In recent years, we’ve seen that ‘convenience’ and ‘product benefits’ have replaced ‘brand name’ more and more as a driving decision factor. In fact, in our most recent survey — research of consumer packaged goods (CPG) in North America — we found that less than a tenth (only 8%) of respondents listed ‘brand name’ as an important attribute for new CPG purchases, so we were curious when doing the survey how shoppers were choosing their CPG products, and why. 

CPG research key takeaways

The research of nearly 12,500 members of our Influenster community across North America explores the latest habits, attitudes, and sentiments for CPG products including food, beverages, baby products, pet products, household products, makeup, and skin care products.

What did we find?

1. Social responsibility: consumers are paying attention 

We’ve seen a noticeable increase in consumers taking the environment into consideration when purchasing products across a variety of industries. We’ve seen glimpses of this in apparel, DIY & home, and we even just put together a whole piece on sustainability’s part in retail success. Clearly it’s an emerging trend. 

And sustainability is a key factor when it comes to what CPG brands consumers will buy too. Here, though, it goes beyond just environmental issues and encompasses social and ethical issues as well. Of those we surveyed:

• 77% said it’s very/somewhat important for them that CPG brands source their products responsibly and ethically

• 76% said it’s very/somewhat important for them to see that CPG brands are taking initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint and embrace sustainability

• 75% said that it’s very/somewhat important for them that the packaging of the product is eco-friendly or recyclable

• 68% of respondents say that it’s very/somewhat important to them that the ingredients in the cleaning products they buy are natural and/or eco-friendly

As the above stats show, the majority of respondents state that being sustainable, recyclable and ethically-sourced are all key drivers when it comes to purchasing CPG products, which proves the environmentally-minded attitude of today’s consumers.

2. Ingredient labels are influencing purchase decisions

It’s not just what the product is, though, it’s what’s in the product that’s driving consumer purchasing decisions nowadays too. For example, 74% of our CPG research respondents who are parents said that it’s very/somewhat important to them that the ingredients in their baby food & drinks are natural and/or organic, while 81% said that it’s very/somewhat important to them that the ingredients in their baby body care products are ‘clean’ and/or ‘paraben free.’

Ingredient labels are, perhaps unsurprisingly, especially considered when it comes to purchasing food products:

• 56% said that it’s very/somewhat important to them that the ingredients they use for cooking and baking are organic

• 48% said that it’s very/somewhat important to them that the ingredients they use for cooking and baking are gluten-free

• 44% of consumers say that it’s very/somewhat important to them that the ingredients they use for cooking and baking are plant based

This partly ties in to the environmental attitude of today’s consumers, as plant-based and organic tend to be greener, but on top of that it shows that consumers really care about their own health as much as the planet’s health.

In fact, 67% of the surveyed consumers want to see recipes from brands for cooking or baking that show alternatives, such as gluten free and organic products. This tells us that consumers are research dietary needs and health benefits when it comes to purchasing CPG products.

Consumers also care as much about their external health as they do their inner health, as the following table shows. We asked our members what they look for when it comes to choosing skin/hair care products & cosmetics, and here’s what they said:

The responses from our community members clearly show that the majority look to avoid products like parabens and sulphates, which have long been considered to be harmful for the skin/hair.

3. Are consumers still shopping?

Yes, they are. But what are they buying, and when?

• Consumers are more likely to purchase snacks & drinks – daily
• Consumers are more likely to purchase frozen food – weekly
• Consumers are more likely to purchase canned food, household products, pet products, skin/hair care products and cosmetics – monthly

A full breakdown of how frequently consumers are buying specific products looks like this:

There’s no surprises here really. Low-cost products intended for instant consumption, like snacks, tend to be bought daily. Whereas your pricier products, and those with longer shelf lives like cosmetics, are bought monthly. But the real question is where are consumers purchasing these products?

4. In-store vs online

Somewhat surprising, given the change in consumer buying habits, but in-store shopping is still the go-to when it comes to purchasing CPG products. While shoppers still research online, a huge 82% of the surveyed respondents said they prefer buying CPG products in-store at retailers (Target, Walmart), while 49% prefer buying online via retailers (Target, Walmart) and another 58% prefer buying online from Amazon. 

The results are slightly different when it comes to groceries specifically. 72% of those surveyed prefer buying groceries in-store at local grocery stores (Kroger, Stop & Shop) and 59% buy in-store at retailers (Target, Walmart), while only 30% of consumers prefer buying at retailers online. 

