China’s Shopper Behavior Predicts Future U.S. Behavior

This article is reprinted with permission from IGA.

The United States can look to the other parts of the world, like China, to get an idea of how consumers may react as states begin to ease stay-at-home mandates.

“China is roughly 90 days ahead in the pandemic cycle, but if you chart the behaviors from the beginning to now and lay the U.S. model over the Chinese one, there is a remarkable correlation of shopper response,” said IGA CEO John Ross. IGA operates about 1,000 stores in China. In both countries, the onset of the virus brought panic buying, then as isolation continued and shoppers figured out that new normal, both countries saw a rise in e-commerce. “The good news is we can look at what happened there a month ago and use it as a predictor for what will happen here in a month,” Ross said.

Zhe Zeng, deputy director, shares her insights about how the situation in China correlates to the U.S. 

What Does Daily Life Look Like Now in China?

“The economy, businesses, restaurants and schools are open or in the process of reopening, yet shoppers are still afraid,” Zeng said, stressing that as experts continue to warn of future outbreaks, people trying to resume day-to-day activities are continuing with precautions like social distancing and wearing masks. 

Even reopened, life is still not “normal.” Overall, travel is still discouraged. Taxi drivers are visibly uncomfortable if they think a passenger is not local, and hotels ask guests to stay in their rooms whenever possible. On public transportation, people try to sit apart when there is space, often avoiding eye contact. Many businesses and public places such as parks are appointment-only to limit the number of people visiting at one time. 

Restaurants in particular are feeling the strain, with as many as one-third of smaller restaurants out of business permanently. Larger restaurants have reopened—and often see large crowds—but diners are cautious, wearing masks when not eating and choosing tables away from others. Younger generations (those 55 and younger) are out and about more than the older generation, as they are eager to have a restored sense of normalcy, Zeng said.

To further break down daily life and travel:

Key takeaway for U.S. retailers: As more businesses reopen, the new normal will not be the same as the old normal. Grocers will begin to have more competition as restaurants reopen, but a strong opportunity remains for grocers while social distancing restrictions and fear continue to impact the restaurant experience. 

How Is the Supply Chain Holding Up?

“I don’t see many supply chain disruptions here,” Zeng said. “The local and central governments have made the flow of food products a priority.”

Even with a strong supply chain, shopper behavior is influenced by the news, with customers quick to hoard if they believe another outbreak is happening or if they think a price inflation is coming. 

Key takeaway for U.S. retailers: Shopper behavior will continue to be influenced by the news. If there is a meat supply disruption, expect shoppers to hoard meat; if there is a price increase on eggs, expect shoppers to voice their concerns on social media.

Has Shopper Behavior Changed?

Zeng said the pandemic has strengthened an individual’s shopping inclinations. For example, if a shopper prefers healthy foods, they will keep buying those foods and be willing to pay more for quality products in their comfort zones.

But as the pandemic has shored up what shoppers were already buying, it has changed how they are buying it. The Chinese grocery market—already much more advanced in e-commerce than the U.S. market—has seen a 54% increase in online sales from February to March. While Zeng expects shoppers who preferred visiting stores in-person will go back to in-store shopping as the outside environment becomes safer, he anticipates a lasting boost for online shopping.

Many IGA China stores use the social media app WeChat for online shopping, allowing people to see what’s in stock, place their orders and pick them up the next day. In fact, Zeng said the popularity of shopping via WeChat has led many stores to have a dedicated employee managing and marketing their WeChat accounts. By combining shopping, entertainment and social networking, WeChat and TikTok have been an easy, safe and free way of retailing, he said. 

Overall, the data shows the following impact on sales:

Key takeaway for U.S. retailers: Leverage your social media presence to communicate sales, hot items, etc. with shoppers, and invest in e-commerce to give shoppers alternative means of shopping your store. 

What Do Things Look Like Going Forward for Grocery Stores in Employee Safety, Sales, etc.?

Employee and shopper safety is still very important as people return to other aspects of normal life. As government restrictions ease and people start gathering again, there have been spikes in COVID-19 cases, which means that grocery stores must continue their strict sanitation efforts for employee and shopper protection.

It’s also important to continue motivating employees through the efforts that work best for them. “Meaningful and individualized rewards show employees they are cared for, valued and embraced as a family and community member,” said Zeng. He said some stores provide sanitizing wipes, gloves and masks to encourage associates to protect their families, while others have proactively changed company policies to provide better job security and family benefits. 

“Without a crystal ball, prediction can be tricky in this changing and challenging time,” Zeng said. But after observing trends, he anticipates the following changes:

Key takeaway for U.S. retailers: Safety, sanitizing, employee wellness, shopper values and savings will all remain crucial as the months go on. Keep protecting employees and shoppers and motivating employees, while emphasizing your local points of difference.