Post-Pandemic Shifts in Consumer Shopping Habits: Authenticity, Personalization and the Power of UGC
After over a year of stay-at-home orders and social distancing due to COVID-19, the way consumers around the world shop and interact with brands has forever changed.
The already-growing consumer shift towards eCommerce accelerated, while in-person social activities massively moved to video chats and social media platforms. In the last year, online shopping and the average time spent on social networks reached all-time highs.
With more product inspiration and shopping taking place online, brands are now competing for attention in an endless sea of digital ads and eCommerce stores. But are these new consumer habits here to stay? And how will they impact long-term online shopping trends?
After surveying 2,042 consumers across the U.S., UK and Australia, it’s clear that consumers crave more personalized and authentic shopping experiences. Not only are pandemic shopping and social trends here to stay, but they are also making real and relevant content—like user-generated content (UGC)—more important than ever for brands to leverage.
