• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, December 13, 2018

Google has reported that at least four of the top 10 most-searched toys were among those featured in YouTube unboxing videos. It seems that rather than simply focusing on running television spots, brands and retailers are leveraging YouTube to drive interest through unboxing videos and store hauls.

Think of these videos as a type of review, where someone unboxes their purchases or explains the bought and why.

Shorr Packaging, which released a report on the topic this week, estimates more than 100,000 of these videos are produced and released each week, with the top influencers counting their total views in billions.

Some 59% of the haul videos -- those in which a person discusses a number of products they have purchased -- focus on clothing. About 11% focus on general discounts, followed by beauty and makeup at 9%, home decor at 6%, groceries at 5%, toys at 3%, books and music at 3%, pet supplies at 2%, crafts and school supplies at 2%, and jewelry at 1%.

Dollar Tree took the No. 1 spot with 26% for the top brand mentioned in the haul videos. Fashion Nova followed with 8%, Primark with 7%, Zara with 5%, Shein with 5% Trader Joe’s with 5%, Costco with 5%, Forever 21 with 5%, Poundland with 3%, and Walmart rounded out the top 10 with 3%.

Toys took the No. 1 spot for the unboxing videos with 29%. Phones and accessories followed with 16%. Computers, tablets, and accessories came in with 10%, followed by gaming consoles and accessories with 7%, and cameras and accessories with 5%. Here is a list of all categories.

The top 10 brands mentioned for unboxing videos include Ali Express, Samsung, Apple, Google, Amazon, Realme, Sony, Jurassic Park, and JBL.

The post also includes estimated annual earnings, with data from SocialBlade. Only 3% earn more than $100,000 annually; another 3% earn between $50,000, and $100,00; about 21% earn between $10,000 and $50,000; about 40% earn between $1,000 and $10,000; 18% earn between $1 and $1,000; and 15% earn nothing.

For the unboxers, only 2% earn $100,000 or more; 1% earn between $50,000 and $100,000; 6% earn between $10,000 and $50,000; 10% earn between $1,000 and $10,000; 18% earn between $1 and $1,000; and 64% earn nothing.