It’s funny how in just a span of a few months, consumer behavior has changed a lot. When the pandemic broke out and people were called back to their homes, a lot of the online purchases included face masks, hand sanitizers, and toilet paper.
A week or so after, the demand for personal protective equipment such as face shields, gloves, goggles, and hospital gowns grew. This was brought about by a great need in hospitals who want to ensure that staff and health workers are fully protected as they take on the task of treating and helping patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
Then those locked up in their own homes started to get cabin fever. A lot of these people turned to online shopping to help them get through this very difficult season. Even if several physical shops are open that sell essential goods, most folks would not dare risk going out and did all their shopping online — both essential and non-essential goods.
The past several weeks that America has been under lockdown, people have acquired one or more of the following items online as they found ways to try to live as normal a life as possible given the present circumstances.
- Gaming Equipment
Video game usage went up by 75% a week after the WHO declared the pandemic, according to Verizon. Being stuck at home led to more time playing video games which is why gaming consoles and affordable gaming laptops have been in demand.
- Baking and Cooking Items
One of the most popular Google searches over the lockdown season was “banana bread.” We’re talking about a 54% increase in searches globally. Most of America has gone to their kitchen and started cooking up a storm as a coping mechanism. No wonder the demand for baking and cooking equipment has gone up by 290%.
- Webcams
Now that companies and businesses have gone online for survival, a lot of meetings take place in the virtual world. Zoom and Skype conferences are more popular now than ever. Along with this unprecedented popularity, the need for webcams has also increased. The U.S. alone has shown a 458% increase in webcam demand.
- Outdoor Furniture
Getting stuck at home has left a lot of people recreating outdoor space in their homes, especially since the pandemic struck during spring break time. Sales of outdoor furniture in the U.S. rose to 428%.
- Loungewear and Sleepwear
Loungewear and sleepwear, or quarantine wear as some people would like to call it, have been pretty popular purchases online. Pajamas, hoodies, sweatpants, leggings, and other similar home apparel have been selling like pancakes from online retailers.
- Grooming and Shaving Equipment
With hair salons and barbershops closed, people have found ways of getting their hair done by DIY-ing it. Orders for clippers and shavers have skyrocketed and went up to 241% over the past few months.
- Exercise Equipment
Since we’re faced with a health crisis and one of the ways to keep the virus at bay is a healthy and strong immune system, a lot of folks have taken home exercise seriously. Since gyms and fitness clubs are closed, the next best thing is to buy exercise equipment online and use them at home.
- Small Pets Supplies
The spread of the coronavirus has somehow caused an increase in the number of pet adoptions in the country. Statistically, the increase in pet supplies sales shows that these extended members of the family are well taken care of.
With America reopening, most people aren’t as confident to go out and live life the way they used to. People are still wary of the situation and would still prefer to do their shopping online. We’ll just have to wait and see how this next season will change consumer behavior.
Meta Title: Popular Products That America Has Spent Money on During the Lockdown
Meta Description: Find out what most Americans spent their money on while under lockdown for the past couple of months.
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