Welcome to Day 14 of the Best of YAP 2024!

Our team’s taking a little holiday break, but don’t worry—we aren’t going anywhere.

Because over this holiday period, you’ll be treated to one of our fave articles in your inbox each day.

So whether you’re sitting by the fire with a warm cup of cocoa (lookin’ at you, Northern hemi folks), or hitting the beach (for those of us having a summer Christmas), you can catch up on some reading and remind yourself of what a wild year 2024 was.

Catch ya in 2025!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

3 Post-Pandemic Consumer Behaviours That Are Here to Stay

Alright look. I don’t want to talk about the pandemic as much as you don’t want to hear about it.

In my head it’s basically: been there, done that, blocked it out, moving on.

Unfortunately, so I’ve been told, that’s not how the world works. Apparently huge global and cultural phenomena have lasting effects or whatever. Eye rolls into another dimension.

If there’s one thing we can be certain about, it’s that our behaviours were significantly changed by the COVID-19 era.

The pandemic created an inflection point, changing the way we prioritised our spending, what goods we buy, and what our needs are.

Because let’s be real. The world after Coronavirus became a very different place. The big repercussions for globalisation, urbanisation, and foreign trade will take years — if not decades — to unfold. But in the meantime, brands can focus on better understanding the effects on consumer psychology and behaviour.

Now four years on, we can look at the behaviours we still exhibit from that time, and what’s likely to stick.

Starting with impulsive purchasing behaviour.

Now, I’m pretty sure this began for me far before sneezing became practically illegal. However, research shows that the pandemic dramatically enhanced consumers' impulse buying.

When Covid hit, the mass feelings of fear and loss of control caused people to find comfort outside of their regular routines. And what feels better than recklessly spending money on sh*t you don’t need? If there’s something, I sure as hell haven’t tried it.

Add in the fact that social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok – the places where we were spending most of our time - made it easier to shop. And guess what? 2 out of 3 consumers say they regret the purchases they’ve made there. (BTW, regret is a tell-tale sign of impulse buying!)

So, what does this mean for brands?

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer