Even More Americans Are Trying New Ways to Buy

June 1, 2021

Ipsos COVID 19 New Ways Buying June2021Since the start of the pandemic, consumers have adjusted to new ways of doing things. That includes exploring new ways to buy. Recent research from Ipsos shows that close to half (47%) of US adults have tried a new e-commerce or delivery brand, product, service or feature since the start of the pandemic. Here’s a closer look at which areas of new buying saw the most growth in the past year.

Although streaming services were enjoying widespread popularity before the pandemic, there has been noted growth in those US adults who say they have tried a new streaming service. April 2020 data shows that 9% of survey respondents had tried a new streaming service since the COVID-19 crisis began. One year later, that percentage has jumped to 20%.

While the pandemic forced some consumers to shop for food and groceries at places they had never considered in the past, it also inspired more Americans to use home delivery for groceries. Some 1 in 5 (19%) had used a new home delivery grocery service by April 2021 (up from 9% in April 2020).

There has also been quite a rise in the use of telemedicine websites or apps. Some 19% say they have now tried this option of medical care since the start of the pandemic (up from 7%).

Other areas that consumers have tried for the first time are contactless payment by smartphone (14%, up from 4%) and paying online and picking up at the store of non-food items (12%, up from 4% in April 2020).

Ipsos’ data also shows that there are some distinct differences between households with children and those without when it comes to trying new ways to buy during the pandemic. Parents were more likely to have tried home delivery of groceries than non-parents (31% vs.14%). Likewise, they were more likely to use contactless payment by smartphone (20% vs. 12%), pre-order and pick-up of non-food items (17% vs. 10%) and use home delivery of alcohol (16% vs. 4%).

Read more here.

About the Data: Findings are based on surveys fielded April 10-13, 2020 and April 13-14, 2021 among roughly 1,115 US adults (18+).

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