The coronavirus pandemic is fuelling the growth of the stay-at-home economy. How consumers learn, work, shop and play is poised to change forever.
Consumer preferences have been shifting toward e-commerce and online entertainment and education for over a decade. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has been a boon to companies that serve the stay-at-home economy, which are displaying agility by simultaneously experimenting with new ideas to build brand affinity.
Since mid-March, Amazon
has hired 175,0000 workers in the United Statesto meet surging demand for online shopping. Instacart, an American technology company that provides same-day grocery delivery and pick-up service in the U.S. and Canada, stated that their weekly sales jumped 10-fold, and
20 times higher in California and Washington State, where the virus was widespread early in the pandemic. The company is also leveraging the heightened interest in grocery delivery to test new, innovative concepts to better meet consumer needs for convenience and their health and well-being, such as the option to have groceries left at a customer’s doorstep at a designated time in lieu of hand delivery.
Video streaming has been on the rise for over a decade, but last year, the number of streaming subscribers around the world (613 million) surpassed the number of cable subscribers (556 million),
according to the Motion Picture Association of America. With city governments asking citizens to shelter in place, new streaming subscription services are seeing growth.
Disney+, for example, has had a 75% rise in subscribers since early February and passed 50 million paying subscribers in its first five months.
In the meantime, in China, during a 20-day period commencing on the eve of the Lunar New Year,
box office revenues fell to $3.9 million from $1.5 billion in 2019. While it is uncertain when consumers will return to movie theaters, it is quite certain that stay-at-home entertainment will continue to break new ground for growth and market size as consumers around the globe continue to isolate at home.
Amid the coronavirus crisis, Zoom Video is leading the charge towards virtual work-from-home practices and poised to accelerate a seismic shift in how work gets done. In the early days of the pandemic, Zoom’s stock
increased 58% through 13 March, whereas the S&P 500 was down 16% in the same time period. While some US states and countries are beginning to open up, large cohorts of employees continue working from home. They are also gaining exposure to new digital engagement capabilities that can be leveraged to host both small and large meetings such as interactive workshops, hence eliminating the need for travel.
Furthermore, we are seeing the rapid transition to online education across all levels – primary school and high school to the university level. Digital technologies are reshaping the world of education in ways previously
unimagined for a historically change-resistant institution. Plato once said that “necessity is the mother of invention.” Perhaps now, education will change as fast as technology and contribute to inclusive societies with unprecedented access to knowledge and prosperity.
While there is uncertainty regarding the long-term impact
ofthe
coronavirus pandemic, we do know with a high degree of certainty that consumer preferences will continue to evolve rapidly as consumers discover new ways of accessing goods and services, receiving an education and doing their jobs. As a result of the crisis, the stay-at-home economy has received a major boost and will catapult to new heights of value creation. Why go out when you can accomplish so much more by just staying in?
Six months ago, a young millennial woman told me “staying in is the new going out.” Now, I know what she really meant.
About the Author:Zara Ingilizian is a Consumer Industries executive with expertise in general management, marketing, and digital transformation. As Vice President at Kraft Foods and Senior Vice President at Diageo, she has advanced the growth agenda of iconic CPG and lifestyle brands that include Johnnie Walker, Bulleit Bourbon, Jell-O, Chips Ahoy, and Oreo among others. Recognized as one of the “Top 50 Women in Brand Marketing”, Zara is a steward of purpose-driven brands and known for embracing a unique combination of strategic acumen, creative flair and a digital mindset to propel them forward. Well versed in general management for 20+ years, she has led cross-functional teams to consistently deliver revenue and profit growth for portfolios $2.5 billion dollars in size, with full P&L responsibility.Now, as the Head of Consumer Industries at the World Economic Forum, she is successfully parlaying her business know-how to accelerate the digital transformation of the consumption landscape. As a global strategist, she is in the room with CEOs of member companies such as Walmart, Unilever, P&G, and IKEA at the Forum’s annual meeting in Davos advancing tech-driven business model reinvention in socially responsible ways.
About the Author: Zara Ingilizian is a Consumer Industries executive with expertise in general management, marketing, and digital transformation. As Vice President at Kraft Foods and Senior Vice President at Diageo, she has advanced the growth agenda of iconic CPG and lifestyle brands that include Johnnie Walker, Bulleit Bourbon, Jell-O, Chips Ahoy, and Oreo among others. Recognized as one of the “Top 50 Women in Brand Marketing”, Zara is a steward of purpose-driven brands and known for embracing a unique combination of strategic acumen, creative flair and a digital mindset to propel them forward. Well versed in general management for 20+ years, she has led cross-functional teams to consistently deliver revenue and profit growth for portfolios $2.5 billion dollars in size, with full P&L responsibility.Now, as the Head of Consumer Industries at the World Economic Forum, she is successfully parlaying her business know-how to accelerate the digital transformation of the consumption landscape. As a global strategist, she is in the room with CEOs of member companies such as Walmart, Unilever, P&G, and IKEA at the Forum’s annual meeting in Davos advancing tech-driven business model reinvention in socially responsible ways.