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COVID-19: Understanding the effects on consumer behaviour

Posted on 18 Μαΐου, 2020
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There is no doubt that the current situation is rapidly changing consumer behaviour online. With physical retail locations closed and a feeling of uncertainty in the air, we have seen a huge change in the ecommerce landscape and the way in which consumers are behaving online.

From panic stock piling to those everyday essentials, there is a shift in the products people are buying and when they are shopping for them. We’ve put together some of our top industry insights around how behaviours are changing online to help you determine ways you can capitalize on this for your business.


The shift in product categories

As people everywhere embrace the social distancing way of living, there has naturally been a drop-off in brick-and-mortar shopping with people turning to the world of ecommerce for their needs. It is likely that as people are preparing to spend longer periods of time in their homes, they are moving past the necessity phase and starting to invest in other categories. But, this does not necessarily mean an increase in traffic has been seen across the board.

Product categories such as home entertainment, household appliances and gym equipment have, unsurprisingly, all seen a vast increase in clicks and traffic. While categories including travel and fashion are seeing lower performance rates in this time of crisis. Now is the time to take a step back and consider which items you should be pushing to your consumers.

The generational response

Although COVID-19 is effecting everyone around the globe, it hasn’t been universally felt across the generations with consumers of different age groups responding differently to the crisis.

The largest impact can be seen by Gen Z and Millennials with surveys revealing that 96% are concerned about the pandemic and its economic repercussions. Their concern is reflected in their behaviour as we are seeing a cut in spending and a focus on stockpiling the essentials. In comparison the older generations are displaying a small change in online behaviour with only 34% of Gen X saying they were letting current events impact their online shopping habits.

What does this mean for the future of retail?

White it’s vital to monitor how consumer behaviour is changing online throughout this period, it’s hard not to look towards the future and towards the lasting impacts on ecommerce and shopping behaviour. As the situation evolves, it’s difficult to predict which categories will continue to thrive and which will become less of a priority when we return to normality.

The reality is, we don’t know yet. But one thing is for certain; Kelkoo Group can help you through all aspects of managing your shopping campaigns. With over 20 years of experience in the ecommerce space, we can use our industry and trend knowledge to guide you through this challenging time.

There is no doubt that the current situation is rapidly changing consumer behaviour online. With physical retail locations closed and a feeling of uncertainty in the air, we have seen a huge change in the ecommerce landscape and the way in which consumers are behaving online.

From panic stock piling to those everyday essentials, there is a shift in the products people are buying and when they are shopping for them. We’ve put together some of our top industry insights around how behaviours are changing online to help you determine ways you can capitalize on this for your business.

The reality is, we don’t know yet. But one thing is for certain; Kelkoo Group can help you through all aspects of managing your shopping campaigns. With over 20 years of experience in the ecommerce space, we can use our industry and trend knowledge to guide you through this challenging time.

If you’re looking for a more in depth study and view on COVID-19, check out our most recent Kelkoo Group white paper: COVID-19: Ecommerce Opportunities

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