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Some Musings About Our World


Consumer behavior amidst the Covid-19 Crisis

3/18/2020

11 Comments

 
Western cultures and consumers are generally used to having everything at our disposal. We are not used to having to compete for essentials. In a way, the COVID-19 crisis is like a global scaling of the pre-hurricane stockpile phenomenon--the only difference is there is no true end in sight.
 
When items are scarce, we have to compete for them. And it appears that right now we are resorting to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to motivate our behavior and consumption. Before people isolate themselves (either mandated or by choice), the situation places us all back at the bottom of the pyramid. As we satisfy each level of the pyramid, only then do we look to satisfy the next level of need.
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  1. First, we have the physiological needs, the essentials and obvious things. We need to eat, we need to drink, we need to sleep. So you have your food, your non-perishable items, canned goods, etc. We get comfort from knowing we have these items 'in stock' because they are the basics of survival. But we're not used to competing for them, which is why we are taking more than we need. We get to be in control of a very small piece of an uncontrollable situation. The toilet paper craze falls under this umbrella. And if you think about it, it makes sense. Our basic, physiological needs are to eat/drink/sleep/and--as parents everywhere say to their toddler's in training--"go potty." Guys, we all do it. So why are there more people stockpiling TP than, say, canned corn? Because there are substitutes for canned corn but not toilet paper. Most products we buy have alternatives. If the canned corn is gone, you get canned beans, or dried beans, or anything else in the canned food section. For toilet paper, that's our only option. The other reason for the stockpiling is that messaging is vague. At one point we need to be prepared for 2 weeks, but that has since changed to 2 months, and that could extend even further. So as people shopped before bottling up inside their houses, they went from thinking ‘what do I need for 2 weeks?’ to ‘what do I need…indefinitely?’ A huge question mark replaced the normal set amount of time we plan for. This is why and where the hurricane analogy ends. So why don't we get the same comfort from stocking up on, say deodorant, toothpaste, etc.? It is not the same level need. It is important, sure, but not in that same, primal way. 
  2. The next level of the pyramid is still in the pre-isolation phase: safety and security. This one is obvious: medicines, prescriptions, hand sanitizer, cleaners, vitamins, anti-bacterial wipes, Pedialyte, etc. Things to keep us safe, healthy, and secure. Really in both the first two levels, we are seeing the tragedy of the commons play out. Instead of everyone sharing our common resources so we all have enough, the human instinct is to look out for yourself. Take hand sanitizers and respiratory masks. When people bought more than they needed—particularly the masks, others had none—including hospitals where they were actually needed. Essentially, the collective good suffers at the expense of the individual. Like the toilet paper, the idea should be for everyone to be safe and comfortable, but it is human nature to look out for yourself and your family. Another product that has seen huge sales in this crisis is guns and ammunition. People want to protect their stuff, their family, and we’ve all seen enough post-apocalyptic movies to know what happens when chaos ensues. My best guess is that creature comforts will be next at your local grocery store (bubble bath, candles, art supplies, etc.). Knowing you have your stockpile, you can pivot to making the situation somewhat comfortable.
  3. So now you are self-selecting to stay in your house for anywhere from 2 weeks until the big question mark. You have met your basic needs and you feel as secure as you can. Now you realize that you are missing…people. Connection, social engagement, a sense of belonging—the third level of the pyramid. People still want to interact and they will—just virtually. As movie theaters, bars, restaurants, clubs, and gyms close down, people cannot go out for entertainment or social gatherings. The entertainment fix is simple. It’s 2020 and we have more in-home entertainment options than ever before. Some companies have strategically adapted. For example, Disney + pushed up their release dates for The Rise of Skywalker and Frozen 2 in an attempt to drive traffic to their platform over competitors. But what about the human interaction part? Enter social media. These platforms have seen increased volume over the last several days and that is likely to continue—particular with regard to video uploads and interactive media. Further, savvy brands are recognizing—and filling—this need. For instance, Netflix has a new function - Netflix Party – which offers an interactive forum to talk about the show with your group of friends as you watch.
  4. Right now, on March 18, it seems we are achieving that level 3 need. As the need to belong and have social interactions is fulfilled, I believe we will move to level 4 and seek esteem and accomplishment—most likely through social media as well. You can see this starting to happen already. People post on social media their 'goals for the day'. They want to be held accountable for achieving something, be it finishing the laundry, reading a new book, or fixing the kitchen sink. We want our friends to know what we are doing so we can gather likes, comments, GIFS, and video replies to help validate our feelings that we are using this time for something constructive.
  5. Finally, we are realizing that, if this is truly for a long period of time, we should make the most of it. People have already begun (and this will happen more) to look at this as an opportunity to self-actualize, to be creative, to achieve their full potential at the top of the pyramid. We already see people doing online yoga courses and sending the instructor money through PayPal, downloading a language app to finally learn Spanish. Personally, I posted that I want to learn one new song on the guitar every day. We want to be our best selves. This will manifest in other ways too. Even though your hair appointment is cancelled, you still Venmo your stylist to either pay up front for a later date or just to help them ‘get by’. This will probably happen across many service industries which are going to be hit incredibly hard by this. There is a lot of positive buzz about purchasing gift cards for local businesses, which can keep them generating revenue throughout the crisis. These are the consumption behaviors that we will do as a society when we want to be our best selves, to reach our full potential. I also like this because it is an optimistic viewpoint for a situation that veers toward pessimism. If we can get to the point of doing good for the sake of others, we will have left the tragedy of the commons behind and be actively working collectively for the greater good.
11 Comments
Meg Christenson
3/24/2020 01:30:21 pm

