Even though the year is almost half over, it’s 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. That’s 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 they’re 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 patronage—especially 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.
That’s 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 they’re 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.
对许多人来说，这一现实意味着要限制外出就餐的机会，从而引发了 "恋家经济 "的兴起，这是我们自今年年初以来一直在关注的全球趋势。在美国，消费者开始更多地在家做饭（54% 的人表示他们更多地在家做饭），从外卖服务订餐（17%），并光顾提供外卖的本地餐馆（24%）。一个月过去了，这种情绪依然存在，甚至有所升级，凸显出美国人对离家与大型团体互动的严重恐惧。事实上，我们最近的影响研究发现，使用餐馆外卖服务和在当地餐馆点更多外卖的比例分别上升到了 22% 和 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 we’ve been monitoring over the past year or so: brand switching.
虽然部分品牌转换可归因于供应链紧张，但大流行病正在放大品牌的不忠诚度：与我们在 2019 年年中发现的情况相比，美国人更愿意尝试新品牌和新产品。
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 they’re 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 what’s more, consumers think brands shouldn’t continue doing business as usual.
消费者的行为正在发生变化，这就要求营销人员调整他们的参与策略。无论当前的任务是获取新客户还是建立品牌知名度，了解新受众、他们的兴趣和情感的营销人员都拥有建立和发展有意义关系的独特机会。
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