Post-pandemic Purchasing Habits – What to Expect?

Well, haven’t these past few years been eventful? With COVID becoming the norm in society, our everyday lifestyle habits have had to adapt. It’s no surprise then that consumer purchasing habits have changed after the world has plunged in and out of lockdowns.

How much has your daily routine and life changed since COVID-19? As a business, we took action by updating our work policies here at 58, indefinitely. One such policy we introduced was the hybrid working scheme.

The pandemic has allowed people to recognise the priorities in their lives, and use their expenditures accordingly. 

Let’s dive further into pandemic purchasing habits and whether they’re here to stay.

Shopping Online and Offline 

Fun Fact: According to Google, 94% of digital service users prefer to keep using the service even after the pandemic. No one really wants to warm up their car, get stuck in traffic, take ages to find a car park space – it’s just too time-consuming to even think about! Now that people are aware of how efficient online shopping is due to the pandemic, it has remained a vital part of consumers’ daily routines.

In light of this, some people are looking forward to going back to their normal shopping sprees, so retailers have gone all out in an effort to take advantage of this by promoting in-store sales and new product launches, amongst other methods to lure them back to store.

Necessities > Luxury

Have you thought twice about your purchasing habits since the pandemic began? You’re not the only one! Shopping habits have converted from luxury to what’s necessary – such as quality foods, hygiene products and medication. 

What does this mean for eCommerce businesses? The way products are promoted and talked about online should be in emphasising their importance to the consumer. Rather than trying to flog thousands of new products daily, more businesses are focusing on a smaller product range with greater content that aims to make those items a necessity for consumers.

Health and Wellbeing

YouGov studies have shown, 44% consumers now consider health and hygiene products the most important factor when making household purchases. The fact that the market is still excelling goes to show COVID has made everyone wary on the importance of prioritising health and fitness.

How many retailers have you seen suddenly selling face masks and hand sanitiser since the pandemic began? Businesses need to adapt. That often means introducing new products that are reflective of the times we’re living in. 

Post-Pandemic Purchases – What’s Next?

If brands have not already shifted to online commerce then nothing should be stopping them.

Retailers should also consider that the pandemic has changed consumer purchasing habits for the long haul. There’s been an increase in more customers converting to purchasing higher quality products that last longer, rather than products that are unsustainable and temporary.

With that in mind, there are a few areas eCommerce businesses should be investing their time and resources in. 

Trust and Sustainability

Most of Gen Z are willing to spend more on products that align with their values. About 80% of this generation refuses to support unsustainable companies. 

Merchants need to act on this by ensuring their brand values and company policies align with that of their target customers. Sustainability is quickly becoming a major factor in purchasing decisions, so ensuring your products, packaging and messaging all reflect this, will improve customer loyalty and sales.

Social Commerce

Selling via social media channels saw a huge rise during the pandemic. Fast forward to today, and it is still booming. More than 74% of survey respondents agree/strongly agree that social media influences their shopping post-pandemic. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have become crucial to gaining more followers and converting them into customers. 

Linking your online store to your social channels has never been easier. It’s a quick, surefire way to increase your sales and keep your customers happy. 

Here are some key marketing tactics to keep customers loyal:

• Remain consistent with online communications.
• Offer discounts, promotions, and gift cards. 
• Understand consumer needs.
• Fast shipping and delivery.

Adaptability

As we’ve seen over the last few years, things can change and escalate very quickly. With that in mind, it’s more important than ever to ensure your business is scalable, future-proof and adaptable. That might mean changing your products to suit the needs of your customers at any given moment. We’re all quick to jump on new trends, but we’ve seen how quickly consumer habits change when health and livelihood is affected. 

For any business to survive post-pandemic, you need to adapt. You’ve come this far, now it’s time to go further.