2020 was a hard year for businesses and consumers alike, with people having to stay at home in order to remain safe. Buying habits changed and so did the needs of the consumer, which left businesses having to adapt quickly and effectively.
This article will look at the shopping habits of 2020 and how the year will change buyer behaviour forever.
2020 Shopping
People of all ages across the world had to turn to online platforms to shop for both essential and non-essential items in 2020, but according to a survey carried out by CallCare247, 43.25% of shoppers still want to shop in physical stores. This may come as a pleasant surprise to many, but it appears consumers do like the in-store experience.
The pandemic did not stop people spending either, with respondents saying they spent just as much as they usually would on items. This is a good sign for businesses, with both a physical and online store.
This survey was undertaken towards the end of 2020 and therefore, respondents were well aware of the changes to in-store shopping at this point. Whilst many are not deterred by shopping in-store, the majority of people plan to shop online more in 2021 (61.38%).
2021 Shopping
There is no doubt 2020 changed the shopping experience forever with most items being readily available online. It’s not just physical items either, but services with travel agents and estate agents offering a more virtual approach.
The virtual approach is more convenient for many, as people don’t have to leave their homes and make physical contact with others. This is one of the biggest changes to come from 2020. Even high contact businesses had to adapt and became more virtual in order to provide a contactless/minimum contact service.
These changes are set to be here for a long time as businesses and the government have invested in technology to ensure many services can still deliver.
Post COVID Shopping
As we look further into the future, the shopping experience is set to become even more reliant on technology, as consumers look for brands to entertain and communicate with them on a more personal level. This is not to say that the physical store won’t have its place, but the shops we see on our high streets are set to be quite different, with virtual assistants and plenty of space.
In order to provide a traditional store, retailers will need to go to extra lengths to provide a high level of service and a clean environment in order to build consumer confidence again.
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