Never before has it been more crucial to comprehend current consumer behavior trends. We produced our annual marketing trends report in January, similar to many advertising agencies and corporations. But the world has drastically changed since then. In recent months, governments have had to lock down in response to a global pandemic. As a result, consumers have had to adapt to uncharted circumstances.
Currently, social restrictions are being relaxed, but the coronavirus outbreak will leave a lasting impression. People’s ways of thinking, feeling, and, of course, shopping have been significantly altered, and their behavior will be noticeably different for several months. So, what are the most recent global consumer behaviour trends? To assist you in planning your marketing strategy for the remainder of 2020 and beyond, we’ve compiled eight current consumer behavior patterns that we believe global marketers must be aware of.
healthy-minded
Consumers are considerably more health-conscious than they were in the past. According to Accenture, health is currently the #1 priority for customers. Eighty percent of those surveyed indicate that the health of their friends and family is their first concern, followed by the health of themselves at 78%.
Despite months of increased hand washing, using protective masks, and staying indoors, everyone will continue to place a premium on hygiene. Shekel research indicates that 87 percent of US consumers now prefer to buy in stores with touchless self-checkout capability.
Yet the effects of contracting COVID-19 are not merely short-term. According to Forbes, the global epidemic has prompted many to consider ageing. Namely, how people can maintain a healthy lifestyle into old age.
Additional study indicates that a health-conscious lifestyle is a major consumer trend at present. People are concerned with becoming more robust so that they do not need to rely on the state or healthcare systems for support, according to Foresight Factory insights. As a result, their behaviors will shift, including self-imposed distance measures and avoiding unhealthy activity. Similarly, a COVID-19 poll conducted by McKinsey & Company indicated that three-quarters of respondents in China desired to eat more healthily following the economic crisis.
What is the implication for brands?
So, it is essential for many firms to provide more beneficial services or products that enable customers to live healthier lifestyles. Lululemon is a brand that is utilizing this trend to its advantage. Mirror, a home fitness startup, was recently acquired by the fitness apparel firm in an effort to capitalize on the trend of safe, remote training. And because consumers are unlikely to return to overcrowded gyms, focusing on home training as part of their marketing strategy is prudent.
Companies can also investigate the most recent touchless technologies to help customers feel secure when shopping in physical stores or engaging in interactive activities. At the Drum’s Can-Do Festival, Anders Hakfelt, SVP of product and marketing at technology company Ultraleap, spoke about touchless technology. He disclosed that hand tracking technology permits the fabrication of touchless displays. In addition, he emphasized that ultrasound modulated at a high frequency can stimulate the senses in people’s hands, simulating touch.
To help customers feel secure in the future, brands could explore integrating new technology.
mental health conscious
The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the world’s mental health due to the weight of worrying about our physical health and the health of people around us. In fact, the United Nations has recommended that nations worldwide provide mental health services to their citizens at this time.
In the United States, 22% of persons indicated that being confined to their home caused them worry, with 32.7% of those individuals belonging to Generation Z. The issue of disrupted schooling is a big source of anxiety for Generation Z. According to World Bank data, COVID-19 has significantly impacted the education of nine out of ten students worldwide. Fears about their future in an uncertain environment are another concern.
Anxiety reasons differ for Millennials and Generation X. According to Vox, a growing number of millennials are employed in the industries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, job stability and finances are a major source of worry at this age. For Generation X, caring for their parents’ health and their children’s circumstances is a tremendous weight. As the most vulnerable generation, the Boomers’ mental health has been adversely affected by their isolation from the outside world.
What is the implication for brands?
Brands should consider the mental health of their customers and do what they can to support them. As part of their ‘Get Some Headspace with World of Hyatt’ campaign, the hotel corporation Hyatt has teamed with the meditation app startup Headspace to offer free meditation and sleep therapy sessions. Customers also receive a free 30-day trial of Headspace Pro.
Snap has adopted a similar strategy. During the height of the global shutdown, Snapchat launched a mental health tool designed to distribute relevant content, such as films prepared by specialists.
But brands must approach the subject of mental health with caution. Recently, Vogue Portugal was criticized for their “Madness Issue.” One of the special issue covers depicted a mock hospital scene with a naked woman hiding in a bath while a nurse pours water over her. While Vogue intended for the cover and the contents of the magazine to promote debate about mental health, many considered the visual to be quite troubling.
Hence, while now is unquestionably the right time to initiate a conversation on mental health, businesses must proceed with tremendous caution and sensitivity.
Community-based
Despite the fact that the coronavirus epidemic has been a period of great isolation, it has in fact brought communities around the world closer together. Consider the footage of Italians singing to their neighbors during a lockdown or the weekly applause for caregivers adopted by several nations.
National lockdowns have taught people to value others around them, resulting in a more altruistic style of thinking. Online community groups have cropped up all around the world to provide assistance to their neighbors, whether through food and medicine delivery services or online social engagement. According to Forbes, these groupings are expected to be around for some time.
What is the implication for brands?
