The COVID-19 Impact on Americans Spend and Lifestyles

Data Summary from Segmint Consumer Spend Insights powered by KLIs

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way Americans conduct their daily activities including grocery shopping, food delivery, entertainment, and much more. Which is why we decided to leverage our own proprietary transaction analytics and taxonomy to create Segmint Consumer Spend Insights powered by KLIs.

This edition of Segmint Consumer Spend Insights analyzed 600,000 consumers and more than 150 million transactions from January 2019 to May 2020. This powerful report has identified that the Coronavirus pandemic has caused dramatic shifts in year over year spend, as well as in the 10 weeks post pandemic compared to the first 10 weeks of the year.

“Data in the Segmint Consumer Spend Insights helps tell a story about how events, like the pandemic are shaping behavioral changes in our communities,” said Adam Craig, Segmint’s president.  “Data is a critical tool for all businesses to understand what is happening in the market and react intelligently. Segmint is proud to leverage our proprietary technology to help to tell the story clearly and accurately.

Continue reading below for the full data or download the infographic from the study!

AMERICANS' GROCERY, DINING, AND FOOD DELIVERY HABITS 

BUTCHER SHOPS

Local butcher shops benefited from the #ShopLocal movement and were able to “meat” demand. 

• 73% increase in March year over year.
• 44% increase in April year over year.
• 36% increase in May year over year.
• 2x growth in average ticket price, increasing from $35 in January to $70 in May.

GROCERY STORES

Americans made 8.5% fewer trips to the grocery store but spend increased by an astounding 18% in the category. 

• 27% increase in the value of grocery store purchases from January 2020 to April 2020, increasing from an average $40 to $51 respectively.

This is significant as Grocery spending is typically, very stable and even single digit changes are dramatic.

PIZZA AND ONLINE RESTAURANT DELIVERY

Pizza delivery and food delivery app purchases (including Grubhub and UberEats) grew from the start of the pandemic and YOY. Whether due to the economy reopening, the weather improving, or a desire to avoid the grocery store, by May American’s became tired of cooking.

• 32% increase in the number Pizza Delivery purchases from March 2020 to May 2020.
• 42% increase in May year over year spend with pizza delivery shops.
• 33% increase in spend with online restaurant delivery services from March 2020 to May 2020.
• 100% increase in May year over year spend with online restaurant delivery services.

LIQUOR STORES

During the pandemic, alcohol could be purchased from an array of retailers, including to-go from restaurants. But purchases from liquor stores alone spiked, as Americans stocked up to hunker down.

• 32% increase in liquor store sales in the 10 weeks post pandemic compared to the first 10 weeks of the year.

HOME IMPROVEMENT AND HOME DÉCOR

BIG BOX HOME IMPROVEMENT & LOCAL HARDWARE

Consumers shopped at big box home improvement stores, but local home improvement stores benefitted from the #ShopLocal movement and experienced a much higher growth in annual spend.

• 71% increase in May year over year spend with big box home improvement stores.
• 106% increase in May year over year spend with local hardware stores.

HOME DÉCOR RETAILERS

Home decor purchases shifted digitally. Home decor retailers experienced tremendous annual growth in online sales while brick & mortar sales plummeted.

• 167% increase in May year over year spend with online home décor retailers.
• 74% decrease in May year over year spend in store home decor retailers.

ONLINE VS. IN STORE SHOPPING

Although many Americans were staying home, the majority of spend was still made in-store. However, when comparing spend at retailers with an online and brick and mortar presence, online purchases rose more dramatically.

• 262% increase in May year over year spend with online shopping.
• 12% increase in May year over year spend on in store purchases.

AT HOME ACTIVITIES

Spend on self-improvement also dramatically increased from the previous year as Americans enrolled in on line education courses and at home fitness options to fill down time.

ONLINE EDUCATION

• 159% increase in April year over year spend with online courses, such as Edx.com and Udemy.
• Nearly 4x (396.9%) increase in May year over year spend with online courses.

FITNESS SUBSCRIPTIONS

• 30% decrease in March year over year spend with home fitness equipment and subscriptions. March was the lowest month of the year for spend in this category.
  • This could be due to pandemic related panic and cost cutting, or the fact that there were so many free trials available during the beginning of the pandemic.
• 55% increase in May year over year spend with home fitness equipment and subscriptions.

VIDEO GAMES

Consumers who enjoy video games, didn’t hold back during the pandemic and continued to spend with online services.

• 97% increase in spend with online video game services in the 10 weeks post pandemic compared to the first 10 weeks of the year.

​OTHER NOTABLE TRENDS

HAIR SALON

American’s were ready to get their hair cut and colored, and as many states reopened their economies throughout the month of may, purchases at hair salons sky rocketed.

• 600% (6x) increase in spend at hair salons from the first week in May to the last week of May.

MOTHER’S DAY

The COVID-19 Pandemic didn’t stop Americans from sending their mothers love. While annual spend at flower shops decreased in March and April, it bounced right back up when it was time for Mother’s day in May.

• 38% decrease in March year over year spend at flower shops.
• 24% decrease in April year over year spend at flower shops.
• 6% increase in May year over year spend at flower shops.