The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us, and we all needed to adapt to this new way of living. Restrictions put on businesses also meant a change in the way we shop – in fact, over 50% of consumers questioned reported to have permanently changed their shopping habits.
But what exactly has changed throughout the last couple of years, and what can we do to find our ways in this crazy new world? Let’s go over some of the new shopping methods and find out!
Table of Contents
We are more open to trying new products
The pandemic has caused a limited supply of many products which we were used to, often forcing us to try out new alternatives that we haven’t before. This has been an opportunity for smaller brands and businesses, as their products were finally being noticed by a broader audience. Reports say that over 30% of shoppers tried out a new brand during the pandemic, and a vast majority of those who did have decided to continue with it going forward.
As we are forced to look for alternative brands, we experience more of the market – which is a good thing, as it allows us to make more accurate opinions about the quality of products we buy.
We are going more and more digital
With many physical locations being closed down because of the pandemic, consumers have been often forced to do their shopping online. While online shopping has already been gaining much popularity in years before COVID-19, many consumers were reluctant to give it a try.
As the pandemic has forced many of us to try out online shopping for the first time, over 80% of those who did were positively surprised with the process and intend to keep shopping online even after the pandemic has ended. This is a great opportunity for businesses to go online, and there’s no better way to ensure it’s done professionally than use the services of renowned app developers.
We care more about our health
If there is one thing that the pandemic has taught us, it’s that we are all fragile and potentially at a health risk. However, the pandemic has also worsened our physical conditions, as we find ourselves often stuck at home without the opportunity to go out and take care of our bodies.
Realizing that, many consumers have been searching for healthy products and adequately modifying their current shopping habits to include products that protect their health.
We care more about small businesses
The lockdown has certainly opened our eyes to the struggle of small businesses. Suddenly, these businesses found themselves without clients and with no profit, often struggling to just pay rent and make ends meet. Thankfully, the issue was noticed by the consumers, and almost 30% of all consumers started supporting local businesses more.
Hopefully, the trend of supporting local businesses will stay with us even after the pandemic is over and we all can go back to our lives. Even though the last few years have been difficult for us all, there are still some positive things we can learn from the pandemic going forward.
