The Force is Strong with Star Wars Day Consumer Demand

May 4th Drives More Star Wars Demand Than Any Other Day in 2022

The (commercial) power of the force is still strong with Star Wars Day. In fact, new data from ecommerce accelerator, Pattern, shows that no other day in 2022 (except for the release of The Skywalker Saga LEGO game) drove more demand for Star Wars products than May 4.  

‍Why it matters: Despite major releases in the Star Wars universe — including the premieres of Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, and Andor — and key events like the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, May the 4th continues to be the most important consumer moment for fans of a galaxy far, far away. As the franchise holiday approaches, retailers can use the data collected from 2022 to keep fans satisfied with their favorite products and characters in 2023.  

‍What we’re seeing: May the 4th is the single biggest force driving increased consumer demand during the entire calendar year — even topping the end-of-year holiday rush during Black Friday and the beginning weeks of December. In fact, the release of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was the only event that beat out May the 4th for demand of Star Wars products online:

• Demand during Star Wars Day 2022 was up 108% compared to the annual average
• Demand following the release of the Skywalker Saga was up 252%

What fans want most: We wanted to know which types of products fans were most interested in purchasing during May the 4th. These were the most in-demand types of Star Wars merchandise on Star Wars Day 2022, an indicator of what we’ll likely see this year:

• LEGO Star Wars saw 87% total demand during Star Wars Day 2022
• Lightsabers 5%
• Clone Wars Products 4%
• Star Wars T-shirts 2%
• Death Star Products 1%

Who’s who: In the long history of Star Wars, fan-favorite characters have shifted over the years. Here’s the top ten most searched for characters in online shopping during 2022:

• Yoda and Baby Yoda each saw 41% total demand during 2022 (total 82%)
• Rey 7%
• Mandalorian 4%
• Darth Vader 2%
• Boba Fett 1%

The takeaway: Few days of the year matter more to Star Wars fans than May the 4th. As consumers prepare for the franchise holiday, LEGO products (specifically those featuring Yoda and Baby Yoda) will be in the highest demand. Retailers should stock up accordingly to keep fans satisfied during their Star Wars themed celebrations.  Pattern’s data science team analyzed demand data on Amazon during every day of 2021, 2022, and 2023 so far to understand how Star Wars Day and other Star Wars events drive demand for merchandise. Interested in using insights like these to improve your ecommerce strategy? Contact us, you must.