D. Tighe
Research expert covering consumer behavior, sporting goods retail, and the global toy industry.
Coronavirus: impact on the retail landscape in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, every state in the U.S. began reporting increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases. The highest number of cases were recorded between December 2020 and January 2021. With many Americans having been vaccinated over the course of later months, however, the infection rate had declined significantly. In addition to people’s personal lives being affected by the coronavirus, the retail industry had faced substantial shifts and challenges of its own. For instance, consumer spending on certain items, such as groceries and household supplies, continued to increase, while spending on items, such as apparel, meals at restaurants, and jewelry, had dropped excessively.
For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.
Consumer behavior near the end of a pandemic
The pandemic has caused many individuals to exhibit different behavioral patterns when shopping. For example, about 40 percent of consumers in the United States had given a new shopping method or a different brand a try. And as the United States gets closer to reaching herd immunity each day, many of the country’s consumers have also increased their leisure expenditures: nearly six in ten half and fully vaccinated consumers planned to spend more money than usual on certain products and services as a way to indulge themselves. Even those who are not yet or not likely to get vaccinated planned to treat themselves in this manner. Many American consumers specifically intended to spend a little extra on restaurants & bars, travel, clothing, and several other items.Travel during and after COVID-19
With borders opening up and restrictions being lifted, there has been a worldwide spike in online traffic to travel websites and webpages indicating an increased desire for travel. When asked how they felt about the opportunity to visit other countries once the coronavirus was under control and the economy has reopened, feelings among Americans were somewhat mixed. Just over 30 percent of respondents were excited to go abroad, while another third was not comfortable doing so.For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.