The results swing much more toward in-store groceries, likely because people like to see/hold the produce they’re buying, and not to mention they were one of the few types of store kept open during lockdowns.

Speaking of in-store purchasing, 66% of consumers are more likely to try a new product from shopping in-store (vs. only 34% who said online) which leads on to the final main takeaway from the survey.

5. What influences a consumer’s decision to try a NEW product?

We already know that reviews matter (particularly the recency of reviews.) Our own research has told us this. But do they matter when it comes to purchasing CPG goods? Yes, they do. When researching a new CPG product, the top three drivers for purchase are product reviews (82%) followed by family & friend recommendations (51%) then ‘best types of products’ lists (50%).

But when asked to select only one driver, the vast majority (64%) said they read customer reviews, as the following table shows:

Reviews on social media specifically also play a large part, with 83% of respondents saying they’re very/somewhat likely to purchase a new product advertised on social media with photos and reviews from other shoppers. Another 82% would share their honest opinion about a new product by writing a review and posting on social media. 

Turn CPG market research into actionable results

As our CPG market research shows, there’s multiple attitudes and habits that consumers take into account when it comes to making CPG purchasing decisions. And clearly ‘brand name’ isn’t one of them. But if you’re wondering how your retail brand can win over these consumers, the trends are easy to spot. 

Make sure your brand is socially responsible, your products are friendly to both people and the planet (and clearly labelled so), and that you utilize customer ratings and reviews for other potential consumers to use, and you’ll have consumers won over in no time at all.

For more research, marketing strategies, and ways to stand out on the digital shelf, see our CPG industry page.

In fact, in the Bazaarvoice Network of 11,500+ brands, of which 1,750 are retailers, we saw a 39% year-over-year increase of online orders in 2020. But while we know consumers were online, where exactly were they shopping from? With all of this extra time we’ve been spending on social media, and how shoppable these platforms have become, how much actual shopping is being done on the likes of Instagram, Facebook and TikTok? 

We surveyed over 42,000 global consumers in our Influenster community to find out. Here’s what they said: 

Social commerce adoption has risen due to the pandemic

Almost three quarters (74%) of respondents said they agree or strongly agree that they find themselves more influenced to shop via social media now than they did pre-pandemic. A little more than a third (35%) said that before the pandemic they rarely shopped from social media channels, but since March 2020, 30% say they now often do. 

When asked specifically where they shopped before the pandemic began and after it started, respondents said: 

Shoppers like buying some things on social media more than others

Shoppers genuinely like shopping on social media — 55% said they like it, while 43% said it depends on the platform. Only 2% said they don’t like it. However, they like buying some things on social media more than others.  

When asked what types of products they shop the most for in-store and which they shop the most for on social, respondents said:

But regardless of what they’re buying, consumers aren’t turning to social platforms to just purchase the same old stuff. They’re very open to trying new things. When asked how often they are influenced to buy a new and ‘unknown’ brand from social, 52% said sometimes and 19% said often. 

Influencers are still influential, but at a smaller scale 

Now that social commerce is so commonplace, how much of that is due to influencers? When asked how frequently they purchase from links provided by influencers on social media, 43% of respondents said often, and 41% said sometimes. However, the size of the influencer’s following is very influential to a shoppers’ decision to purchase from them or based on their recommendation. Surprisingly, the smaller the influencer, the better.

Almost a quarter (24%) of respondents said they’re most likely to buy from micro influencers (10K-100K followers), while 22% said nano influencers (1K-10K followers). Just 18% said macro influencers (100K-500K followers), while 17% said known experts and 13% said mega influencers (500K-1MM followers). Only 5% of respondents said they’re likely to buy a product recommended by celebrities. 

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Your shoppers like shopping on social media, and they’re doing it now more than ever before. You’ve likely upped your e-commerce game due to the pandemic, but make sure that social commerce is part of that strategy too. To learn more, watch our on-demand masterclass on the state of social commerce.

Almost 40% of respondents said they’re still shopping just as much as before the pandemic, and 17% are shopping even more. But what are they buying? And how are they buying? Let’s take a look at this year’s apparel trends.

