For more than a year, we have seen the emergence of new consumption practices among the French. At the same time, online sales counters have literally exploded . Indeed, with the closure of “non-essential” businesses, consumers have to meet their needs in a different way. Since then, e-commerce purchases have gradually become part of usage. And well beyond a simple whim, these changes have become real convictions for these consumers. A real change then took place in the behavior of buyers, influenced and accelerated by the pandemic.
The transformation of consumers
With the recent context, the consumption criteria of the French have undergone a real transformation . Consumers today are keen on more responsible purchases and better quality from a health point of view. This crisis has also brought out the need to be reassured about the products and the motivations of the brands. And all this requires the proper construction of the identity and the universe of your brand with branding .
According to the Wavestone study on purchasing behavior, nearly 75% of French people want to consume more locally, more responsibly and less expensively, from local shops.
The digitalization of consumers
It is undeniable that consumers have changed in the way they buy following the confinements. Indeed, with 88% of French people who use at least one online channel to learn about a brand (Accenture Strategy survey), we can only attest to the growing importance of digital channels in their changes in consumption . The arrival of Covid-19 has therefore clearly disrupted the daily lives of consumers, and has caused profound changes in their perceptions of things .
More recently, we have also seen that the closing of stores last February and the shift in winter sales have enabled a real acceleration in online sales . E-commerce then took over by allowing consumers to buy on the sites of closed stores and other e-shops . For example, all the store brands have been able to transfer part of their physical sales to online sales. Thus, this allowed them to increase their sales by 28% compared to April 2020 and by 163% compared to April 2019 (Fevad figures). Are you tempted by the e-commerce adventure but don't really know where to start? Our experts can support you and help you create your e-commerce site . On the other hand, if you already have an e-commerce site and want to optimize it with Shopify, then our web agency specialized in Shopify is a partner of choice.
Moreover, according to the Observatory of Internet Uses of Médiamétrie, 42 million cybershoppers found themselves online in the fourth quarter of 2020, i.e. more than 1.5 million customers won in one year . This crisis has therefore made it possible to fully establish online commerce in the lives of French people , and this trend will continue to intensify. So, if you are still hesitating to embark on the e-commerce adventure, we reveal all the advantages of creating your merchant site in our article .
Demanding consumers
Consumers have never been so engaged and demanding before making their purchases. Indeed, beyond the price part which plays a major role, they now consider all the criteria around their future purchases , and wish to be reassured . This reinsurance system involves several services which are of considerable importance to them. Thus, the possibility of returning or exchanging a product, or the possibility of testing it before purchase in order to be able to plan its use, have become determining criteria. This is also one of the strong trends of this year since 86% of respondents consider it important to test products physically , while 28% of them consider it essential (Wavestone figure). In the continuity of digital development, we observe this same trend in virtual reality tests with an increase of +55%.
But well beyond these practical aspects, 92% of consumers also feel the need to be able to benefit from free guarantees in the event of a defect or product breakage , and 90% wish to have the possibility of being reimbursed free of charge . We then enter a much more thoughtful purchasing process. And this trend is also changing for product purchasing criteria.
More responsible consumption
The year 2021 very clearly marks the tipping point for responsible drinking . Indeed, the French have been transformed by this period of confinement, and come out changed. From now on, before making their purchases, consumers need to be convinced of the impact that they will have on the environment and on their health .
Today, responsible consumption criteria are predominant in purchasing decisions, but are not all equal. Indeed, this year, it is the product integrity criteria that prevail for customers, with 93% for naturalness (93%), 89% for the seasonality of products and 87% respect for animals. Secondly, the criteria of the origin and provenance of the products are essential (86%). And finally, comes the last criterion with the manufacturing conditions , which bring together the dimensions of fair trade (81%), eco-responsibility (81%) and products labeled "Organic", "Vegan" or quality.
In addition, we can also note the strong growth of product evaluation applications such as Yuka or Clear Fashion. The French are fond of it and use it to assess the impact of their consumption on their health (90%), on the environment (36%) and sometimes even on the economy (14%).
This responsible consumption intention affects all product categories , but remains heterogeneous, particularly in relation to consumer income.
More economical consumers
Indeed, despite this desire for responsible purchasing, the health crisis has had a strong impact on French spending . They are more than half to declare having changed their consumption habits because of the pandemic. Consequently, consuming responsibly has a certain cost for buyers, and only 57% of individuals are ready to pay more to consume more responsibly . It is therefore no surprise that there are significant differences between intentions (73%) and responsible purchasing behavior (48%), all categories combined. This difference can be explained in particular by the differences in age, place of residence, and CSP category of each consumer.
Thus, consumers buy differently and prioritize their spending . But at the same time, we have seen a real boom in the sale of second-hand products.
The emergence of the second hand
Always in an eco-responsible approach, the crisis has revealed a new consumption model with the sale of second-hand products . We already knew second-hand clothes, but now this type of sale is mainly done on the web via websites and applications (for 59% of them) or in stores (for 15% of them). These quickly became part of French consumer behavior and affect all product categories. Thus, 64% of consumers have already bought or sold second-hand products .
This allows consumers to buy or sell products internationally - mainly clothing and furniture - via platforms such as Vinted, Le Bon Coin or Zalando (which has reinvented itself by creating a dedicated tab for sales of this type of product ) or of course on your Shopify store if you do second-hand!
We also note that a proportion of consumers (10%) abandon the act of purchase in favor of product rental . In reality, this affects certain categories of products more easily than others , such as with the rental of vehicles (cars, bicycles, scooters, etc.), DIY tools, or even cultural products. We note that these products are often major areas of expenditure for a household , and therefore represent a good alternative to purchasing. But renouncing the purchase for the rental is not really in the habits of consumers. It is even far from being significant, but is initiating a new market dynamic to watch in the coming years .
Thus, this health crisis has exacerbated the consumption trends already implemented among buyers . It has also been able to resonate with brands and retailers , who have had no choice but to adapt to the AGEC law of February 10, 2020 for the fight against waste and the circular economy. The demand for more responsible products and more honest consumption models today represents the state of mind on which offers must now be oriented in order to attract consumers . Thus, it will allow as many people as possible to crystallize their intentions, and to remain faithful to reactive brands on these axes. And with the evolution of digital usage and the omnichannel nature of the customer experience , new technologies will become increasingly important in purchasing systems.
Beyond these different points, companies will have to adapt and put the customer experience back at the heart of their strategy . Thus, any company must now engage in a permanent audit process to improve the experience of its customers.
Do you want to adjust your e-commerce site to stick to these new influences? Then our experts can help you and guide you. Do not hesitate any longer, ask for their expert opinion .
