Post-Pandemic Shifts in Shopping Habits

Over the course of the last year, we have seen a shift in shopping habits. With the closure of retail for a large part of the year, brands and consumers have had to take to the ‘online store’. As a result, we have seen this shift unfold, from a surge in app use to online window shopping and browsing. Google partnered with Trinity McQueen to explored this in more detail, testing attitudes and behaviours of 5,000 people across the U.K, we picked out four of their findings below. Online Experiences Are Here to Stay Over the course of the last year, online-based experiences have become increasingly important and are here to stay. In the fashion and beauty industry, the percentage of consumers saying they will shop or expect to shop online versus in-store in the next six months remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. In the fashion sector, we see a jump of 28%. Whilst many people will return to in-store shopping, online shopping has irrevocably changed the way the consumer buys.How can we utilise this? Use compelling and flexible formats such as smart shopping campaigns to cut through online, embracing automation at every opportunity so you can plan and act based on real-time consumer insights. Shopping Attitudes Have Shifted Across DemographicsResearch also shows a shift in views across age groups. As expected, the younger end of the spectrum (35 and under) are still the most likely to shop online, however, the biggest increase in those switching to online retail over in-store is seen in the consumers aged 35 and over. How can we utilise this? Where retailers have previously relied on older demographics for footfall and in-store purchases, a re-evaluation may be necessary in terms of how the physical store can complement rather than compete with the online store. The online store experience should be interesting and captivating. Consumer Behaviour is Not Solely Down to the PandemicWhilst the pandemic has been a significant driver in these cross-generational changes in shopping behaviour, it is far from the only one. Research in the beauty industry indicates that the pandemic is only the fifth most important reason which 18-34 year-olds are shopping online with ease, delivery, choice and convenience coming in before it. This highlights that ease, choice and convenience are the most important factors that equate to shoppers shifting their focus online. However, for the over 55 age group, the pandemic did come out on top. How can we utilise this? With a shift to online shopping, it is really important to ensure that users have a good experience, this should be the case via the web and mobile. Sites should be easy to navigate so that they suit all age demographics. Trial MentalityIn the past year, 1 in 4 clothing shoppers have bought from a new brand or retailer. According to Google’s research, 75% of womenswear and 82% of menswear shoppers said they will continue to buy from these same retailers over the next six months. This ‘trial’ mentality is echoed in other industries too, for example, ‘vegan meals’ and the health and wellness industries have seen new ‘triers’. How can we utilise this? Make sure you’re present in places that consumers are looking, e.g. SEO, search and YouTube… With generic searches increasing faster than branded searches, challenger brands have an excellent opportunity to make their mark. 303 thinks that online shops should be optimised to ensure the most user-friendly experience for all consumers.