A noticeable shift towards sustainability  

Sustainability is a growing trend and apparel is no different. Last year, consumers purchased more sustainable products than in 2019, and they plan to let sustainability drive future purchase decisions. Our survey revealed that 69% of shoppers felt “eco-friendly” and “sustainability” are very important or somewhat important when buying apparel, and 35% intentionally purchase clothing made from sustainable or recyclable fabric.

Younger shoppers are for sure more aware of sustainable fashion and willing to invest in it. 50% of Gen Z and millennial consumers will pay more for sustainable clothing, while Gen X and baby boomers won’t. European consumers are also more likely to pay more for sustainable clothing than U.S. shoppers. 

And over half of respondents (56%) stated that they always or sometimes recycle their clothes after use.

To encourage more purchases, shoppers think sustainable fashion brands should offer more discounts, gift cards, or gifts, and provide more information about the items, such as how to wash them and where they’re made. 

Secondhand clothing helps shoppers save money (and the planet)

Going hand-in-hand with sustainability, the resale, secondhand, and vintage clothing sectors saw an uptick over the past year, with 47% of consumers doing so to save money and 15% for environmental reasons.

While only 14% of respondents had purchased secondhand clothing from websites like thredUP, Poshmark etc. during the pandemic, 60% said that they are very/somewhat likely to buy secondhand clothes in the future. 

Of the respondents who had purchased secondhand clothing, they mostly purchased casual wear (76%), luxury clothes (37%), and party wear (26%). Close to half of the respondents stated that they had purchased secondhand clothes to save money and 15% purchased as they feel it saves resources and does the environment a favor.

Outside of purchasing, a new trend we’ve noticed is some consumers have started to sell their apparel items too. Nearly 1 in 4 respondents said they’d resold their clothes to a large or moderate extent in the past year.

And while secondhand clothing might become more of a ‘norm,’ we also found that clothing rental subscriptions are losing momentum. Of the consumers who were using services like Rent the Runway, Le Tote etc, 76% said that they discontinued their subscriptions during the pandemic and only 13% said they’re likely to rent clothes again. 

Social media continues to inspire fashion choices 

According to an Influenster survey in June 2020, 82% of UK and 72% of North American consumers said they used social media significantly more during the pandemic. 25% of consumers shopped more to keep themselves entertained or because they were using social media more and in turn discovered new products. 

With social media usage way up, 62% said that’s where they’re finding clothing inspiration, a practice more common with Gen Z, millennial, and Gen X shoppers than with boomers.

Of the shoppers seeking inspiration from social media and influencers, 56% embrace micro-influencers, or those with 1,000 to 100,00 followers, and 42% rely on content creators with less than 1,000 followers. This tells us that a more niche following provides higher authenticity. 

Brand websites are the go-to for online shopping 

Not just a trend in apparel, the increase in screen time usage hasn’t only applied to social media though — online shopping has been the go-to option, with 40% of consumers said they’re shopping solely online.

Most Gen Z online shoppers (76%) prefer shopping directly from fashion e-commerce sites, brand stores, and thrift shops. By comparison, baby boomer and Gen X consumers prefer shopping directly from retailer sites, department stores, and brand sites. 

The pandemic changed clothing styles 

In our survey, we saw 63% of respondents “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that the pandemic changed how they dressed for social gatherings, 27% of whom plan to keep their pandemic dress codes when the pandemic ends.

Gen Z consumers especially plan to keep dressing how they’ve been over the past year, as 51% said they found a new style they love. 

Athleisure and comfy clothing soar in popularity 

It’s no surprise that as homes became the office, gym, and general hangout space, more consumers opted for more casual clothing during the pandemic. ‘Comfort,’ ‘price,’ and ‘promotions’ were the top apparel trend drivers over the past year. 

Consumers started defining their “work from home” style as “casual and everyday clothing,” “in-home wear/pajamas,” and “in athleisure all day.” Nearly 60% of consumers spent the most on casual basics and 44% on athleisure, such as sweatshirts and leggings. 

Even after the pandemic, 45% of survey respondents expect their work attire to be business casual and 31% said it will be casual basics, such as jeans and T-shirts. 

Post-pandemic apparel trends

Post-pandemic shoppers will still gravitate to casual and comfortable clothing, and sustainability will factor into purchase decisions. And whilst people are still apparel shopping, they’re more often buying online and turning to social media for inspiration.

