SupplyKick monitored search terms daily. When traffic for children's gifts exploded in November, the team adjusted bids and targeting fast. That responsiveness drove the 630% Q4 ad sales increase.
At the same time, SupplyKick rebuilt the product detail pages. New keyword-rich copy. A+ Content that told the handmade, community-minded brand story. Lifestyle photography that showed kids using the products, not just the products sitting on a table.
The photography and A+ Content work improved conversion by 30%. Better traffic is useful. Better conversion is what closes sales.
When South Bend Woodworks launched cutting boards later in the year, SupplyKick expanded the brand story to include the new category without breaking the cohesive narrative.
SupplyKick designed an Amazon Storefront for the brand. Once live, it improved sales per visitor by 30%.
That number mattered enough that SupplyKick updated the Store seasonally. A Christmas version for Q4 gift shoppers. An Easter version for Q1. The Store wasn't just a brand page. It was a merchandising tool that matched how people shop during peak periods.
Amazon search behavior changes fast during Q4. Queries shift. New patterns emerge. Brands that react quickly win more traffic at better costs.
SupplyKick watched those shifts daily and adjusted campaigns in real time. That's why the ad-attributed sales increase was so large.
The photography, video, and A+ Content weren't just prettier assets. They answered the questions gift shoppers ask: What does this look like in use? Is it high quality? Will kids actually like it?
The Storefront updates worked for the same reason. Christmas shoppers browsing for children's gifts landed on a page designed for that exact moment.
Advertising brought traffic. Photography and A+ Content converted more of that traffic on the product detail page. The Storefront gave browsers a reason to explore more products and stay engaged.
Each piece worked on its own. Together, they compounded.
South Bend Woodworks partnered with SupplyKick in June. The Q4 advertising work started weeks before October. The photography, A+ Content, and Storefront were ready when the traffic arrived.
Brands that wait until September to fix their listings and advertising usually miss the window. Inventory, creative, and campaign structures need time.
More traffic doesn't help if the listing can't convert. South Bend Woodworks improved conversion by 30% because the creative work matched the advertising investment.
That's the difference between running more ads and running a Q4 strategy.
The Storefront got seasonal updates. The product detail pages stayed consistent. That balance worked because the Storefront is a destination for browsing, and the PDP is where purchase decisions happen.
Brands don't need to redesign everything for every holiday. They need to update the pieces that support gifting behavior and leave the rest alone.
Start in June or July if possible. Inventory planning, creative production, and campaign setup all take time. Brands that start in September usually miss opportunities.
Sponsored Products for high-intent search terms. Sponsored Brands for visibility and brand awareness. Sponsored Brands Video for storytelling and engagement. All three work together.
Yes, when it answers the questions gift shoppers ask. A+ Content that shows product use, quality, and benefits supports higher conversion. Generic brand story content helps less.
Yes, if it's part of your advertising strategy. Storefronts updated for seasonal gifting behavior convert better during peak periods. Static Storefronts miss that opportunity.
"We knew we were going to run into challenges during the pandemic, and I had to be able to trust that whoever we were working with could handle Amazon in the meantime on their own and get the job done. SupplyKick provided us with the expertise and attention we needed for our brand. They gave us a level of comfort that should crazy things happen (and they certainly did!), we could step away and the ship would keep running."
Mike Lindburg, Managing Director at South Bend Woodworks
Read our full interview with South Bend Woodworks for more on their story and tips for selling handmade goods on Amazon.
Looking for help with your Amazon Q4 strategy? Reach out to our team to start the conversation.
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SupplyKick is an official Amazon Ads partner. Reach out to see how our team can help you build a Q4 strategy that drives real results. |
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