The vast majority of respondents (82%) in a new US survey have fully eliminated or heavily reduced non-essential trips to stores as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak.
An online survey of 2,028 US consumers by retail SaaS provider, Qudini, found that 30% of consumers have fully eliminated non-essential trips to stores and other public places as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, while an additional 52% have heavily reduced trips.
Only 14% of respondents said they have reduced their trips “to some extent”, and just 4% said they have not changed their behavior at all.
Baby Boomers are the least likely to have fully eliminated non-essential trips during the coronavirus outbreak, at 22%. This is significantly lower than younger generations, with Generation X, Millennial and Generation Z respondents all behaving largely similarly, at 34%, 32% and 31% respectively.
Our insights found that men are 24% more likely to fully eliminate non-essential trips than women but, on average, both are equally as likely to fully eliminate or heavily reduce non-essential trips.
When segmenting responses by industry, legal professionals are taking public health guidelines the most seriously, with 58% having fully eliminated their non-essential trips (twice as high as respondents from most other industries). In comparison, those in IT & telecoms and HR related professions are the least likely to fully eliminate or reduce non-essential trips.
Our insights also showed a correlation between higher earning individuals and the greater likelihood of eliminating or reducing non-essential trips.
When looking at behavior across states, respondents in Washington (43%), New Jersey (39%) and New York (38%) are most likely to fully eliminate their non-essential trips to stores and other public places while the rate of elimination and reduction combined is highest in New Jersey (91%), Michigan (85%), Virginia (84%), California (84%) and New York (84%). Respondents in Georgia and Texas are the least likely to be eliminating or reducing trips, at 73% and 71%.
When looking at the different types of retailers consumers are avoiding visits to, 30% are avoiding pharmacies, 52% are avoiding banks, 56% are avoiding doctors clinics, 73% are avoiding therapists/counsellors and 76% are avoiding dental clinics.
Understandably, doctors clinics are the least avoided of all healthcare services, yet they are still being avoided by more than half (56%) of respondents, with more than a third (35%) also reducing their visits where possible.
When asked if respondents want remote service from retailers, many agreed that they would appreciate remote video and phone service:
- Pharmacies: 68% want remote service (60% by phone and 21% by video).
- Banks: 63% want remote service (55% by phone and 17% by video).
- Grocery stores: 53% want remote service (44% by phone and 17% by video).
- Doctors clinics: 77% want remote service (56% by phone and 46% by video).
- Therapists/counsellors: 58% want remote service (45% by phone and 43% by video).
- Dentists: 42% want remote service (32% by phone and 19% by video).
Qudini’s CEO and Co-founder, Imogen Wethered, says:
“To service patients during this difficult time, and to limit the potential knock-on effects that the Covid-19 pandemic could have on the public’s physical or mental wellbeing in addition to their financial concerns, organizations should be offering virtual service to their customers and patients by phone and video.”
“Our findings also suggest that patient interest in virtual services at the times and places that suit them may extend beyond coronavirus due to younger demographics showing an avid interest in video and phone service.”
“We could see Covid-19 act as a catalyst to a new future of healthcare and financial support, where patients can seamlessly access virtual service online by scheduling appointments or joining digital queues for the next available doctor.”
Read the survey here.
About the survey
In March 23-30, 2020, we surveyed 2,028 consumers between the ages of 16 and 90+ years old from across 21 different cities and regions in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest and West of the United States of America about their relationships with retail banks. We classified Generation Z as being between 16 and 22 years old, Millennials as being between 23 and 38 years old, Generation X as being between 39 and 54 years old and Baby Boomers as being between 55 and older.
