Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The Pandemic’s effect on Consumers’ behavior

 


The world has changed since early 2020 when the virus was first discovered. It's now more than a year today and situation has not changed any better. In fact I am in the beginning of the second wave and the situation looks grim. The pandemic has upended life for people across the globe, from how we live, work and the way we socialize. Despite fluctuations in the pandemic the overall level of impact it has on the consumer has remained high. Experts say that the world will never be like before. We ought to change and adapt to the “new normal”. This pandemic has indefinitely altered societies and economics around the world and has hit various sectors of society in different ways.  This unprecedented situation has totally changed the everyday life of consumers and has dramatically changed how businesses act and consumers behave. The current situation has made many consumers reconsider their established buying and shopping habits and even forced many to learn a new one and get used to the ongoing trend. There is now a definite need for retail marketers to watch the changes in consumers’ shopping behaviour and habits. They have to try and learn the changes in strategies that they need to adopt and cater to the needs of their customers.  

consumers' choice can be can significantly affected when the customers learn about the scarcity of products. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, consumers have showed stockpiling behaviours that are significantly unusual from their usual traditional shopping behaviour. Furthermore, new regulations imposing social distancing have a further vast impact on consumers’ favoured channel for shopping. The surprise addition to this is that the older and less digitally-savvy consumers have started learning and enjoying online shopping, welcoming the safety offered by technology. Consumers are switching to online purchases because it offers the safety and benefits of home deliveries and also cashless payment. The lockdowns have certainly caused disruptions and triggered behavioural responses in the minds of the people.  

In the past we have read about the major transformations that happen during times of crisis. People now are deeply concerned about the impact of this virus, both from a health and an economic perspective. When it comes to shopping, a significant number of people are making online purchases more frequently during this pandemic than they did before, and less than 30% are shopping in person at stores. This shows the drastic change in consumers’ behaviour. Research shows that the virus and its consequences has led to fears, worries and anxiety and has become one of the major factors impacting the health and wellbeing of individuals worldwide. 

Online store keepers have to think of a different approach when they deal with buyers who are not comfortable with online shopping. Especially in their purchase decision-making, fear for health, play an important role. Marketing communication and the retailing process have to address their fears and reduce the risks connected with the shopping process. Retailers have to produce after-sale services in order to have the customer happy. The e-commerce sector has responded rapidly to the challenge of creating positive experiences during this pandemic. Companies have widened their product ranges. This has attracted large numbers of consumers, and this will make many of them continue to buy online for a long period of time. E- commerce retailers  that provide positive experiences are likely to last longer, particularly those driven by a customer-centric approach with good customer service. 



 










Sunday, July 29, 2018

What Can This Be?

After many years, I have now struggled to accept reality. Its bitter and the path ahead seems scary and palpable which makes me think twice before taking my next step. I find my decisions becoming conscious which slows my pace. This, I am writing here, just to motivate myself each time I read it, that nothing should stop me.       

Thursday, February 6, 2014

The god’s we make

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. I grew up reading the Bible knowing the existence of God based on how it is recorded in the Bible. I believed in a God who was self existing from time immortal. This God whom I know was not created, but I believe is the creator of everything. No one made Him a God, but He is that supreme power that He is.

The perception of this supernatural being called God which I have picturized within me, seems to be so different from what many have in this country. This ‘God’, I now see, seems that He can be easily created. The things I learnt growing up are different from what it is now. I realized now that becoming god is easy in the land where I live in.

Easy steps to become God:

  1. Become a master blaster cricketer:
In a nation obsessed by the game of cricket, all you need to do is to become a very good batsman. Score loads of runs even if your team loses the match. All you have to do is to play cricket all your life. Money and fame will be at your door step. You will be crowned ‘The God of Cricket’.  

          Requirement: Have a strong, fit body. 

  1. Start acting:
Entering the film industry would be the best idea if you ever thought of becoming a God. If you become a superstar, you become a god. People will build places of worship for you. Most of the actors and actress have these things built for them.