Speaking of after the pandemic, now that it’s “over,” we’re looking forward to seeing anticipated shifts in apparel trends as more people are spending time outdoors, socializing, and getting to travel once again. It’s going to be interesting to see what apparel trends emerge in coming years, so make sure you stay tuned for updates.

Now you know the apparel trends, check out our e-book on 5 consumer trends brands and retailers should lean into next year for more industry trends.

There are going to be plenty of “lookbacks” released in honor of COVID’s one-year anniversary. But we were all there. We know what happened. We don’t need to relive it. But what’s going to happen next? Now that’s something to be excited about. We surveyed 14,000 global consumers from our Influenster community to see a peek at a look *forward*. After all of these changes and adjustments, what do they think the future looks like for them and their shopping habits? Here’s what we found out. 

People are exhausted… but hopeful! 

When asked to pick the word that best describes how they feel right now, the top 5 choices that respondents selected were: “exhausted,” “grateful,” “hopeful,” “overwhelmed,” and “anxious.” The younger generations (Millennials and Gen Z) feel more exhausted and overwhelmed, while the older generations (Gen X and Baby Boomers) are more hopeful, optimistic, and grateful.

Outside of spending time with family and friends, the top choices that respondents are looking forward to most when restrictions allow are: international travel, concerts/festivals, domestic travel, dining at restaurants, and parties/celebrations/showers. 

Self-care is queen

More than half of respondents practiced more self-care in 2020, and 64% anticipate to continue to do so this year. In 2020, 63% of respondents tried to be healthier, and 78% will try to be even more healthy this year. A vast majority (85%) of respondents made changes to their daily routines and lifestyle during the pandemic. When asked about what changes they made, the majority of respondents said they started taking time for themselves, they followed a healthy diet, and started a workout routine.

Sustainability is a top priority

In 2020, 33% of global respondents bought more sustainable products compared to 2019. The same number of respondents will continue to purchase sustainable products in 2021 as well. Overall, respondents aim to reduce their food waste (40%), reduce the amount of plastic they use (37%), and buy more from sustainable and eco-friendly brands (37%). 

The top sustainability priority for Gen Z is to buy more sustainable products, use recyclable shopping bags, and recycle as much as possible. Whereas other generations want to focus more on reducing food waste, reducing their amount of plastic use, and using recyclable shopping bags.

Shoppers will consume more intentionally 

A majority (80%) of respondents would always or sometimes look at the ingredient labels of products before purchasing in 2020, but consumers are paying even more attention this year. 89% indicated they would look at ingredient labels before purchasing a product. Respondents indicated that they opted for products that were ‘cruelty-free’ (32%), ‘natural’ (19%), and ‘USDA Organic Certified’ (16%) in 2020 and will continue to do so in 2021.

2020 caused brand disloyalty

87% of respondents tried new brands/products in 2020, and 55% of respondents will continue to use those new brands/products this year. The older generations (Boomers and Gen X) will use a mix of old and new brands they tried last year, but the younger generations (Gen Y and Gen Z) will continue using the new brands they started using during the pandemic. Many consumers were forced to try new brands and products during the pandemic due to shortages. 

Consumers want the best of both shopping worlds

Currently, 36% of respondents are doing a ‘combination shopping’ approach of mainly online and partly in-store. 34% are strictly shopping online only. US respondents are doing more combination shopping (37%), while respondents in Europe are shopping online only more (62%) and will continue to shop online only throughout 2021 (51%).

In 2021, consumers globally anticipate to shop online more. 38% plan to do a combination of mainly online shopping and partly in-store, whereas 31% would still shop online only. Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y anticipate to do a combination of mainly online and partly in-store shopping but Gen Z would restrict it to only online shopping in 2021. 

Of the respondents who plan on getting vaccinated, 40% of them will still do a combination of mainly online and partly in-store shopping,  and 24% indicated they would move to mainly in-store and partly online.

When consumers go in-store to shop, they prefer a ‘contact-free shopping experience’ that involves minimal contact with staff and other customers (68%), and this will still remain true even after they get vaccinated (58%). Consumers expect brands to ensure that they are comfortable and safe shopping in-store. 48% of respondents indicated they want mandatory masks for employees and shoppers, increased sanitation (28%), and social distancing (24%). 

Learn more about what shoppers need from you in 2021 in our Shopper Experience Index.

