Acuity Knowledge Partners | Oct 13, 2021 11:19
US
A number of US retail companies, including Brooks Brothers, Lord & Taylor, Pier One, Stein Mart, Sur La Table, Guitar Center and Neiman Marcus, filed for bankruptcy amid the pandemic. In the meantime, consumers have significantly increased their dependence on e-commerce/online shopping, as evidenced by the rising share prices of e-commerce giants. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN)'s share price increased to USD3,200 in August 2021 from USD1,900 in March 2020.
Consumer spending on items such as household supplies and groceries has increased while spending on jewellery, apparel and meals at restaurants has dropped significantly. Many have adopted different shopping behaviours and patterns. For instance, around 40% of consumers surveyed in the US have tried a different brand or shopping method. During the first few months of the pandemic, US consumers had spent far less than usual on items such as jewellery, apparel, out-of-home entertainment and accessories. They expected to increase spending on groceries and household supplies by 17% and 4%, respectively, according to a study in February 2021, and cut spending on apparel by 32%, home décor and furniture by 32% and consumer electronics by 30%. This behaviour is likely to continue even after the pandemic.
Europe
Europeans, too, have changed their shopping behaviours significantly. Online businesses are flourishing and have prevented the worst slump in history by maintaining high levels of retail sales. For instance, online and mail order sales in Europe increased by around 34% y/y in 2020, according to the Federal Statistics Office. Average retail trade fell only by 0.8% in the European Union (EU) in 2020 while GDP growth slumped to 6.2%, according to Eurostat. Online product sales saw positive growth last year, ranging from 5-10% in Poland to 60-75% in Finland, according to a survey conducted in 19 European countries by E-commerce Europe (an association representing 100,000 online retailers in Europe). Although many e-commerce businesses have seen significant growth, travel and online ticket sales in Europe decreased by 40-70%.
In the fashion sector, demand for home wear has been improving while demand for shoes and other types of attire remains low. These trends indicate that despite being hit by the pandemic, the retail sector should see sales growth in both the US and Europe in 2022, mostly from the e-commerce sector.
Post-pandemic trends in retail innovation
Opportunities to accelerate business
The following are some of the disruptions in the space that retailers should focus on:
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