Even though the year is almost half over, itโs just now starting to feel like a new year in parts of the U.S., as many states have allowed certain non-essential businesses like restaurants, movie theaters and retail stores to re-open in at least some capacity. We know, however, that many Americans plan to play it safe as businesses come back online rather than immediately jumping back into pre-lockdown behaviors. Thatโs why companies need to understand evolving consumer sentiment before assuming that open-for-business means business as usual.
The rise in CPG purchases (both on and offline) has been well documented throughout the lockdown period, but we have yet to see how consumers approach visiting non-essential businesses once theyโre open again. We know that many businesses that closed will not re-open, but those that do will need insight into consumer sentiment in order to maximize their patronageโespecially if occupancy and personnel restrictions apply. While most Americans are concerned about health risks, a recent Nielsen/Wizer Impact study found that, out of all the lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic, 62% of Americans miss eating out at restaurants the most, signaling that the doors that do open will be met by many with lively enthusiasm.
Thatโs not to say, however, that everyone is eager to head back to malls and their local bars. In March, a Nielsen survey of consumer sentiment about the pandemic found that 71% of Americans believe the spread and intensity of the novel coronavirus in their country would increase. Much of that sentiment remains intact, as the segmentation study found that 56% of Americans 18 and older consider themselves at medium or high risk for contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. As a result, 55% say theyโre taking extra precautions when visiting the brick-and-mortar stores that remained open during the shelter-in-place restrictions. Importantly for businesses, both those open and those re-opening, health and safety will remain top-of-mind among consumers until a vaccine is developed.
Bagi banyak orang, kenyataan tersebut berarti membatasi eksposur ke tempat-tempat yang jauh dari rumah, yang memicu kebangkitan "ekonomi rumahan," sebuah tren global yang telah kami pantau sejak awal tahun ini. Di AS, konsumen mulai lebih banyak memasak di rumah (54% mengatakan bahwa mereka lebih sering melakukannya), memesan dari layanan pesan-antar (17%), dan mendukung restoran lokal yang menawarkan makanan untuk dibawa pulang (24%). Maju sebulan dan sebagian besar sentimen tersebut tetap ada-bahkan meningkat-menyoroti kegelisahan yang signifikan yang dimiliki orang Amerika dalam berinteraksi di luar rumah dengan kelompok besar. Faktanya, studi dampak kami yang lebih baru menemukan bahwa penggunaan layanan pesan-antar restoran dan pemesanan makanan untuk dibawa pulang dari restoran lokal telah meningkat masing-masing menjadi 22% dan 35%.
The homebody economy has also strained global supply chains as consumers rushed to buy and continue stocking an array of essential categories needed for long-term quarantining. This massive uptick in CPG spending has elevated a trend weโve been monitoring over the past year or so: brand switching.
Meskipun beberapa peralihan merek dapat dikaitkan dengan ketegangan rantai pasokan, pandemi memperkuat ketidaksetiaan merek: Orang Amerika lebih bersedia untuk mencoba merek dan produk baru daripada yang kami temukan pada pertengahan 2019.
In our global disloyalty study last year, just over one-third (36%) of Americans said they love trying new brands and products. This year, our segmentation study found that almost half (48%) say theyโre likely to consider new brands. Few critical categories will be on sale during a pandemic, so much of this openness stems from product availability. Supply strain aside, however, consumers still value corporate social responsibility, noting the appeal of products from brands that are actively trying to help: 72% of CPG shoppers say they are positively influenced by brands helping consumers affected by COVID-19 and 65% favor brands that release advertising in response to the virus. And whatโs more, consumers think brands shouldnโt continue doing business as usual.
Perilaku konsumen berubah, mengharuskan pemasar untuk menyesuaikan strategi keterlibatan mereka. Terlepas dari apakah tugas yang dihadapi adalah memperoleh pelanggan baru atau membangun kesadaran merek, pemasar yang memahami audiens baru, minat, dan sentimen mereka memiliki peluang unik untuk membangun dan membangun hubungan yang bermakna.
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