The consolidation of online shopping during the pandemic: How is the consumer behaving?
While online shopping is the preferred way of buying among all generations, new researches warns that young people are considering cutting their budget dedicated to pet products and services.
Recent data concluded that 40% of pet parents shopped more online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more than 5 out of 10 pet parents, online shopping stayed about the same level, according to Packaged Facts. In addition, 6% of them shopped online less.
In-store keeps being one of the favorite shopping channels, but the number of pet parents that go to a physical shop went down during the pandemic. Packaged Facts unveiled that 53% of pet owners bought “always or almost always” through this retailing channel, but this number dropped to 32% after the pandemic.
On the other hand, those that buy “generally” online increased from 8% before the pandemic to 15% in 2021. Pet parents buying “always or almost always” online increased from 7% to 18%.
New data from Volume 4 of the American Pet Products Association (APPA) Generational Report unveils that while 60% of pet owners usually purchased pet products in a brick-and-mortar store before the pandemic, this amount dropped to 41% during the pandemic.
The drop happens across all generations but it is more intense among Millenial owners. Before the pandemic, 54% of them purchased goods in physical stores – dropping to 32% in 2020.
The data also shows that there has been an increase in shopping online and sending products home (28% vs. 46%) as well as the use of click-and-collect services (19% vs. 21%).
Over 80% of Millennials and Gen Z say that they purchased pet food and treats online in the past 12 months, according to APPA.
Generally speaking, online purchases of food treats and medication increased from 2018 to 2020 across all generations. The study highlighted that 35% of pet owners spent more in the last 12 months, while 57% agreed they spent the same.
The research also shows that three-quarters of Millennials and Gen X pet owners are concerned about the expense of pet ownership during the pandemic and may consider spending less on pet food and supplies than the older generations.
Euromonitor International forecast that almost one-third of global pet care sales will come from e-commerce by 2026.
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