U.S. consumers are resuming their pandemic shopping habits

Numerator 's research shows that consumers are cutting back on spending in the face of the Delta variant, with 20 % " highly optimistic" about returning to normal, down from a third earlier this summer. The Berkeley team found that nearly 60% are "very or somewhat concerned" about having their vacation plans disrupted by the pandemic .

Numerator said the number of people who said they had returned to pre-pandemic behaviors fell for the first time, from 39% in July to 27% in August. Numerator also found that nearly half said they expected a full reopening to be delayed until 2022 or later, compared with 23% in July and 18% in June.

Although the epidemic eased at the beginning of the year, as the Delta variant virus began to spread in many areas , the uncertainty brought to the economy is increasing.

Wells Fargo economists noted that in the August economic outlook report, the number of new COVID-19 cases averaged about 100,000 per day, but in the September report released last week, it had risen to an average of more than 150,000 per day . "As a result, Americans have generally become more cautious , " they noted.

Many consumers are returning to their pre -pandemic spending patterns , which include more online shopping . The Berkeley team found that nearly 60% will use a mix of online and in-store shopping during the holiday season , but only 13% plan to shop entirely in-store, while 24% plan to shop entirely online.

The number of employees working remotely due to COVID-19 increased by 400,000 in August, the first increase in the number of people working from home since late last year, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts . As a result, sales of home and home office supplies are likely to see another boost.

The supply chain has also been affected by the epidemic , and some retailers have reported that in addition to higher shipping costs, inventory has also been restricted. In addition to regular goods , a large number of gift cards must be prepared for the holiday season. Darren Morrison , managing director of Berkeley Research Group, said in a statement: "We do not think these problems will ease before the holiday season."

In addition to the upcoming holiday shopping season, sellers can also pay more attention to the development trend of the epidemic, and related products may also see growth.

epidemic

Consumption habits

USA