Pandemic-driven, homeowner behavior that all building-product manufacturers should keep on their radar for strategic planning.
As the Coronavirus crisis continues relentlessly to unfold, the home remains the social center for family gatherings. Beyond their own residences, consumers are most comfortable venturing out to family and friends’ homes.
“Sheltering in place has made us think about the concept of home in a whole new light,” says U.S. News and World Report contributor Lisa Larson.
In an effort to adapt to new personal circumstances, consumers are spending their time and money a lot differently. Building-product manufacturers should keep a close eye on changing consumer behavior to adjust messaging.
Here’s a look at six consumer trends emerging from the COVID-19 crisis, according to global consumer research reports and construction industry leaders:
1. Omnichannel Services
According to Accenture, consumers have increased the use of omnichannel services, such as home delivery, chat features and virtual consultations. Moreover, they are highly likely to continue using these in the future.
2. Multifunctional Homes
The home is quickly moving beyond the traditional function of being a space to sleep and eat. Instead, it is evolving into a hub for various activities, encompassing working, shopping, entertainment and exercise. In sum, consumers seek to transform their homes into sanctuaries and multifunctional spaces.
They also want greater flexibility in their lifestyles. Research World states that opportunities will grow, and consumers will spend more time and money on products and services that cater to them in their homes, while spending less time and money outside of the home.
3. Growing eco-anxiety
Consumers are shifting toward sustainable product choices for a guilt-free shopping experience. Businesses are under pressure to develop and implement solutions that protect the environment. Messaging about your company’s genuine and effective efforts to protect the environment will likely resonate with consumers during this time.
4. Backyard Picnic
According to a recent article from Builder and Developer, architects and interior designers have noticed a pandemic-driven trend toward adding more backyard facilities for entertaining guests.
Building-product manufacturers that offer a better, more comfortable backyard experience can benefit from marketing their solutions during this time.
5. Wellness
Homeowners who decided to remodel during the pandemic added more wellness features to their homes. Taking care of air and water quality and adding anti-bacterial, antimicrobial, easy-to-clean appliances became a priority (Builder and Developer).
Consumers will likely develop a new interest and sensitivity towards home hygiene and sanitization, investing in innovative technologies, such as air purifiers, indoor air quality monitoring, new filtration systems for the air and water.
Italian Bark predicts that the crisis could bring a substantially rising demand for smart toilets, which at present are common only in a few countries such as Japan. Automatic faucets that we currently encounter in public restrooms, for the most part, could become a common feature in homes as well.
Wellness trends also include making the home safe and comfortable for multiple generations. Among the bathroom features growing in popularity are curbless showers, LED lighting to prevent accidents, grab bars and non-slip tile.
6. DIY
With many services providers limited or temporarily shut down, consumers are getting creative in an effort to maintain a sense of normalcy.The increase in DIY projects this spring and summer may eventually cause a shift in consumption and spending habits tomorrow. As people learn more skills, they could feel more empowered to purchase equipment, ingredients, and parts versus products (Google Think).
Source: Google Think
Building-product manufacturers can benefit by staying on top of industry trends and insights. Keep a close watch on how these trends evolve in the months ahead. If your targeted audience continues to opt for more DIY projects, wellness, sustainability and multifunctional homes, how exactly will your business support and capitalize on that new normal?
At GreenHouse Digital + PR, we make it a top priority to stay on top of industry trends. Contact us to get an in-depth marketing analysis. Our team will perform an expert analysis of all your marketing efforts, from public relations, content marketing to digital ads and social media.