Consumer Market is Changing. Is your brand ready?

At this time, sales of consumer products seem slow. The B2B sales outsourcing company in India, AOB India, suggests that marketers across sectors are grappling with one question: How will consumer behaviour change after Covid-19 and how do they respond to those changes?

This pandemic has changed the game faster than what brands could have ever imagined. Almost overnight, hardwired mall shoppers and reluctant fence sitters were pushed into the deep end of the online commerce pool. And in a matter of days, there is a high level of dexterity and comfort in online shopping across the board. The shift to digital had witnessed reluctant spurts from time to time but Covid-19 was the catalyst which online companies and ecommerce firms would have been praying for. Instead of an organic, gradual shift to digital, what crashed down on us was a tsunami of change. The Sales outsourcing company, AOB India, believes that the number of people who would visit physical retail would first spike as release from enforced lockdown happens which later on taper out and stabilize. AOB India has been vehemently supporting their clients and keeping them alive. This sales outsourcing agency has strongly partnered and strategized every move to prepare these businesses for the post Covid-19 sales spurts.

In India, consumer behavior is influenced deeply by cultural factors. We are a social community with a high need for group activities – travel, tourism, shopping, religion, and entertainment. Festivals and rituals form a deep part of our religiously inclined psyche. Covid-19 lockdown notwithstanding, people have been known to conduct religious gatherings, wedding ceremonies and birthday parties even at the peak of the pandemic. The FMCG and non-durable product sector can have a chance to revive and reach more consumer base and people are bored at home and ready to try-test new things.

As a result of a new vulnerability to job losses and pay cuts, there will be lower spending at retail for some time to come, till sentiments climb back up. As jobs, increments, and promotions get the axe during the pandemic, the cheer needed for economy-pumping spending will be missing for some time. Brands must think of what can be done to bring optimism and positivity to how consumers behave after the virus is vanquished, or is in a state of suspended abeyance? It will always be good to have been a “Caring Brand” during the Covid-19 pandemic. If a retail brand puts profits above people, those people are going to remember the betrayal. If a retail brand comforted victims and took positive actions like making PPE kits, or N95 masks, or transported daily need material to needy areas, it will be remembered to some extent as a sensitive brand –the cynics might say that all this is just eyewash – companies are never really for the customer, they are for themselves only. The sales outsourcing company has smartly implemented this strategy for their clients. AOB India’s sales team conducted training sessions and listed down precautions for the retailers. Distribution of pamphlets and marketing materials explaining ways to cope up with the pandemic has not only gained the trust of the consumers but have marked unbelievable profits for the clients.

After the long and indeterminate lockdown ends, brands must offer exhilarating and refreshing experiences to customers. While brands have switched off their marketing extensions, AOB India has reframed, restructured the marketing strategy that will create a positive impact during this time. The sales outsourcing company has been interacting with end consumers for each client and making sure that the brands are not forgotten in the cacophony. There is going to be a psychological impact of this lockdown on people who relieve the stress to some extent currently by making “we shall overcome” videos and sharing  Covid memes. For once, they would have known exactly what “house arrest” means! The feeling of relief when the lockdown is ultimately lifted must be planned for in advance. This is the best chance to create an impact through online channels and up your brand game so that the consumers come running to your product post lockdown.

On the whole, it will be better and wiser to play the long-term game as a brand in anticipation of consumers who might have changed visibly forever by the corona virus. Most consumers will be unsure of how to navigate a post Covid-19 consumer world. They might be tempted to continue on the digital commerce journey forever. Brands should be visionary enough and smart enough to help consumers navigate between online and offline experience journeys seamlessly by investing in an omni-channel world. Having a trusted and smart sales outsourcing partner can help you build the strategy that helps you drive the growth of your company.