As extreme weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, heatwaves and severe storms become more frequent across the U.S., consumers are adapting their shopping habits, and retailers are struggling to keep pace. A new survey of over 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted by RELEX Solutions sheds light on these changing consumer preferences, lingering pandemic effects, and the critical need for improvement in retailer preparedness to appropriately stock shelves during such events. According to the data, over half of consumers surveyed (53%) choose in-store shopping when it comes to weather-related shopping, and just one-third (33%) report being satisfied with retailers' services and stock management.
“What’s interesting is to see the amount of consumers opting for in-store shopping versus alternate methods. This signals an in-store renaissance after the e-commerce boom has been driving shopper preferences to leverage alternate methods of shopping, like curbside, and buy online, pickup in store, which both gained tremendous popularity during the pandemic,” says Laurence Brenig-Jones, VP of Product Strategy and Marketing at RELEX. “Retailers must remain in-tune with consumer preferences especially around demand spikes, and supply chain uncertainty, to ensure they are stocking their stores with the right goods at the right time, especially during crucial periods such as a weather event.”
Key Takeaway:
- Post-pandemic habits: Nearly 44% of respondents now keep a larger stock of essentials at home, 34% shop more frequently to avoid potential shortages and 26% have shifted to more shelf-stable alternatives, suggesting a lasting impact of pandemic-era behaviors.
- An in-store shopping shift: Similarly, when it comes to shopping preference, the majority of consumers surveyed, as noted above, opt for in-store shopping (53%), while 15% prefer online shopping with home delivery for convenience and to avoid crowds and only 6% buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) to ensure availability and save time.
- Trust in large retailers: During extreme weather events, 35% of consumers are likely to switch to large national chain stores for better stock availability, while 23% do not typically switch retailers, presenting an opportunity for smaller stores to build loyalty through reliable service.
- Retailer satisfaction disparities across the U.S.: Consumer satisfaction with retailers' ability to maintain stock during extreme weather events varies significantly by region. The Mid-Atlantic region (i.e., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania) reports the highest satisfaction (40% very satisfied), while the East South Central region (i.e., Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama) reports the lowest (6% very satisfied).
