In India, there is a rapid change in the customer expectations from shops/businesses, post-pandemic. It would be appropriate to throw light on some of the important aspects of the topic at hand.
- Several surveys have pointed out that well over 90% of consumers in India now choose to avoid the crowded ambiance of physical stores. These people are opting for online transactions with shops and businesses. Therefore, it is obvious that businesses are necessitated to quickly adapt themselves to the incessantly evolving digital technologies.
- A substantial chunk of people now prefers the shops to be accessible through WhatsApp/phone calls, for placing orders. Nothing surprising in that! The norm of social distancing has to be carefully followed to avoid the risk of contracting the virus. Hence, shops have to make the required changes in their operations. Or else, their commercial interests will be seriously hindered.
- During the pandemic, people have been predominantly confined to their respective homes. Though normalcy is now being slowly restored, we can’t expect consumers to straightaway visit brick-and-mortar stores. Individuals are experiencing fatigue attributable to the pandemic. They are right now not inclined to face tedious things like driving to the store and searching for a parking area. Your customers want to transact with you from the comfort of their homes!
- If you are the owner of a store dealing in food and beverages, your job has now become a bit tougher. In these two years, consumers have realized the significance of foods contributing to health; they are also staying away from stuff such as junk food. So, it’s now your bound responsibility to stock only those food items that evoke the confidence of customers, in this connection.
- In the Covid phase, even those persons who were previously uncomfortable with digital technology quickly learned its nuances. They too have started to rely on online shopping! Thus, it’s logical that the number of online buyers will be higher for the majority of shops, whatever might be the items that are sold.
- Apart from shopping on various e-commerce platforms, things like picking up an order from a specified point have become immensely popular. This is called a pick-up at the curbside. You just have to collect the items from a specific place at the time allotted to you! There is no need for you to step out of your car! An employee of the store will come and hand over your order.
The current buying patterns strongly suggest that things such as curbside pickup are a part of the “new normal” brought about by the pandemic. They are not going to change anytime shortly.
- Numerous experts believe that consumers won’t relinquish the behavioral patterns they have developed in the past two years. This is concerning deciding where and how to make the purchases.
- People across the world have started to give more significance to noble traits like honesty, compassion, and empathy, in the Covid times. As a result, the majority of consumers now prefer to buy from only those shops/stores adopting ethical business practices.
All businesses, stores, and shops are advised to make a serious note of the above-mentioned points and operate accordingly. It is only when this aspect is taken care of that your business will be able to survive in the markets, in the long run.