CHANGES IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR BROUGHT IN BY THE PANDEMIC

????The COVID-19 crisis saw a complete shift in lifestyle for all. Most people have been forced to be locked indoors with a constant fear of the virus around. Several people received their last pay checks while the helpless didn’t even receive those. Lots were forced out on the streets with no money and several fortunate were lucky enough to either secure their jobs and businesses or start all over. Any major lifestyle shift brings about a great difference in consumption patterns and the months of the global pandemic brought with it several changes too.

????????????????Due to the social distancing restrictions, everyone has been forced to stay indoors and this has opened up more opportunities for a digitalized world. Everything has shifted to online mediums of operation, right from work to education and to virtual events. The same goes for shopping too. A survey carried out estimated that there has been a shift in preferences to online shopping among 30-50% of the consumers on an average. A survey by a website called ‘Numerator’ states that 87% of the shoppers surveyed purchased commodities online and about 51% of these online orders were in-store pick-ups via the use of omnichannel retail facilities. Sites like Grofers and BigBasket saw an extreme surge in usage of their applications and were operating at just 60-70% of their capacity due to supply restraints and lack of man power.

????????????The recent situation of the complete lockdown in several states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi not only forced everyone to almost completely shift to online methods of purchase but have also limited their shopping due to delivery restrictions in these states. Most people all over India are only sticking to purchase of essentials either by choice or forced due to lockdown constraints or financial crisis. There has been a surge in the use of medical products such as masks, sanitizers, thermometers, gloves and oxymeters just to name a few and the pharma industry is definitely thriving.

???????????With e-commerce on the rise and a fall in employment rate by about 37% in India, several took the opportunity to start their own businesses in the year 2020 and the trend is still on. The businesses range from home baked goods to jewellry and clothing stores run virtually on social media to even several well-established brands. There has been a general awareness of the need to support local and self-built brands not just from an economical point of view but also for ethical reasons. Consumers have started purchasing more from these stores for the above reasons. There has also been more awareness about the need to shop consciously and also the horrors of the fashion industry as a major polluter. Due to the lockdown, there is no solid reason for consumers to buy clothing items either. All these reasons have attributed to a considerable fall in the shopping of luxury goods in general as well as clothing items.

??????????People have not only been forced inside their homes literally but also metaphorically. Throughout the world, people have been reviewing their life choices and adapting to changes and becoming more aware of the environment as well as economy. Times of crisis calls for more demand in products that aid to health and less in those that are of the luxury category. People have started living more simple lifestyles. Thus, modification in consumer preferences and behaviour in such a manner have come to effect and certain changes are probably for the best not just during these testing times but also for the generations to come.

-- Akshay Gokalgandhi