Let's Talk
Outselling the Big Names on Valentine’s Day: 88% Sales Growth for a Challenger Chocolate Brand

Challenge

When this premium chocolate gift brand approached us, it already had strong demand, but it was competing in one of Amazon’s most crowded seasonal categories against household confectionery names with huge ad budgets, decades of recognition, and a retail presence far beyond Amazon. Shoppers often reach for familiar names by default, so the brand had to earn every click and conversion, especially during the few weeks that matter most.

However, they faced several challenges

  • Rising CPCs: Costs were climbing on high-volume, non-branded keywords, where the brand was competing head-to-head with much larger players.
  • Gaps in Keyword Coverage: Valuable gifting searches weren’t being covered efficiently, leaving sales on the table.
  • Seasonal Visibility Swings: Competition for high-intent keywords spiked around key gifting dates, making visibility hard to hold when it mattered most.
  • Growing Without Discounting: The brand needed more volume and higher order values without relying on price cuts or spending for its own sake.

Our Strategy

With Valentine’s Day approaching, we focused on getting the brand into position before demand peaked, so it could compete for visibility on KWs that are searched highly during the season.

Our approach included

  • Market & Keyword Research: Studied the previous year’s search patterns in the niche to identify which keywords would surge and when, so we could act before search volumes spiked.
  • Ranking Ahead of the Peak: Adjusted the PPC strategy to push rankings on all high-volume keywords before searches peaked, securing visibility while competition and CPCs were still lower.
  • Planned Promotional Strategy: Timed promotions to build sales velocity early, helping the brand win top organic positions as peak season began.
  • Inventory Planning: Planned stock levels ahead of the rush so the brand could fully meet demand without risking stockouts.
  • Peak-Day Pricing Strategy: Adjusted pricing on the highest-demand days, when conversion rates were at their peak, to maximize profit from every sale.

The Results

 Flagship collection, February 2026 vs. February 2025:

  • Sales up 88%, from $197K to $371K
  • More than $174K in additional revenue in a single month
  • Units sold up 66%, with nearly 5,000 more gift boxes delivered
  • Revenue per unit up around 13%, as sales grew faster than units
  • Record gifting season achieved against much larger confectionery brands competing for the same Valentine’s shoppers

By preparing early and executing across advertising, promotions, inventory, and pricing, we helped this challenger brand turn its biggest gifting season into its strongest yet, proving it can win high-stakes moments against the biggest names in the category.

 

Services we provided

Amazon PPC Management

We create and manage high-converting ad campaigns to maximize your visibility and sales while minimizing ACoS.

Amazon Supply Chain Forecasting

Our data-driven forecasting helps you maintain optimal inventory levels, reduce stockouts, and improve delivery performance.

Amazon Demand-Side Platform (DSP)

Leverage Amazon DSP to run targeted display and video ads across Amazon and third-party sites, reaching your ideal customers at scale.