With circuit breaker being extended in Singapore to June 1st, it is now more important than ever to stay at home and practice social distancing. Covid-19 has no doubt impacted many businesses and has also changed the way we live. As we all stay at home, have consumer habits changed since the onslaught of the pandemic? Let’s look at a couple of trends and habits that consumers have picked up in these times.
Covid-19 has made us warier of our well-being and also increased concerns over health and wellness in general. Consumers are shifting towards healthier products and categories in an effort to look out for themselves and their families. According to a survey by Nielsen, more than four in five consumers in Singapore (83%) are likely to buy health supplements again in the next 12 months even after the pandemic subsides. This shift in attitude is most likely due to consumers wanting to reduce the risk of getting any health complications aside from the coronavirus. More people are scrutinizing their health, daily diets or habits and forming new behaviours to protect or enhance their well-being.
What this means is that businesses should look into how they can tap into their messaging to push for people to take care of themselves and promote healthy living. Brands that fall within the health and wellness sectors should also relook any current campaigns and promotions to see what more they can offer to consumers during this time and in the future.
E-commerce is surging more than ever as people are resorting to online shopping to get their supplies. This is no surprise, considering that people are discouraged from leaving the house unless for essential reasons. Making your products available online for people may be beneficial right now and also in the long run as we’re also likely to see a shift in attitudes towards online shopping following the pandemic.
Grocery delivery services have seen a surge with people turning to online platforms when the products they want are not available in the physical store. One example of a notable brand adapting its business to meet this demand would be the fashion e-commerce company Zalora. In response to this pandemic, the e-retailer has introduced Zmart, a service selling essential supplies, food, and also household goods. This pivot in services is a good move to also help with minimizing losses, as fewer people are shopping for material and fashion goods. With an increased demand for basic goods, a lot of brands can learn from Zalora’s decision to be more flexible with your business offerings in these times.
In Singapore, more people are also resorting to using food delivery services, with companies like Grab seeing a 20 percent increase in GrabFood orders during this period. For businesses involved in food and beverages, becoming a merchant on different delivery platforms can help your business reach out to more customers as footfall traffic dwindles. The ease and convenience that e-commerce offers make it a force to be reckoned with and once the pandemic blows over, we’re to see more people getting comfortable with shopping online.
The ever-popular social media is gaining more traction since the pandemic with media consumption increasing in vast amounts. As more people stay home, their focus and attention have shifted with more people using the internet and social media more in general to curb boredom as well as to connect with people. Consumers also continue to shift their time to home-based activities including cooking, news consumption, digital entertainment, and digital social connection. In fact, in a study, they found social media usage 61% over normal usage rates. Messaging across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp has increased by 50% in countries affected by the virus. Twitter is also seeing 23% more daily users than a year ago and the numbers only seem to be going up across most platforms.
With more time to kill, online video platforms are also seeing an increase in users with people using platforms like Youtube, Netflix, and also Tiktok, the newest dark horse. User downloads for Tiktok have seen a sharp increase with more than 2 billion downloads on iOS and Android. The fresh and new platform leaves a lot of room for creative exploration and also signals a new change in people’s attitudes towards social media for entertainment.
Social media also helps with maintaining social interaction without the need for people to meet physically and is the reason why more people are going online to reconnect with their loved ones and friends. This shift is also an opportunity for businesses to leverage on social media marketing, as with more people online, expanding your target audience, and broadening your base would help drive traffic to your page or website. Take the time to reevaluate your marketing strategies and figure out how to best market your product or services amidst the circuit breaker.
With Covid-19 and the circuit breaker measures impacting a lot of lives, it has also changed the ‘normal’ that we know. Following the effects of the virus, we might never go back to the ‘normal’ we are used to. Businesses and brands need to start relooking their campaigns and plans to prepare for future post-pandemic and be ready to face new challenges. Remember that we’re all in this together and we will get through this time of uncertainty.
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