Changing of Shopper Habits
Shopping habits will never be the same again!
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant shift in the way consumers shop. Everyday routines were altered and store shelves were quickly emptied. As a result, supply chains tightened up and it became a scramble to find simple necessities and basic food staples. People began to grow tired of waiting in lines and online shopping along with curbside pick-up became the new norm. Ultimately, the pandemic affected what we buy, how we buy it, how we pay for it and the future of retail marketing for good.
The Future of Grocery Shopping
A survey taken by Shopkick, a shopping rewards app, reported that 6 out of 10 consumers claimed that COVID-19 permanently altered their shopping routines. During the early stages of the pandemic, stockpiling items became something like a security blanket, therefore, people began to make fewer but larger shopping trips. About 45% of the survey respondents told Shopkick they began to buy groceries online due to pandemic concerns and plan to stick with this habit with convenience in mind, as schedules get busy again.
Instacart, the world's largest online grocery service with over 500 million products available from 40,000 stores,
conducted a report highlighting the ways that the pandemic has transformed 100 years of grocery habits. After the first stay-at-home order was issued on the evening of March 19, 2020, millions signed up for online grocery delivery almost immediately. An online Instacart survey recently conducted by The Harris Poll found that nearly half of all Americans (48%) say they ordered groceries online during the pandemic. As a result, there will likely be a sustained boost in shopper-customer chat now that consumers are more accustomed to the benefits that come with communicating directly with their shopper.
Additionally, the shopper profile has changed drastically as nearly 3 in 4 Americans who were the primary grocery shopper for their household before the pandemic (74%), reported that an additional household member has taken on grocery shopping responsibilities since the start of the pandemic. Younger generations have stepped in to help along with consumers over the age of 60 turning to online grocery shopping to get their food delivered safely and reliably. Instacart saw a 9% increase in the number of seniors using the service (the largest jump within any age group) which led to the creation of Instacart’s (Senior Support Service). Instacart continues to see a steady rise in seniors coming online to use this service, which has been growing by about 1,000 customers daily. Another grocery shopping habit that has changed is the gravitation towards midweek orders placed earlier in the day compared to the old 90-minute Sunday shop. As routines shifted and work arrangements became more flexible, Instacart orders placed during local work hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. increased by 32% in 2020 and orders placed on weekdays grew by 8% platform-wide.
Overall Shopping Habit Shifts
A Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey organized by PwC revealed the significant shift to digital consumption and the continued increase of shopping using connected devices such as smartphones, tablets, and smart voice assistants (Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc.). The report found that more than 50% of the respondents used digital devices more frequently than they had 6 months earlier and that the use of smartphones for shopping purposes has more than doubled since 2018. Another habit adjusted by the pandemic is the decline in brand loyalty. As people continue to shop from their sofas and home offices, 75% of U.S. consumers said to have tried a new shopping behavior because of the pandemic, with over a third of them (36%) trying a new product brand. Most explained that they intend to continue these new shopping behaviors well beyond the pandemic times.
What Your Brand Can Do To Adapt
With all of these new shopping habits, it's critical for your brand to continue to provide a seamless experience for your consumers. The 4 ways that Google recommends you stay ready for every shopping journey are to be visible, take a stand, be flexible, and embrace the change. In order to remain visible while competing with other brands, it is necessary to show up throughout the purchase journey where all of your information on products, services, and availability are crystal clear. Taking a stand means giving people a reason to support your brand by making your stance on important key issues and finding authentic ways to follow through. Since convenience has become such an influence on shopping habits, flexibility in your delivery and collection options is necessary. Shopping habits are ever changing, embracing this change and preparing for the short-term/rapid shifts in demand will benefit your brand in the long run.
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