Meet the 5 new consumer types coming out of the new wave of social activism

Between a global pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, consumers are becoming more educated and committed to supporting brands that reflect their own personal values.

As consumers take on a more intentional approach on where they spend their money, brands can no longer afford to stay silent when it comes to voicing its own commitments to social, political or environmental issues.

Discover the new consumer profiles that have emerged in this time and reach out for a demo to see how EDITED can help you conquer retail in today’s climate.

1. The purpose-driven consumer

As consumers become more educated on social causes and the effects of COVID-19, they are putting pressure on brands to take committed action. This has been evident in customer comments on retailer’s Instagram posts surrounding Black Lives Matter, requesting statistics on diversity within the workplace and asking retailers to take the 15% pledge. Brands that lead with purpose and authenticity are also more likely to maintain loyalty from its customers. Missguided updated its Instagram name to ‘COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING ALL’ and Gucci recently partnered with The Sex Ed podcast to inspire conversations around sexual wellness.

2. The eco-conscious consumer

In addition to aligning themselves closer to social causes, consumers are also becoming more educated on fashion’s impact on the environment and looking to support brands who are making a positive change. In a study conducted by IBM Insights, nearly ‘six in 10 customers surveyed are willing to change their shopping habits to reduce environmental impact.’

3. The behind-the-scenes consumer

This consumer is becoming increasingly more aware of how a garment is made and desires transparency around what goes on behind-the-scenes. ALDO recently collaborated with two mega influencers and shared images on Instagram of the process. This instilled trust in the customer that the influencer had a large input in the design of the final product. Brand lemlem also took to Instagram to show customers how it is supporting local artisans, showing the product being made in workshops.

4. The ingredient/material focused consumer

Beauty brands are educating customers on how their formulas are made which help to increase a product’s effectiveness. This has also influenced brands such as Chanel to replace allergy-triggering ingredients with botanical ones. This years #whatsinmyclothes campaign also brought attention to the truth behind the label on clothing and provided consumers with information on the composition of garments.

5. The price aware consumer

While unemployment rates have risen and many consumers are still reliant on value-driven product, others have become more understanding of pricing costs of running a businesses. This has led to shopping more locally to support small businesses.

Price transparency is also being seen at brands who put humans at the core of its values, such as beauty subscription Beauty Pie that offers product at factory-price by keeping packaging simple, as well as Everlane who host an annual ‘choose what you pay’ event.

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