In this time of immense uncertainty, we here at Precision Sample have been working in partnership with several clients to understand fundamental shifts in consumer attitudes and behavior.  Working with our partners at ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc., we recently re-fielded a consumer product purchasing study from December to better understand purchasing behavior.

Specifically, we assisted in re-testing 10 ideas across several categories and price points of consumer-packaged goods for both leading and challenger brands.

Among the 10 ideas tested in December of 2019 and then re-tested in March of 2020 among US consumers, there were only significant differences in terms of Purchase Probability, Uniqueness, or Value for 3 of the 10 concepts:

• A health concept generated higher Purchase Probability and higher Value, which appears to be driven by the fact that it includes anti-bacterial agents.
• A premium food concept generated the same Purchase Probability, but lower Value. This could be an indication that people are more focused on cost-effective solutions, rather than spending more to obtain premium products.
• A personal care concept related to shaving had significantly lower Purchase Probability and the same Value, which is an indication that people are shaving less now than they would if they were regularly leaving the house.

These findings are consistent with other surveys that have been re-tested and produced nearly identical results.  Overall, it seems apparent that consumers are factoring in potential financial hardships, their overall health, and convenience into how they make their purchasing decisions during this time.  Otherwise, consumers appear to be rational about the current situation and have a clear cognitive capacity to project their feelings and conceptualize the future. This allows them to rate an idea or attitude in general, rather than limiting themselves to the moment.

We are thankful for our great partners, such as ACUPOLL, helping us to understand consumers during this difficult time. We hope these findings will help your organization best advise clients as they navigate their specific challenges.

Do you have a study you would like to re-field to understand shifts in consumer behavior?  With accurate research important now more than ever, we welcome the opportunity to partner with you and will offer discounted rates for all re-field projects.