It’s 2019, you are rushing to the mall right after work before it closes to find your weekend outfit – you have an hour on the dot. You end up searching the whole mall just to settle on an average outfit because you have run out of time to shop. Flash forward 3 years where online shopping is at an all-time high and you now have unlimited time to find something – no.more.rushing.
The pandemic has completely changed the way we shop for both luxury and essentials items. The previous mentality of “trying things on”, “having to see products firsthand” and “going to your local store for all essentials” is no longer. The new shopping trends of 2022 are interesting to look at but not so much surprising… so, which shopper are you?
Hybrid Shoppers
There has become a crisis in supply chain, consumers are getting impatient and willing to do anything to get their hands on specific products that they desire. The hybrid mentality of “Buy it anywhere from anyone” is just the beginning of consumers testing brand loyalty. Where once upon a time a consumer had valued their one store to always purchase products from – they are now resorting to resale sites, marketplaces, and social media. Consumers are failing the test of brand loyalty because they would rather get a knock off product or resort to purchasing a different brand if it means they don’t have to wait.
Increasingly over the past couple years, consumers have been spoiled with same day delivery, people can no longer wait a full week for items to restock or get delivered. Consumers are growing more and more impatient based on the expectations set by companies such as Amazon making it impossible for several other businesses to keep up.
Ultra-Value Seekers
According to an article taken from Strategy Daily, “The shopper trends that will shape the rest of the year” more than half of people – 53% to be exact, can’t keep up with the cost of living or the increased cost of staple goods. In 2020 and 2021, consumers were valuing quality over everything and very reluctant to ever “cheap out.” In 2022 we are seeing a trend where this mindset is changing, and people are seeking more deals than ever on anything.
Knock off products are no longer being bought with hesitation, rather higher quality brands are slowly fading away especially since several replicas are being created imitating and “doing the same trick” as these higher end brands. A world that once believed in “Quality over Quantity” is no more.
Viral Shoppers
In 2021 & 2022 social media absolutely EXPLODED with Influencers brand deals. Since the pandemic, many additional hours were added to people’s screen time which mainly contributed towards Tik Tok & Instagram.
Consumers have relied heavily on Influencers to review and test out products. Many buyers are now trusting the people they follow opposed to the brands that they previously loved when it comes to purchasing. Marketing techniques such as billboards, print ads, email marketing etc. are no longer AS effective for this type of buyer.
In conclusion, the new trends in shopping have changed the way consumers are deciding to purchase and interacting with brands. With social media on an upward trend, consumers are focusing on how quickly they could obtain a product opposed to the quality of it – this a truly a new world which successful companies must learn to adapt to.
So… I will ask you again, what shopper are you?