North American COVID-19 Consumer Habits Survey Reinforces That Safety And Comfort Are Here To Stay As Established Customer Expectations

Intouch Insight, a leading provider in Customer Experience Management software and services, released its latest survey results exploring changes in consumer habits. This study was a second follow up to the original study from May 2020 which was undertaken to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail businesses.

Read More:  Qumulo Announces Native Support for Amazon Nimble Studio

Businesses need to balance their attention on the key drivers of comfort, while continuing to deliver on traditional measures of customer experience, like price and convenience,” says Sarah Beckett, Director of Marketing at Intouch Insight.

The latest data continues to provide insight into how businesses can pivot to meet the demands of their customers and reinforces that comfort and safety have become established expectations for consumers across North-America. “Businesses need to balance their attention on the key drivers of comfort, while continuing to deliver on traditional measures of customer experience, like price and convenience,” says Sarah Beckett, Director of Marketing at Intouch Insight.

Online capabilities also continue to be of major importance to consumers, not only for e-commerce retailers but for all retail stores. “Our survey respondents continue to make their voices heard regarding how important a store’s digital properties are. 48% of our respondents report spending more time researching purchases online prior to making an in-store purchase, compared to before the pandemic,” adds Beckett.

Key findings from the study:

• Limiting the number of patrons allowed inside at a time and the availability of disinfectant and hand wipes are the top two initiatives consumers say make them feel more comfortable making in-store purchases.
• 82% of respondents report price and convenience as the top two important factors driving the decision to visit a store, compared to 80% in October 2020, and only 21% in May 2020.
• Results continue to show an increase in online purchases, with 62% of respondents reporting an increase in the number of online purchases made over the last year, compared to 54% last fall and 51% the previous spring.

Read More:  SalesTechStar Interview With Michael Schwalb, GM Of Partnerships And Data At JW Player