Read the report

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Even once we can declare the pandemic over, things will never go back to exactly the way they once were. For brands and retailers, success depends on understanding how the pandemic will continue to impact shopping behaviors going forward. Focusing on safety and sensitivity, optimizing online and in-store shopping, and prioritizing sustainability and ethics will most resonate with shoppers.

As every social media manager knows, there’s a lot more to the success of an Instagram post than just the likes it gets. Especially as Instagram is hiding the number of likes that posts receive from followers. From engagement rate to follower count increases, there’s multiple Instagram benchmarks to track. Even if you know how to measure a certain metric, do you know what that metric should look like for success?

In order to determine what realistic goals brands could be setting for their Instagram metrics in 2021, we gathered a year’s worth of Instagram performance data to determine what the top 20% of our clients (based on engagement) are doing well and how. The performance data of these 345 clients across 19 industries (beauty, apparel, food and beverage, entertainment, consumer goods, etc.) is what we used to establish updated benchmarks for Instagram performance. 

See what Instagram benchmarks our best-in-class clients are achieving to help you to understand where you stand, what you could improve upon, and where you should double down.

Instagram Reach Rate 

1. Reach Rate by brand size

It turns out, in some cases, that size does matter. There’s clear differences in Reach Rate between brands with a large following (over 500K) and those with a smaller following (under 10K). Brands with larger followings should expect a lower Reach Rate than brands with small followings. 

• Larger: Brands with large followings should aim to meet or exceed an average Reach Rate of 15% for an Instagram post and 2% for an Instagram Story.
• Smaller: Brands with a smaller number of followers should aim to meet or exceed the higher benchmark of 36% of their audience through posts and 7% through Stories.

2. Reach Rate’s impact on conversion

Reach Rate is an essential Instagram benchmark because it equates to more than just buzz – it means conversion as well. Among leading social brands, where reach is higher, you should see higher website visits and web conversion.

The average Conversion Rate for the brands that perform in the top 20% of the Instagram accounts we analyzed is 0.3%. It’s significantly higher for brands with 10K-50K followers (2.2%) followed by brands with <10K followers (1.8% conversion), implying brands with smaller following have a higher Conversion Rate.

3. Reach for Stories versus posts

Since Instagram posts are evergreen and stay on your profile forever, it’s not surprising that they tend to get more Reach than Stories (that disappear in 24 hours). Our top 20% Instagram performers get seven times more Reach on Instagram posts than Instagram Stories.  

Engagement Rate

4. Engagement Rate by following size

Engagement Rate differs based on the number of followers a brand’s Instagram has. Brands with less than <50K followers should aim to meet or exceed an 11.3% Engagement Rate, whereas brands with over 100K followers should expect a lower percentage (7.7%). However, there’s a few exceptions, with a small number of brands with over a million followers bucking the trend with higher Engagement Rates.

5. Engagement Rate for photos versus video

It’s no surprise what type of visual content engages more on Instagram. Obviously it’s photos, which are the bread and butter of the platform. The average Engagement Rate for top performers’ photos is 13%, while for video it’s 8.5%. 

6. Visual content Engagement Rate by industry

Depending on your brand’s industry you may want to aim for a higher or lower benchmark for Engagement Rates on your Instagram posts. Some industries can expect half the Engagement Rate of others. Or is that double the opportunity? 

7. Most engaging times to post on Instagram

For our top performers, the best times to post and achieve higher Engagement Rates are at 7 am EST, between 4 pm-5 pm EST and at 7 pm EST. 

This varies a bit by industry. For instance, cosmetics and beauty brands can achieve a higher Engagement Rate by posting between 9 am-10 am EST and 1 pm-2 pm EST while those in the apparel industry can do it by posting between 10 am-1 pm EST or at 7 pm EST.

Along with time of the day, there are other factors to consider that can also influence Engagement Rate, such as day of the week, holidays, the time zone of your primary audience, and current affairs to name a few.

Services like Bazaarvoice’s Social Publishing tool help take the guesswork out of scheduling your posts. 

8. Instagram Saves Engagement Rate

Using the Instagram save function, users can save posts for themselves to check out or refer to at a later time. Saves are a good measure of the quality of your content, as they indicate that what you posted is worth coming back to. On average, the top 20% of Instagram performers have a Saves Engagement Rate of 0.5%.

