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While the vaccine rollout has marked the beginning of the end to the pandemic, the retail industry is irrevocably changed. Many shopping trends that started or accelerated during COVID-19 are here to stay. At this week s Ad Age Next: Retail conference, marketers and analysts detailed the pandemic s lasting effect on the industry, as well as other trends worth watching. Below, a recap.
Moving beyond transactions
As shoppers clamored for arts and crafts during the pandemic, Michaels saw an opportunity to forge long-lasting connections with customers. Before, “we were there, but we were just selling to them,” said Michaels CMO Ron Stoupa. But “our customers wanted to engage. They had time on their hands and they wanted to expand on their love of arts and crafts.” So Michaels moved away from blast emails, focusing instead on social media and hosting virtual classes for its customers.