Requirement: Should be born in a wealthy family. Fair/dark skin,                                 fat/muscular body not needed.  

  1. Enter politics:
You become popular and powerful when you become a politician. Place of worships are built for politicians and they are worshiped.

          Requirement: Should be good in convincing masses. Should be an                              exception in knowing all the crooked ways. If you’re                              good at cheating, then this is the right choice. 

  1. Dress less and Meditate more:
Yes, if you dress less, wearing minimal clothes and sit under a tree motionless for some days, you are in for a surprise when you open your eyes. People would have built a place of worship around you and would be performing spiritual rituals to you. This too, like the above is a very enticing way to become god.

The common result for all the above ways is that fame, money and power are guaranteed which come along with a ‘god’ status. So, isn't it easy?

Analyzing this issue:

I pondered on this for many days trying to understand this whole concept of who god is? Why does a man believe that another commoner, the same human as he is, is a superhuman being? The answer is simple. The search for god, is what makes him do all these things.

The quest for peace, joy, love and happiness ends with God. When man realizes this, he starts searching for God. This search makes him go to extends where he ends up doing the same old things as before if, he does not end up on the right path which is, as recorded in the Holy scriptures’, as Jesus said ‘’I am the way, the truth, and the life:’’


*this article is written not to target any religion or community but solely for the purpose of helping a person to analyze his life.   

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Save life - Written for Help a child of India

With nearly 20 million homeless children, out of which 10 million are girls, India’s future stands at the brink of a lost path. In spite of several measures and strict laws, safety and security of women continue to be the concern across the country. The episodes of Nirbhayas and Abhayas exposes how unprotected are girl children, particularly those who dream of pursuing education and employment in a city not known to them. Attacks and abuses are unabated. One incident follows another with spine-chilling details. It is a stab through the heart to hear of every instance when a woman has been traumatised.

Some alarming facts:

• 12 out of 100 girls are forced into child labor
• 18 out of 100 girls are married off before they turn 15.
• 1 out of 4 girl children go through abuse (Physical/ emotional/ Sexual)
   before the age of 4.

Many children growing up on the peripherals of the society become victims of various kinds of abuses - sexual, physical and emotional. Unlike few fortunate children who enjoy a decent life, many are deprived of safety, love, affection and supervision of adults. Many children walk around with empty stomachs. All the bad elements in the society misuse such innocent children and they are forced into child labor, abuse, drug abuses and also into anti social acts.

Help a Child of India after intensive research in a quest to address these issues, have identified 10 Urban Agglomerates where we will work for the protection and wellbeing of girl children. They are 

Amritsar  |  Ghaziabad  |  Guwahati  |  Vishakhapatnam  |  Surat
Patna  |  Pune  |  Ranchi  |  Coimbatore  |  Ernakulum

There is a great mission that is ahead of us “Caring for the Girl Child”. Our focus is to help empower underprivileged women and girls in India through personal safety and physical self-defence training. We need your support and contribution for this venture.

No girl – No mother – No life.  So,

Join us and Help a Girl child live in dignity.

http://www.helpachildofindia.org/

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Rise up India - In aid of Help a Child of India

Help A Child of India (www.helpachildofindia.org) has had its presence in India for 44 years and has been working for the welfare of marginalised children, irrespective of their caste, language or religion. The work of Help a Child is spread across 14 states and currently over 10,000 children are supported. Its interventions are mainly in the area of education, health and vocational training.

The concert is unique as 50 percent of the seats is reserved for children and large part being under privileged children from various Orphanages in and around Chennai.

The concert will feature two children bands "Minor Chords" and "CeeGees". The proceeds from the concert will be used for the "Girl Child Protection" initiative of Help a Child of India .

The Pandemic’s effect on Consumers’ behavior

  The world has changed since early 2020 when the virus was first discovered. It's now more than a year today and situation has not chan...