Walmart vs. Target vs. Amazon: Who Wins the Consumer Electronics Race?

The upcoming holiday season marks an important time for consumer electronic retailers. Electronics comprise the second-largest category of consumer holiday spending, only following apparel. Nearly one-third of consumer electronics are bought online, meaning good imagery is indispensable to ecommerce retailers to fuel conversions and sales on digital shelves. 

However, imagery trends can vary significantly depending on the specific ecommerce retailer selling the product. 

Let’s compare the hero and carousel imagery of one of the top consumer electronic product categories —LED TVs— across three popular ecommerce platforms: Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

Hero

Among the three retailers, the top hero images for LED TVs showcase the LED TV from a front angle, centered against a clean white background. Many of these high-performing images strategically position the name of the LED TV product and the brand on the upper left of the screen, enhancing brand visibility and recognition. 

The backgrounds of the top hero images varied across the different platforms:

• On Amazon, LED TVs with bold, vibrant backgrounds outperformed those with muted ones. Top performers showcased abstract stills in darker palettes. 
• Target’s top LED TV hero images displayed TVs with nature landscapes in vibrant, rich colors. 
• In contrast, Walmart’s top hero images featured the home screen of the TV in muted colors. 

Carousel

Across Walmart, Target, and Amazon, carousel images of the LED TV from various angles scored high among U.S. Gen Pop audience lenses. On Walmart, images of the TVs from the back were amongst the best scorers. In contrast, shots of the TV ports scored highest on Target and Amazon’s digital shelves. 

Walmart’s highest scoring carousel images also included infographics in a square format, featuring text placed above the image to highlight key product features such as resolution and colors. These images effectively convey important information to potential customers at a glance, aiding in their purchasing decision.

Some of Amazon’s top scorers comprised images prominently showcasing the TVs in everyday scenes, presenting them in aesthetic homes and museums. 

Final Thoughts

As the holiday shopping season approaches, consumer electronics brands have much to gain from optimizing their imagery. LED TVs, a popular product category for holiday and Black Friday spending, offer a great example of the varying imagery trends across popular ecommerce platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Understanding and tailoring imagery choices can play a crucial role in maximizing conversions and engaging with the target audience, ensuring a successful and competitive holiday sales season for brands in the ever-evolving ecommerce landscape.

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