Instagram Stories Metrics

9. Instagram Stories Completion Rate by size

The Stories Completion Rate is a great metric to evaluate the quality of your Instagram Stories, and see what type of content your followers deem worthy of watching until the end. The average Stories Completion Rate across all categories and following size is 87%. However, the trend we see most often is that the higher the follower count, the higher the Story Completion Rate.

10. Instagram Stories Tap Forward Rate

The average Tap Forward Rate is 67%. There is a strong correlation between the number of stories published, daily posting rate, and Tap Forward Rate. Brands who post more stories consistently receive higher Tap Forward Rates and eventually get higher Stories Completion Rates too.

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By comparing your brand’s performance to others, especially your competitors, you’ll get a better feel for how your social strategy should shape up for this year and beyond. Nailing your Instagram benchmarks is the best way to start.

LEARN MORE

The social media manager’s guide to user-generated content best practices

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In fact, 42% of American shoppers and 43% of Europeans said the COVID-19 crisis has changed their food and beverage purchasing habits, according to a Bazaarvoice survey of the Influenster community about food and beverage habits conducted in September 2020.

And, brands are responding. In March, many turned their attention to keeping store shelves stocked, even if it meant delaying new product launches. Now realizing the pandemic is a long-haul event, brands are beefing up their e-commerce offerings. Online grocery sales grew 22% in 2019, and it’s one of the fastest-growing grocery sales segments.

Want to learn more about how food and beverage consumers are shopping? Watch our webinar with Kraft Heinz on what shoppers are craving here. 

We surveyed about 10,200 Influenster community members in North America and Europe to learn more about their evolving food and beverage shopping behaviors. Here’s what on the menu:

Shoppers are interested in healthier foods and plant-based products

Even though shoppers considered ingredients differently during the pandemic due to availability constraints, nutrition and healthy foods are still important to shoppers. Prior to the pandemic, 30% of respondents read nutrition labels always, and 32% still read nutrition labels always during the pandemic. When coronavirus lockdowns began, consumers bought more nonperishable canned or frozen foods to keep their pantries stocked. Now, they’re filling their shopping carts with fresh produce, foods with healthy ingredients, and fewer processed foods. 

Lately, 42% of American and 48% of European shoppers are seeking more sustainable and plant-based foods, more so than before the pandemic. That includes plant-based meat alternatives. About half of shoppers are also replacing dairy with nut, bean, and grain milks, either by choice or for health reasons. Almond, coconut, oat, and soy milks are the top non-dairy choices.

Shoppers are cooking (and snacking) more

COVID-19 has also changed how people spend their free time. Instead of visiting their favorite restaurants, they’re ordering takeout and spending more time in the kitchen.

Pre-pandemic, 36% of American shoppers said they cooked at home most days—now, it’s 43%. The reasons? They have more time, want to make homemade food, and need to save money. Consumers are also enjoying experimenting with new recipes, types of cuisine, and ingredients.

People are also looking for things to nibble on between meals. 35% of shoppers in North America and Europe are snacking more often, at least a few times a day. Cookies, baked goods, baked chips, crackers, fresh fruit, popcorn, fried chips, and yogurt are the most popular pandemic snacks.

Shoppers have a thirst for new beverages

Most shoppers are enjoying experimenting with drinks, too. Infusions are a popular trend. Some of the most-tried products during the pandemic include teas infused with botanical ingredients, like rose, lavender, or hibiscus, relaxation beverages with melatonin or chamomile, and probiotics.

Collagen water for hair and skin and drink “mashups,” such as iced tea with sparkling water or beer with cold brew coffee, are other drink trends consumers are excited to try.

Food and beverage brands should take note of what consumers are eating and drinking during the coronavirus pandemic. It’ll help you identify the next food and beverage trends. These days, convenience influences most purchasing decisions, and shoppers are willing to try what’s available. With cooking at home more common, shoppers are looking for healthy foods and whole ingredients over packaged foods—but, they’re interested in experimenting, too. As the pandemic continues on, many of these pandemic food and beverage shopping behaviors will likely stick around and become long-term habits.   

Shoppers’ grocery shopping priorities are changing

Early pandemic shortages still weigh on consumers and continue to influence which products they buy. Pre-pandemic, both North American and European shoppers cited taste, price, and ingredients as their biggest purchase drivers. 

Price and taste still factor into more than 60% of food and beverage purchases in both regions. But, 37% of North American shoppers and 29% of Europeans say product availability now plays a role in deciding what to purchase.

