Indian consumers are now paying more attention to the origin of products and are also looking at how brands have responded to the crisis and addressing those uncertainties. As per the new report by Facebook and Boston Consulting Group, the focus on the product origin is higher in India than in other countries such as UK, US, South Korea etc., especially it would be higher in a post covid scenario in India.
The report also says that e-commerce is likely to see more than usual spends from household consumers even though the household incomes are likely to drop drastically for the next six months. In the e-commerce platforms, one in two consumers will up their spending in electronics, personal care, vitamins, supplements and fashion in the coming months.
This crisis has resulted in a paradigm shift in consumer behaviour. Brands across the globe are wondering how to adapt to this new reality. Those brands who are able to identify the new consumer preferences, mindset, value system and initiates to bridge the gaps, turning their weaknesses into strengths and strengths into distinctive competencies only can withstand the crisis. The brands that would work accordingly will surely turn out to be the new champions.
Here’s how brands and companies can focus on to adapt to the new normal in respect to changes in consumer behaviour.
Bringing the Outside Inside – 79% consumers are not going out of their houses, expect for work. When 31% said they will go within a few weeks for movies in theatres, 38% said they will take a few months. When it comes to eating out, 33% said they will go out within a few weeks; while 39% said they will eat with a few months.
Trust in Brand above all else – 63% of consumers are now paying more attention to the origin of product, which is much higher than other countries.
Bargaining Hunting and Trading Down – In the next 6 months, 43% of consumers are expecting a decrease in overall spend and 35 percent are expecting discounts across categories. 70 percent said they will buy cheaper brands or variants.
Shopping for Utility – Purchase triggers are expected to become more functional, while 54% of consumers expecting lower income in the next six months
Embracing Digital Services and Experiences – 51% of consumers saw an increase in payments via digital wallets. Consumers are also embracing digital in historically offline categories like fitness, education and health.
Rise in Online Shopping – 40% of consumers conduct online research for their purchase decisions, while 85% consumers checked over 2 data points during their purchase.
