It’s no surprise that consumer shopping patterns have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Retailers have seen a 59.89% increase in online acquisition from the first quarter to
the second quarter of 2020 and a 62% hike in new mobile customers, according The Future of Retail, a global study conducted by Braze in partnership with Wakefield Research.
But what
happens next? Churn. Customers who signed on during COVID-19 have a retention rate 82% lower than those acquired during a non-COVID, non-holiday period, and 50% have already dumped a brand.
And online retailers shouldn’t put too much focus on branding — only 10% of consumers now rank “familiarity” as a top consideration.
It seems that the deciding
factor is how a brand conducts itself right now.
Of the consumers polled, 89% in the U.S. will switch brands because of a weak pandemic response, as will 86% in EMEA and 94% in the APAC
regions.
It varies by age — 95% of Gen Zers and millennials worldwide will jump if they are unhappy with the brand’s performance during the crisis, versus 92% of Gen Xers
and 86% of boomers.
Moreover, 26% say a retailer’s COVID-19 response will be a key factor in their holiday shopping decisions, and 47% cite a store’s safety policies.
It doesn’t stop with COVID-19 — consumers will also dump brands that anger them by:
- Mistreating employees — 24%
- Polluting or damaging
the environment — 24%
- Taking a political stance they disagree with — 17%
- Not taking a stand on certain issues — 13%
These propensities also depend
on the generation. For instance, here are the percentages that are likely to drop a brand based on their treatment of employees or customers during COVID-19:
- Gen Z —
35%
- Millennials — 43%
- Gen X — 34%
- Boomers — 20%
And here are the numbers that have left retailers over poor
environmental and sustainability practices:
- Gen Z — 31%
- Millennials — 29%
- Gen X — 23%
- Boomers — 17%
How
can brands counteract this tendency to abandon ship?
“You can easily send emails that highlight each customer’s recently-favorite purchases, deliver personalized recommendations,
or even translate messaging to your audience’s language preference,” Braze advises.
In addition, take a cross-channel approach. “By leveraging email alongside mobile
push, in-app messages, and other channels, your brand can drive 800X higher engagement rates,” the study continues.
On the positive side, 26% worldwide have tried at least one new brand.
And 95% says they’re likely to return in the future.
Meanwhile, this year’s holiday season will be like no other.
The way it stands right now, 42% are decreasing
their holiday spend.17% will increase it, and 37% will do most of their shopping at small local retailers.
Of those polled, 86% will be more comfortable shopping at brick-and-mortar
stores in the next six months.
Boomers, despite their presumably greater vulnerability, are more willing to shop in physical stores despite COVID-19—82% will do so, versus 78% of
Gen X, 73% of millennials and 66% of Gen Z.
In the U.S., 47% cite better availability when repurchasing. In Europe, 45% say it’s better value, and 67% in APAC are driven by better
quality.
Braze and Wakefield Research surveyed 8,000 consumers worldwide.