With some products scarce during the lockdown, more than a third of consumers tried new or new-to-them brands, including ones they’d never heard of before. And, most plan to continue purchasing those new items once the pandemic ends.

Shoppers are leaning on reviews for product discovery

As more people are shopping for groceries online, they’re leaving reviews for their favorite food and beverage products. This is helping fellow shoppers make more informed decisions about what to buy.

Before purchasing a new food or beverage item, 61% of North American shoppers and 55% of European shoppers say they read reviews. They most often read reviews when making shopping lists, shopping online, or when looking for more inspiration.

Need more reviews for your products? We can help. Chat with us here.

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Want to get your products in the hands of food and beverage connoisseurs? We’ve got your back – let’s chat. 

In the past 12 months, candy and chocolate products on Influenster received over 349,122 reviews. Within the candy category, gummy candies proved themselves to be most popular with 133K reviews on Influenster.com and 8 out of 10 spots on Influenster’s most reviewed candy and chocolate products.

While the most popular candy overall was Sour Patch Kids Soft and Chewy, we wanted to see what reviewers were sweet on in each state. 

Between this year and last year, Illinois was the only state to have the same favorite candy: Nestle crunch. Here are this year’s most reviewed candies by state:

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Want to learn more about what insights the Influenster community can offer for your business? Connect with us here.

According to an August 2020 Influenster survey of over 13,000 community members in North America and Europe, 80% of shoppers in North America, the U.K., France, and Germany said their shopping habits changed as a direct response to the COVID-19 crisis and stay-at-home orders.

But, how exactly have shopping behaviors changed? Here’s a look at some of the the latest pandemic trends in commerce:

Consumers blend online and in-store shopping

E-commerce sales have surged during the pandemic. Online shopping increased 55% in July year-over-year, reaching $66.3 billion, according to Adobe’s Digital Economy Index. During the pandemic, buying “online with home delivery” has been a preferred shopping method – in fact, more than half of respondents indicated ‘online with home delivery’ has been their primary way of shopping during the pandemic.

Consumers are still shopping online, but as stores are slowly reopening, they’re visiting retailers, too. 48% of survey respondents say they’re doing a combination of online and in-store shopping, with only 17% exclusively shopping in-store.

More than half (55%) of respondents would go in-store even if a retailer removes some of their favorite interactive features, like in-store sampling and product trials.

More than 30% say they’re shopping online for products they’d normally shop for in-store or that they can’t find in-store, while 31% are shopping in-store for products they can’t find online. Most are shopping online from brand and retailer sites and in-store at retailers like Target, Walmart, and Boots. 

Shoppers expect in-store safety measures

After a few months on lockdown, stir-crazy consumers have anticipated store reopenings and shopping at their favorite retailers. But, shoppers expect stores to take safety seriously, otherwise, they won’t feel comfortable browsing in person. 

70% of people expect retailers to require employees and other customers to wear masks, 68% want hand sanitizer stations installed, and 62% think stores should mandate social distancing. Shoppers also believe brands should promote their in-store precautions and openly communicate how they’re protecting their customers and employees. 

Shoppers strive to support small businesses 

Even before the pandemic, consumers were becoming more mindful of where they shop and opting to spend money where it could make the most impact. Lately, shoppers are showing more interest in supporting small businesses, which have been especially hard hit by COVID-19.

More than 40% of consumers report shopping at small businesses more since the pandemic. Among those shoppers, 69% are purchasing from the small businesses’ online stores, and 46% are purchasing in-store. 

Some shoppers are actually choosing smaller retailers and brands over their bigger counterparts. Nearly 30% say they’re supporting small businesses over large companies like Amazon.

Price and quality influence most purchases  

In the early days of the pandemic, shoppers faced empty store shelves and shortages of products like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and some beauty products. At that time, availability and price were the most influential factors on purchase decisions, followed by product quality.

Today, many stores have reopened and product shortages have waned, so availability isn’t as much of an issue. Now, 48% say price most influences whether they purchase something, and 39% list product quality as their top priority. 

Shoppers eye how brands are responding to the crisis 

Shoppers are paying close attention to how brands are responding to the COVID-19 crisis, and they have high expectations. Nearly 70% expect brands to protect the health of employees and consumers, and they want brands to follow sanitation guidelines provided by health officials. Shoppers also think brands should share information about products in a way that demonstrates understanding and sensitivity to how the pandemic is affecting people’s lives. 