I will admit, after watching the news everyday waiting for the COVID-19 task force to take the podium and debrief the nation with overwhelming statistics, unfortunate news, and staggering graphics, it is a breathe of fresh air to read something about the virus that takes on the more mental and psychological side of things. It is safe to say that we are consumed by this crisis at the moment and it very much so impacts our daily routines and "normalcy." As seen in the graphic provided there is a hierarchy of needs that motivate our behavior and control our consumption. Growing up, my family emphasized the large difference between basic needs, psychological needs, and fulfillment needs. We were always told that if we have our basic needs fulfilled then life is better than good and there is nothing to complain about. However, as time went on I began to crave a higher emphasis on psychological needs; they were almost as important to me as basic needs. I felt that because my need to be loved and the relationships I had, I was able to obtain warmth, food, and the sense of security. As I questioned these elements of need I realized that we all operate and prioritize our vales differently. It is interesting to think about now in the time of this crisis, because we all run to a different section on Maslow's triangle. For example; my mom grasps onto food, shelter, water, my dad reaches for safety and security, whereas I need a sense of belongingness and love, and my younger sister aims for self-fulfillment. The structure of the triangle suggests a general theme, but it is extremely fascinating to see during a time of uncertainty where everyone tends to lean.

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Irene Bowen
3/27/2020 09:22:58 am

The COVID-19 outbreak has definitely put into perspective how lucky we were in our everyday lives before this outbreak and pandemic. We were used to buying groceries and not having to ration, we were used to the freedom to go out and do whatever we wanted, and we were used to our health. Maslow's Hierarchy of needs has always been relevant, but now more than ever.
All levels of the pyramid are valid and make so much sense. I relate right now to the 3rd section, "Connection, social engagement, a sense of belonging". As someone who is extroverted and loves to leave their house/go out/ and make friends everyday, this is hard right now being trapped inside my house and far away from my friends.
This time has been good for self reflecting and putting myself first because why not? I am ready though to get back into my routine and back in Athens in the fall with my friends.