Brands should assist small, local enterprises and integrate themselves into their communities. For instance, in April, Instagram introduced stickers for small businesses to publish on Stories, such as stickers for fundraisers, gift cards, and food orders. Similarly, Whatsapp has enabled the sending of payments through the platform, making it easier for users to pay local companies. This function is now only available in Brazil, but it will likely be rolled out globally in the near future.
In addition to making it easier for customers to shop locally, brands may become integral members of the community by recognizing and honoring community spirit. This is something that WhatsApp’s new campaign, ‘It’s Between Us,” excels at. This campaign shows true tales about how people in India engage with their closest friends and family on the social platform, showing the intimate and significant discussions that WhatsApp facilitates.
The new global ad for Coca-Cola, titled ‘The Big Meal,’ also refers to the current heightened sense of unity felt globally. The advertisement highlights families and communities sharing the simple pleasure of cooking together. Developing ads that honor community is a certain approach to connecting with consumers in the present moment.
Virtual employees and students
The coronavirus outbreak has helped people enjoy the convenience of digital; many no longer feel the need to be physically present for all events. According to research conducted by Accenture, a new consumer sentiment is “If I can do it online, I will.”
This is particularly true for contemporary working and learning, where virtual will become the standard in many parts of the globe. Microsoft Teams saw a 500% spike in calls and conferences in China alone between January and mid-March (source: Accenture). According to Gartner, a rise in the amount of time spent working online is quite probable, as 74% of organizations expect to permanently transition to remote work following the crisis.
And it is not simply work. Schooling has also become an internet phenomenon, with 1.2 billion youngsters in 186 nations seeing their schools close (source: Unesco). But it is not only about pupils reviewing their multiplication tables. As an increasing number of people of all ages grew tired of Netflix reruns, they resorted to learning during lockdown. During the peak of COVID-19, for instance, there was an increase in the number of downloads of language-learning apps. New users of the global language-learning application Duolingo grew by 101 percent in March (source: Duolingo).
What is the implication for brands?
For many B2B and IT brands, it will be about maximizing the benefits of remote working for businesses and their employees. Microsoft’s new global skills project aims to assist people in acquiring the essential digital skills for the post-Covid-19 era and also serve as a source of inspiration for companies. Instead, they can consult Byju, a Bangalore-based education technology startup. Byju launched free live classes on their app, Think and Learn, resulting in a 200 percent increase in student enrollment (source: The Print).
Snap’s new Minis for Snapchat are a fantastic answer to the current Consumer Behavior. Minis are simply miniature copies of Snapchat-compatible applications. By creating flashcards in the Tembo Mini, friends can now study together on Snapchat, making learning a communal and virtual experience. Mini’s aims to make other activities, such as meditation and shopping, social as well. Which brings us to our next trend in current consumer behavior…
Convenient online shopping
Although online shopping is not a new phenomenon, the demographics of online customers and the items they purchase online are evolving considerably around the globe.
In China, there has been a considerable shift in internet buying habits, particularly for food. According to We Forum, on the first day of the 618 Grand Promotion in June, JD Super (a supermarket affiliated with the Chinese e-commerce business JD) had 140% greater online sales than on the same promotional day the previous year.
Similarly, 61% of Boomers in the United States reported using delivery services more frequently than before the outbreak (source: National Retail Federation). And it’s not just US Baby Boomers; according to a survey by Global Web Index, 46% of internet users globally plan to increase their online shopping after this viral outbreak.
What is the implication for brands?
The market for online retail will become saturated as more consumers, who may not be as technologically proficient, use it. So, the brands that can develop efficient e-commerce experiences will prevail. There are numerous ways for brands to accomplish this.
Using shoppable features on social media, such as Instagram shoppable posts and Pinterest Shop the Look Pins, makes it simple for users to purchase things through their favorite platforms.
Visual search is another amazing e-commerce tool that should not be disregarded. 36% of customers in Latin America indicated they would now explore online more before visiting a physical store, which is higher than the global average of 27% who aim to research more things online before visiting a store (source: Global Web Index). By using visual search, brands may increase the visibility and comparability of their items on platforms like Google Lens.
When shopping online, consumers desire swiftness. 53% of smartphone visits are abandoned if a site takes more than three seconds to load (source: Think with Google). Thus, marketers should consider constructing Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), a website that functions and feels like a conventional native application. PWAs enhance the user experience through quick load times and simple navigation. Last year, according to Lancôme, their PWA contributed to a 36% rise in mobile revenue.
During the Chinese lockdown, livestream purchasing was another unique technique adopted by customers (or shopstreaming). Shopstreaming enables users to easily purchase things from a live broadcast. Coach switched to livestreaming on Taobao, Alibaba’s social site. According to research conducted by Marketplace, buyers valued being able to examine the finer details and learn where the products were manufactured.
Read More: 4 Fintech Trends That Will Change the Future in 2023
Stay Connected!
healthy-minded, 2) mental health conscious, 3) Community-based.){kind=link}