Brands and retailers that take these factors into account have a shot at winning over consumers. In fact, 73% of consumers said how a brand responds during the crisis will impact their brand loyalty or the likelihood that they’ll purchase from the brand in the future. More than 40% of shoppers started using a new brand because of their coronavirus response.

The pandemic could have a lasting effect on shopper behaviors

No one truly knows how long the COVID-19 crisis will extend or what it’s lasting effects will be. But, we suspect some of these new shopping behaviors will stick around for a while.

While 27% of our survey respondents say it’s “too soon to tell” how their shopping habits will change long term, 28% say they’ll likely return to shopping how they did before the crisis, but with a few modifications.

Brands and retailers continue to navigate the COVID-19 crisis and figure out what their new normal will be, and success depends on understanding how the pandemic is impacting shopping behaviors. Learning what’s driving their purchases, focusing on safety and sensitivity, and optimizing online and in-store shopping will most resonate with shoppers.

But what about shopping behaviors? As brick-and-mortar stores around the world have either temporarily closed, are limiting capacity, or completely shut down, have consumer shopping behaviors changed? The answer is yes. 

In July 2020, Influenster conducted a survey with a total of 7,738 women in North America (NA) and the United Kingdom (UK) to better understand how consumers are using social media today and how shopping behaviors have changed since the pandemic started. Here’s what they found out.

Customers are shopping while they’re scrolling

63% of respondents in the UK and 54% of respondents in NA said that they would shop via social media before the pandemic. 

In North America and the UK today, social media is the most common channel to get information about a brand and its products, followed by the brand’s website and then email. And, about 72% of UK and 74% of NA respondents said that they visit a brand’s social media page before making a purchase.

But, this doesn’t mean that social media should be the sole focus of your digital strategy. Search engine optimization (SEO) is important too. 81% of respondents in the UK and 79% of respondents in NA said they always or sometimes start their shopping process with search engines like Google or Bing. 

Of the respondents who prefer to shop on social media, 84% in NA and 92% in the UK said they shop from Instagram. The second most popular platform in both regions was Facebook. But all of your platforms have the power to influence a customer to purchase. 

62% of people in NA and 66% in the UK agree or strongly agree that a brand’s social media presence influences their decision to purchase.

Want to optimize your social media channels for shopping? Connect with us here.

The power of influencers 

How much do influencers actually influence your customers? Well, 69% of NA respondents and 76% of UK respondents agree or strongly agree that “reviews from social media influencers impact their decision to consider a brand.” And 70% of NA and 74% of UK respondents agreed that “reviews from social media influencers impact their purchase decisions.”

When finding influencers for your brand to partner with, you may have your sights set on those with 100k+ followers. But, the Influenster study found that consumers are actually just as willing to shop links from nano-influencers (those with 1K-10K followers). 

Of the UK respondents who prefer shopping from social media influencers, 38% of respondents shop from links provided by nano influencers, 37% said micro-influencers (10k-100k followers), 30% said known experts, 28% said mega influencers (500K-1MM followers), and 27% said macro-influencers (100K-500K followers). 

And while 40% of NA respondents do prefer shopping from links provided by known experts, nano-influencers aren’t far behind at 37%. About 34% of respondents said they prefer to shop from micro-influencers, and 22% said macro-influencers. 

But, even more impactful than influencers are recommendations from friends and family. 76% of UK and 73% of NA respondents agree or strongly agree that social media posts from their friends and family advocating a brand or product influence their decision to consider a brand. 

And for actually making the purchase? 73% of UK respondents and 70% of NA respondents agree that social media posts from friends and family advocating a brand or product influence purchase decisions.

How customers want to engage with you 

In both regions, the most popular way for consumers to engage with brands on social media before the pandemic was by simply following them. The second and third most popular ways were via influencer recommended/shared information about a brand or product and by searching a brand on social media respectively. 

And during the pandemic, those rankings haven’t changed for either region. 

Both groups also said that the quality of social media content and strong visual and video content are the top two reasons for engaging with a brand on social media, which is why you can’t let your social media strategy lapse during these times. Your digital content is all a consumer has to go off of when considering a purchase during the pandemic. 

Using a combination of strong visuals, videos, influencer content, and reviews from other shoppers, you can help consumers feel confident when purchasing with you during the pandemic.