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Thomas Wishnosky
3/29/2020 02:08:51 pm

Maslow's Hierarchy is definitely an important thing in everybody's lives right now that they are trying to fulfill. Especially during this pandemic, everyone's schedules and daily lives re completely different. For me personally, the hardest one to fulfill is belongingness because I haven't really been able to hangout with friends or see people that I would like to see. It is definitely a weird feeling during this crisis and I am definitely more thankful for the way things were before when people didn't have to ration food and stock up.

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Lizzie Schoonmaker
3/31/2020 09:45:16 am

I am not surprised one bit that I am absolutely in love with this content. I feel refreshed by reading this blog post and the few others that are published because it is, like Meg said, a breath of fresh air. After watching the same "facts", news stories, and moving cases of illnesses, I was overjoyed to read about something that was finally intriguing and stimulating. In reference to the content, I could not agree more with what was published in the five sections describing needs. It is interesting because from an early age, I was instructed to discover the difference between a need and want. When I would say "I need this new device" or "I need to eat at this new restaurant", my dad would always respond with a smart remark along the lines of "Oh really? You need it? How about you just want it? Will you survive if you don't get it?". The analysis of Maslow's Hierarchy is the most fitting response to this pandemic that I've since we began with these panicky times. In complete agreement with everything discussed, I think the one line that resonated with me the most was in the second section about safety and security. "Essentially, the collective good suffers at the expense of the individual". In trying times like these, everyone in society is attempting to adapt to these changes being brought upon us. When people "panic" so to speak and begin to stockpile their necessities, it brings only negativity to the rest of the population because stress levels rise, incomes decrease, and products becomes scarce. In this pandemic, with all of the changes brought on college students during this time, the need that I have found myself most trying to fulfill is the need for belonging. Yes, I know that I have safety and psychological needs, but what has been most weighing is that I am alone. While my mother works from home in our living room, turned home office, I crave to be with my friends and feel the sense of belonging that I felt while in Athens. Whether with friends, peers, or alone, the sense of belonging has always exceeded the need for anything else. After two full weeks and two days of quarantine, I am ready to be back with my friends to fulfill my need. By reflecting on my personal needs through the course of this response, I have found that my only need that has yet to be satisfied is my sense of belonging and love because I miss my friends. Though I am supposed to feel the most comfort because I am in my home that I grew in with my family, my changes through college have showed me that my soulmates are my friends and that is where I belong.

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Gabby Tysl
4/1/2020 08:55:31 am

Now that a few days has passed since this post was published, I find it interesting to notice how people are handling their new normal. For example, my mom and I continued going to the store for essentials, but as of two days ago, I refuse to make errand trips and be exposed to the public. My family is dependent on buying groceries online to have delivered or picked up, but since demand is so high for this service, we have to wait for days until we can receive our order. Even though it is a convenient way to avoid risking your health, there is no guarantee that you will receive all of the items on your list due to the high demand in basic necessities. It's scary for me knowing that the timeline for this is unknown. A point that was made in this post that has been confusing me is the spike in guns and ammunition sales. I get how some buy out of fear, but I don't see how there is a correlation to the pandemic. I also don't want to get too political, but it is definitely an interesting thought. I have been trying to make the best out of social interactions- I Facetime my friends and family and occasionally the neighbors will congregate in my front yard, 6 feet apart of course. As an extrovert, this has been extremely hard for me. I depend on social media and my phone use has skyrocketed, but I'm also lacking in the fitness realm. Not being able to have access to a gym is making me lazy, but thankfully I have a yoga teacher mom that will allow my classes free of charge :) While reflecting on this, my heart does go out to everyone whose worlds have been turned upside down. I'm still devastated that I will no longer have the opportunity to live and intern in Florence this summer. But this does give me time to work on myself and better my Italian so I can still embrace the culture. I believe that it is important to have a positive mindset and I'm definitely grateful for my health & safety.

