SPONSORED CONTENT Podium’s 2020 “State of Local Business” Report Identifies New Consumer Expectations for Retail Survival in a Post-covid World A new survey, conducted by Podium, has uncovered some important consumer findings as shoppers navigate a new retail landscape — and how retailers can adapt to this “new normal.” Entitled “The State of Local Business—COVID-19 and Local Consumer Behavior,” the survey was based on conversations with 1,000 consumers ages 18 – 75 across the U.S. in the months immediately following the initial pandemic outbreak. The goal of the survey: To help clarify customer expectations for the coming months and years. The report also prioritizes next steps retailers can take now to keep their businesses alive and thriving despite so many changes in the economic landscape. What Consumers Want — Now According to the survey, almost 85% of respondents “flocked” to businesses offering pandemic-friendly services including curbside pickup, local delivery and/or contactless payments since COVID-19. Almost 60% said pandemic-friendly services led them to purchase goods or services from a business for the first time. And 53.3% said that a local business’ failure to offer such services led them to either seek out or purchase from a competitor or discontinue their patronage all together. Other findings include: COVID-19 has changed the factors that influence how consumers choose a local business. Social distancing restrictions have made many consumers more interested in texting. Consumers prefer texting to other common methods of business communication. Consumers enjoy the convenience of pandemic-friendly services and don’t want them to go away once restrictions lift. The survey, which included questions about payment and shopping preferences, indicate that consumer priorities have changed dramatically in the months after COVID-19. Even more interesting was behavior from consumers in the 60+ age category, who were more likely than any other group to have exchanged texts within the last day and say they prefer that mode of communication to website chat, calls, emails and Facebook Messenger. About Podium: Podium is the leading customer messaging platform for local businesses, offering an entire suite of messaging tools that allows any business with a physical location to interact with its customers through messaging, mobile payments, webchat, online reviews and customer feedback. INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT NEW CUSTOMER BEHAVIORS SO YOU CAN SURVIVE AND THRIVE AMIDST COVID-19? Get your copy of “The State of Local Business—COVID-19 and Local Consumer Behavior” NOW. CLICK HERE TO GET THE PDF ➜
