Recent research, by Google and Salesforce, indicates that COVID-19 has accelerated the trend to shop online. While access to physical shops has been restored, the habit of shopping in-person has been broken and consumers are seeing the benefits of online shopping. This increased exposure has increased the demands of consumers, they are now expecting more from their online experience.
New expectations include:
- A chat facility: consumers want to shop digitally but also receive advice and guidance from a human being
- Swift delivery: consumers are looking for their purchases to be delivered quicker than before so the experience better mimics that of in-store purchasing
- Videos of how to use the product or service: consumers want to fully comprehend the benefits and applications before purchasing. There is a great opportunity to sell key differentiators as well as highlight unusual product applications
- Social engagement: consumers look for a presence on social media to verify the brand promise through reviews as well as to see the broader brand story in action
Online purchasing doesn’t have to be limited to physical products that can be shipped. During COVID-19 we, as Purple Mookiting, have seen:
- an increase in the sales of our strategic marketing skills, we brought on board three consulting clients, one of which we have never met in person
- an uptick in online bookings for accommodation, consumers enjoy being able to instantly book and pay
- an increase in the online purchasing of arts and crafts through community platforms
And these are just a few examples of the many ways we have seen consumers and businesses adapting to digital purchasing. How can your business leverage this trend?
Additional research indicates that even when the purchaser intends to buy in person, 80% of their buying decision is made digitally before they contact you. Refining your brand’s digital experience is now, more than ever, an essential part of being perceived as remarkable.
Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing more on trends that are here to stay after COVID-19 so keep an eye out for the next in this series.