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Katherine Will link
4/3/2020 11:23:28 am

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is always behind the scenes of every decision we make as people, but it is more emphasized now due to COVID-19. Another way to break down the hierarchy of needs pyramid is with Alderfer’s ERG Theory of Motivation. In this theory, physiological and safety needs are categorized as existence motivators, belongingness as relatedness motivator, and esteem and actualization as growth motivator. According to Maslow, people will fulfill their needs one by one in an ascending and predictable order, but according to Alderfer, people satisfy their needs in different ways at different levels in different orders. When trying to judge what motivates human action durning a pandemic, I find Alderfer's model to be more accurate. People do not act as systematically as it may seem and there needs to be flexibility when predicting what they will do next.

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Taylor Keller
4/4/2020 02:45:55 pm

As I continue my life through this pandemic and try to create a new normalcy within quarantine, I have found that Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs has been in my thoughts more often than before. It is one of those theories that is subconsciously playing out during our lives, but now that I have more time to reflect, I have been thinking of Alderfer’s ERG Theory of Motivation and the higher and lower orders of our needs. Similarly to the other comments, my parents placed a heavy importance on just basic needs. My family lived paycheck to paycheck like many other Americans because of the recession, so psychological and self-actualization needs were often sacrificed. In my personal experience during this pandemic, I have found that my needs fluctuate depending on which day. Some days my self-actualization needs come before my need to socialize with my roommates and other days I can only focus on my basic needs to get through the pandemic. I now have the comfortably to be able to focus on specific needs, but it makes me think about the people with low incomes who are forsaking their psychological and self-actualization needs because they have been put into the financial situation where basic needs are they only thing they can focus on right now. It makes me think about how this pandemic and all of its long last effects are going affect people's mental health long term. How is this pandemic going to shape the current generation and our posterity?

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Connor Parrish
4/14/2020 11:58:27 am

This is a very interesting and thoughtful take on consumer behavior amidst the current COVID-19 crisis. While the world seems to be in a state of chaos, it brings me some comfort to know that we can begin to understand human behavior by looking through the lens of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. It makes sense that people are looking out for their best interests during this crazy time, and that our most basic human needs are the top priority. If everyone in society acted the way we wanted them to, then the world would be a better place in our eyes, but that is just not the reality we live in. The only thing we can do during this pandemic is take the necessary safety precautions and contribute to the progress of the society in a positive way.

On the subject of consumer behavior, I have started to notice some very interesting trends during the past weeks. For example, food delivery companies, like Blue Apron, are seeing a lot of success since people don't want to risk exposing themselves in grocery stores. Like you mentioned, streaming services are also seeing success due to the increased amount of online traffic as a result of social distancing. Another notable trend is the rise of home workout systems. Due to gyms being closed, companies like Peloton are gaining more users.

While the COVID-19 crisis continues to take its course, I think it's important to keep an eye on consumer behavior and market trends because it tells a deeper story about our society as a whole. Thank you for the thoughtful post, do your best to stay healthy, safe, and fulfilled!

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Nate Mellott
4/16/2020 11:52:59 am

I find the social interaction level of Maslow's Hierarchy to be the most interesting during this crisis. Not only are friends maintaining relationships over platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat, but companies that are typically used for business are now used for social purposes. Zoom is one great example of this. People are using a program that is typically used for virtual meetings and interviews to still talk and "hang out" with their peers. Also, especially over the holiday weekend, many families used it to conduct family dinner during a time where they could not come together in person. I am curious to see if this trend continues once our society goes back to normal. Will people consistently still travel to family or will they opt for quicker and cheaper virtual communication?

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Yiran Wang
4/19/2020 05:53:29 pm

What impressed me most about COVID-19 was the shortage of all kinds of goods in the supermarket. I think it's actually OK. It's unbearable to keep a social distance for a long time. I think the way we meet online has greatly reduced our work efficiency.

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Hernandez link
12/18/2020 10:50:31 pm

The toilet may be one of the most difficult areas in the house to keep clean. Make certain that the flushing toilet is extremely simple to wash. Indeed, pick the best toilet, the ideal flushing toilet for your house is among the most crucial considerations you need to address early on.

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  • ABOUT
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