Consumer Behavior

Shoppers much more comfy in the in-store environment, reveals research

Photo by istock.com

July 8, 2021

A good number, 80%, of consumers are either somewhat or very comfortable visiting physical retail stores compared to 71% a year ago, and three in five (60%) expect shopping habits to resume to pre-COVID-19 levels by the end of the year.

Those are top findings from a global research report from Mood Media called "Shopper Sentiments: A June 2021 Global Mood Survey." The research also revealed that one-fifth (21%) report shopping habits have already returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a press release.

"We're experiencing a healthy buzz as shops reopen to a 'new normal' throughout the world. Consumers are eager to get back into stores to experience the joy of shopping again. This new study validates what we are seeing and hearing every day — both online and offline play an important role in retail, oftentimes in harmony with one another. That balance is now returning with solid foot traffic in shops around the world," Scott Moore, Global Mood Media CMO, said in a press release on the findings.

Additional findings include:

• The fun and social experience of shopping with friends and significant others is the second most missed aspect of physical shopping (35%), tied with the opportunity to bring the purchase home immediately at 35% as well.
• Consumers enjoyed the merging of physical and digital, with a third (33%) of them citing plans to continue using click and collect/BOPIS services beyond the pandemic, with U.S. consumers above the global average at 38%.
• Globally, most consumers (84%) say there is no significant difference in the amount of money they are currently spending compared to before the pandemic.