Swiss do not want to storm the stores directly after the crisis
The majority of Swiss consumers do not dare to go straight back into the stores after the Corona restrictions have been lifted. And shopping behavior is also likely to change: After the Corona crisis, many consumers increasingly want to support local retailers, as a survey conducted by the leaflet app Profital shows.
For the study, which was published on Wednesday, more than 5,500 Swiss users of the app were surveyed. It shows that consumers are increasingly showing solidarity with small businesses. Nearly a third of all respondents said they would like to shop locally more often in the future. A quarter have set themselves the goal of increasingly supporting small stores. Only one in ten, on the other hand, wants to shop online more often in the future.
Consumer behavior has already changed during the crisis. According to the survey, 40 percent of shoppers are now paying more attention to price. Just under half inform themselves about discounts and special offers before making a purchase. In addition, the majority of Swiss people are currently taking a more systematic approach to shopping than before the crisis, planning purchases better and drawing up shopping lists. One in five also wants to spend less money on shopping in the future.
Only slow normalization expected
Once the stores are open again, the majority of respondents (56 percent) want to wait at least a week before going shopping again. 28 percent of western Swiss and 13 percent of German-speaking Swiss even do not want to go shopping at all "until further notice".
Profital sees the reason for this in the lack of consumer confidence. "To counteract this, not only attractive offers are needed after reopening, but also a feeling of security," says Profital CEO Raphael Thommen, according to the statement. This is the feeling that stores would have to convey to their customers after the pandemic. The stores also need to be prepared for the fact that it could take a little longer for buying behavior to return to normal, Thommen said.
Fashion and garden items in demand
Spring is also evident in the survey results, with 45 percent of respondents longing to get back into garden and home items. They will buy these products first when they reopen. An equal number of consumers want to shop for clothes again first, the survey showed. (SDA)
The Profital app makes brochures and promotions from over 90 stores available digitally. Users of the app were surveyed for the study. Profital belongs to the Direct Mail Company advertising distributor, which is wholly owned by Swiss Post.
