A survey of consumers from 25 countries also revealed that 43% of respondents said they plan to increase online shopping in the next six months.
Although 96% of consumers surveyed by PwC – more than 9,000 people in 25 countries – plan to adopt saving behaviors in the coming months, in the long term many are eager to resume their pre-pandemic habits and plan to return to stores.
But thanks to technology, they are now looking for and demanding unique experiences in stores and online that fit their lifestyle. For example, customers said they would be attracted to more in-store entertainment (34%), immersive digital experiences like putting on a virtual reality (VR) headset to try out new products (30%), or being able to book appointments with a consultant of sales or a personal shopper (28%).
Meanwhile, electronic sales, which grew massively during the pandemic, partly because in many areas it was the only type of commerce available, is slowing down, “But in the context of long-term growth, what appear to be short-term reductions may simply mean regressions. This is because 43% of consumers said they intend to increase online purchases in the next six months”.
“Leading businesses are concentrating on improving the shopping experience and solving the critical issues to position the customer at the core of their strategy in an inflationary framework and a difficult economic backdrop. That is why the main challenge consists in evaluating how to increase prices while maintaining the preference of its customers in an environment that offers more options thanks to omnichannel channels”, commented Américo Vallenas, Director of PwC Strategy & Peru, about the results of the Global Consumer study. Insights Pulse
Hybrid or face-to-face work?
The survey also showed that more than a third (36%) of respondents are working in hybrid mode, either from home or from the office or other workplaces. This figure is lower than 41% of the last survey. In fact, 63% of respondents identify as non-hybrid, meaning they are forced to be in their office or other workplace or home all the time, up from 57% in the previous survey.
On the other hand, regarding the use of data, almost half say they are extremely worried or very worried when they interact with social networks (47%). The concern is also high in relation to the media in general (41%), and third-party travel websites (36%).
