Post Pandemic Awakening: Flipp survey reveals 80% of Americans feel secure in their finances in 2021 and are ready to spend!

Flipp survey of 1,000 U.S. adults found shoppers will be drawn back to in-store buying, with the biggest uptick anticipated in Home + Garden and Clothing categories

Toronto, Ontario, June 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the U.S. continues to roll out vaccinations across the country, the main topic on everyone’s mind is what the new ‘normal’ will look like. With brands continually focused on better understanding consumers' wants during this time of transition, Flipp, the free go-to shopping and savings app, conducts regular shopping trends research, to keep a pulse on consumer attitudes and behaviors. 

The latest consumer survey of 1,000 U.S. shoppers analyzed post pandemic shopping predictions with a specific focus on grocery shopping. A key highlight showed that while lockdowns and social distancing rules created a surge in online shopping and a mass adoption of digital-based shopping behaviors, such as curbside pickup, grocery deliveries, buying online and in-store pick up, 67% of respondents are keen to return to in-person shopping as restrictions ease. When it comes to grocery shopping specifically, the majority of U.S. shoppers (72%) visited a grocery store for the bulk of their groceries throughout the pandemic, and will continue to do so even after they receive the vaccination (75%). There will even be an element of store-hopping with 64% planning to visit multiple stores every week to get the groceries they need. 

“The most important takeaway from our latest survey is that shoppers are remarkably resilient, hopeful and ready to spend as they anticipate a full return to ‘normality’ later this year, just in time for the holiday shopping season,” says Nafisa Kassam, Flipp Chief Deals Officer. “We are in a post-pandemic awakening, consumers are ready and retailers need to be too.” 

Additional findings from the survey revealed that with the vaccine rollout: 

• The top three areas of focus shoppers are most excited about are:
  • Returning to ‘normal’ life - 17%
  • Making travel/vacation plans - 16%
  • Visiting family and friends - 15%
• Selection of habits developed during the lockdown period that they plan to continue include: 
  • Cooking at home - 53%
  • Shopping online - 52% 
  • Saving money - 44%
• The top planned purchase:  
  • Car - 14%
  • New wardrobe - 10%
  • House - 9%
• The biggest return to discretionary spending will be seen in the Clothing (51%), Gym/Fitness Memberships (43%), and Skin Care + Makeup (41%) categories. 
• Shoppers also anticipate a spending increase in the areas of gas/transportation (46%) and dining out (39%) as they leave the house more to socialize and return to the office. 

Grocery Shopping Trends

• With changing routines and less time spent at home, 17% of shoppers anticipate an increase in grocery spend, while 76% believe there will be no change and 11% expect a decrease, which in part can be attributed to dining out more.
• The top factors influencing grocery store selection as U.S. shoppers move into the ‘new normal’ include:
  • Routine - 60%
  • Price - 46%
  • Location - 43%
  • Quality - 40%
• 96% plan their grocery shopping, using at least one of the following steps before a trip to the store:
  • Create a shopping list - 89%
  • Look for coupons or rebates - 79%
  • Research prices - 66%

The rollout of vaccinations across the country indicate that this is an exciting time for both retailers and shoppers alike. For more information on consumer behavior and insights from Flipp, visit https://blog.flipp.com/category/insights/.

About the Survey

The consumer insights survey was conducted using an online panel from April 23rd to 27th, 2021 and polled a sample of 1,000 U.S. residents above the age of 18, focusing on consumer shopping trends, preferences and purchasing drivers, under COVID -19 restrictions.

About Flipp

Founded in 2007, Flipp is a retail technology company that is reinventing the digital shopping experience. The largest retailers and brands in North America use the Flipp marketplace to connect with millions of highly-engaged shoppers every day. With over 50 million mobile downloads, the Flipp app helps North Americans make the shopping process seamless and affordable by delivering local digital content to get the most out of their shopping and savings experience. Consumers use Flipp as the go-to weekly shopping tool to plan and find the best deals, helping shoppers save up to $45 weekly on their weekly bill across categories including grocery, home improvement, electronics, pharmacy, apparel, pets and more. For more information, visit corp.flipp.com and follow @getflipp on social media.

Attachments

• Flipp Post Pandemic Consumer Shopping Trend 1
• Flipp Post Pandemic Consumer Shopping Trend 2

CONTACT: Samantha Dsa
Flipp
samantha.dsa@flipp.com