Emerging consumer trends for 2021
Consumers are the driving force behind the retail sector. The needs and buying preferences of consumers determine which direction retailers take to ensure increased sales and customer satisfaction.
The start of a new year is a good time to look at which consumer behaviour trends have the potential to alter the retail landscape.
Consumer trends you need to know this year
Contactless
Reducing contact is a public health recommendation in the face of Covid-19. It is therefore not surprising that eyebrows have been raised on the use of contact ATMs, store PIN pads and other touch screens.
While the retail sector in South Africa already has contactless payment methods such as Zapper, Snapscan and TapnGo, the retail sector can expect to see a strong surge this year with more advanced interfaces which rely on gestures, voice and facial recognition.
Vegetables
Veggies are a big part of many people’s daily diet. The lockdown situation caused by Covid-19 has made many individuals and families take up backyard vegetable gardening.
For many, this is being done as a way to reduce expenses, stay occupied and an attempt to eat their own vegetables free of pesticides and other chemicals used in large scale vegetable farms.
Shop streaming
Consumers for a long time have grown accustomed to watching live-streamed social and economic programs. Shop streaming is an emerging trend where a store uses a celebrity or trained presenters to live stream product offerings while allowing consumers to make
immediate purchases.
Products are sold in real-time and promotions only last as long as the live stream. South African consumers can keep their eyes on this trend as it hits our shores.
Telehealth
Traditionally, patients or those seeking medical attention normally go to the hospital or set up an appointment with a doctor for medical attention.
With many people avoiding closed spaces, telehealth is a serious emerging trend. Telehealth means that doctors are now
consulting, monitoring and treating their patients online.
Data
In the modern business world, business decisions are increasingly being made out of harvested consumer research data. The more data a business can collect, the more accurate their plans and projections can be.
Consumers however are beginning to demand value for the preference data they provide and this is likely to continue this year.
Value-based spending
Consumers have certain values and belief systems they subscribe to. What is emerging as a strong trend is that consumers are now choosing to buy from brands that align with their values.
These values could be based on religion, culture or just social behaviour. This is likely to continue in 2021.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) will continue to be strong emerging trends.
This is because consumers are looking for better engagement and shopping experiences.AR and VR enable consumers to have store and product experiences without visiting a physical store.
This will however depend on the level of access to internet services and gadgets.
For retail shopping and advertising, you can count on Guzzle.
Guzzle provides retailers with an easier way of advertising products and promotions through catalogues which allows consumers to browse all catalogue promotions in one place.
The trends listed above point to a rapidly changing retail sector.
Guzzle Media
