2020 Consumer Report (COVID)
Surprising (and Not Surprising) Takeaways
While the overarching cultural narrative is that COVID-19 has led consumers to focus more on essentials like groceries, toilet paper, and other household necessities, our research draws a seemingly incompatible conclusion: that COVID-19 has grown Cratejoy consumers’ interest in non-essential “luxury” like self-care, games and activities for the whole family, and other products to “treat” themselves and their loved ones.
Affordable Luxury in Stressful Times
Considering global shelter-in-place orders, it came as no surprise that Cratejoy consumers are spending as much or more online than they spent prior to the pandemic. However, the increased spend on affordable luxury and self-care items stand out in our research. Overall, people are interested in affordable luxury for themselves, more than gifts for others, activities for kids, or replenishing household supplies. They’re looking for ways to relieve stress and find small joys during this time. The appeal of subscription boxes is strong: consumers have something to look forward to as boxes arrives in the mail, and many of the product experiences are unique each time it arrives, breaking up the monotony of quarantine.
The majority of subscription box buyers are childfree women aged 25-44. This aligns with consumer interest in self-care beyond buying categories, and may also indicate a perception of subscription boxes on the whole as a luxury good, rather than a replenishment solution like other forms of online shopping (e.g. ordering groceries). Families with and without children are spending on subscription boxes, especially on self-care products. However, women without children appear to spend more consistently on self-care, which may be due to a greater flexibility in budget.
Demographic Data of 4,000 Respondents
Family and household structure
Gender of respondents
Female:
90.68% (3,618 users)
Male:
8.55% (341 users)
Other Gender:
0.77% (31 users)
58
respondents % of do not have children
44
have children % do in their household
Age of the respondents 13-17 years old: 1.75% (70 users) 18-24 years old: 8.95% (358 users) 25-34 years old: 27.31% (1,092 users) 35-44 years old: 28.43% (1,137 users) 45-54 years old: 17.98% (719 users)
55-64 years old: 10.38% (415 users) 65-74 years old: 4.18% (167 users) 75+ years old: 0.35% (14 users) Declined to say: 0.65% (26 users)
Consumer Behavior and Purchase History
Do you think you will buy another subscription box from Cratejoy? Yes
50.2%
Not Sure
44.9%
No
5%
28.97 %
40.04% Consumers are purchasing more gifts for loved ones near and far during this time, as well as treats for themselves.
A large majority of consumers plan to remain subscribed despite wider concerns about the economy.
26.83%
24.66%
21.96%
65.11%
21.64% 21.58%
purchased for others
23.50% have not purchased from Cratejoy before
Relative
Child
Partner
Friend
Not specified
Top Categories of Interest for Consumers Aside from essential products (such as food items or toiletries), consumers are currently buying or interested in buying products to meet the following needs:
40.2%
60.1
%
39.1%
Practice self-care
Clean and maintain their home
Maintain beauty routine
56.2%
Treat themselves
38.4%
Decorate their home
36%
52.6%
25.2%
16.8%
New ways to entertain themselves and their families
Organize their home office
Keep kids entertained and learning
16%
Cutting back on buying
8.3%
Other
Educate the kids in their lives
Top Categories of Interest for Consumers
Self-Care
Food and Drinks
47 %
43 %
Beauty
Household Items
Kids Activities
64.5%
40.8%
30.8 %
Books
26.5 %
The Impact of COVID-19 on Purchase Patterns
Has the current COVID environment changed the types of products you purchase?
54.6 %
of people said yes
45.4 %
of people said no
79.9 %
of people said they are purchasing both essentials and non-essentials online (focusing on kids’ educational activities, self-care, and family games & activities)
Subscription Box Interest Has Increased
85% of consumers are as much or more interested in subscription boxes in response to COVID-19. This reflects a greater need for consumers to find small joys and treat themselves at this time.
Despite 15.4% of consumers expressing that COVID-19 has caused them to be less interested in subscription boxes, Cratejoy has seen renewals and cancellations across the Marketplace remain steady.
Gifts for Self and Loved Ones are High Due to COVID-19
The overwhelming majority of respondents are buying gifts for people in their life from the Cratejoy Marketplace.
% 88.1
of respondents say they have or are considering buying gifts for people in their life right now. We see the increased need to support others during this time, and we love this trend!
41.8
%
of the consumers less interested in subscriptions cite “cutting back on expenses due to COVID-19” as the reason
13.2
%
haven’t found a subscription that meets their needs
45
%
Other
Increased Consumer Stress Signals Need for More Self-Care We asked, “Beyond shopping patterns, how have recent events affected your home life?”
56.5%
38.9%
Increased stress
Created new ways to connect with my family/ friends
19.9%
14.3%
Created challenges with homeschooling children
Created new needs for beauty routine/products
45.9%
Increased my need to find time to focus on myself
19.5%
No real change in my home life
32.7 %
42.2%
19%
4.2 %
Brought my family closer together
simplified my life
Created challenges with working from home
Other
Consumer Needs and How to Fulfill Them What needs do you think Cratejoy or a subscription box could fulfill?
50.7 %
71.8% Provide me with a treat to regularly anticipate
Enable me to discover new things/hobbies
49
%
Give a special gift to someone in my life
20.6%
41.8%
Provide enriching activities for my children
Give me a chance to focus on myself
21.7 %
7.1 %
Update my home with seasonal accents
None at this time