How COVID-19 has changed consumers’ shopping habits

Many things have changed since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak but one thing that has certainly changed is people’s shopping habits. With businesses all across the world having to adapt and shift their processes to accommodate their customers’ needs, the shopping habits that have transpired due to these changes could be around for much longer than initially anticipated. 

The retail industry took a hard hit as lockdown restrictions saw many stores up and down the UK close their doors for months and months at a time. Some shops were unable to cope as well as others and had to shut permanently. 

However, some shops managed to thrive throughout this difficult period and even saw an increase in their sales. Online shopping was at an all-time high during the pandemic and this is likely to continue once lockdown restrictions are completely lifted. 

There’s no doubt that consumers’ behaviour has changed and will continue to do so. A survey from CallCare asked 800 UK residents how they thought customer service expectations and shopping habits had changed throughout 2020. Here are some of their findings from the survey. 

Which shopping method was preferred?

This doesn’t come as a surprise, but over the last year, people have preferred shopping online over any other method. 51% of respondents chose this way of shopping for essential items over physically shopping in-store and shopping from local retailers and farm shops. Although trips to essential shops such as the supermarket were allowed and had COVID-secure measures in place, online shopping still came out as favourite. 

Perhaps one of the many reasons online shopping has become so popular is because customers can spend more time researching the product beforehand. 28% of 16-54 year-olds admitted to doing this, which gives it a slight advantage of shopping in-store. However, it’s also worth noting that 27% of respondents did say they are likely to return to physical stores when it is safe as they miss the shopping experience. 

Have customer expectations changed?

As overall customer service improved significantly throughout 2020, customers’ expectations from businesses are likely to have changed to align with this. Most businesses stepped up and tried to go above and beyond for their customers during a difficult time for everyone. It was this level of customer service that helped brands navigate through a turbulent period and saw sales continue to grow. 

The CallCare survey found that although good customer service is important for consumers, it falls short in favour of value for money and overall reputation. So hopefully many businesses have been working hard to maintain a good reputation during this time to ensure their customers keep coming back.