Tag: consumer behaviour

Over the past five years, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in marketing have come a long way. Yet many marketers who are using today’s programmatic and social platforms to reach their audience are not exploiting the full power of the algorithms these platforms can offer or the vast amounts of consumer data they collect.

A year ago, reality started sinking in that the new coronavirus from Wuhan would not be contained to China. No fewer than 25 countries had confirmed cases, and the first deaths outside China were being reported. On 11 February 2020, the disease caused by the new coronavirus was named COVID-19.

Major central banks have combined with structural trends (slowing developed market population growth, globalisation, and technological innovation) to almost eradicate developed market inflation volatility over the past 50 years or so.

As the COVID-19 crisis redefines how economies and society as a whole function, human ingenuity has sparked a wave of innovation set to be the blueprint for the decades to come. According to the 2021 Trends, organisations will have the opportunity to map out new territory as they embrace new strategies, services and experiences to meet evolving human needs.

Global equities can continue to perform well in 2021, but tech may have to share the limelight with some unloved areas. Meanwhile, a number of mega-trends will continue to gather pace. Global equities are by no means cheap, but they are reasonably valued.

The weaknesses inherent in franchised businesses and the health of relationships between franchisor and franchisees are being revealed as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. Excessive reliance on retail infrastructure, insufficient investment in digitisation and poor delivery capability is severely impacting franchised networks. 

We are on the cusp of the festive shopping season, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday kicking off the spending spree in the run up to Christmas and Boxing Day. However, this year’s shopping season will be very different compared to previous years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The upshot is that many South Africans are emerging from the pandemic with considerably less spending power.

With the Black Friday shopping frenzy around the corner, the digital economy this year is expected to receive an enormous boost as many people will want to avoid crowds and take their shopping online. After a difficult year marked by severe disruptions and decreased demand, businesses will also be relying on this period to make up for losses due to the pandemic.

What are your rights when an online transaction goes wrong? The worldwide pandemic, and associated lockdown, have brought about many changes in consumer behaviour. One of which is the surge in online shopping. As South African consumers adapt to the new normal, where traditional ways of shopping are largely discouraged in favour of online shopping (in an effort to promote social distancing), the number of card-not-present transactions (card transactions that occur while the buyer and seller are not in the same place) has increased exponentially.

During this time of uncertainty, consumers are looking to brands because they are intrinsic to every sphere of a consumer’s life. With this life-changing event being faced globally, many economies are suffering a downturn, which has a ripple effect on consumer spend and, therefore, on brands.