Three Consumer Groups of the Future and How to Capture Them

Type #1. Stabilizers

Overwhelmed, burnt out, under time pressure. Advocates of acceptance, adepts of improvement, seekers of zen. Insecure, tired of optimization list of changsha cell phone numbers they choose stability.

Stabilizers (primarily Millennials and Gen X) prioritize stability in all aspects of their lives. This is their response to desynchronization and chronic insecurity. Gradualists are abandoning the cult of productivity and moving toward radical acceptance.

The mentality of constant availability is one of the main reasons for the increase in symptoms of anxiety, depression and burnout at work . We most often respond to these types of problems with optimization: constantly thinking about how we can improve our work, private life, body and mind, has become the norm all over the world. This phenomenon drives big businesses: life coaches, self-help books, mobile applications – the self-improvement market is going through its best times. According to Market Research , in 2016 it was worth $9.9 billion, and in 2022 this number will reach $13.2 billion, growing year over year by 5.6%.

Let’s get one thing straight: there’s nothing wrong with striving for self-improvement. Unfortunately, a large portion of society is caught in a “feel-good loop”—an unhealthy focus on self-improvement. This has the opposite effect and leads to low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy.

In response to over-optimization, consumers in 2022 will seek “radical acceptance” —a way to experience the world and themselves as they are. Instead of trying to optimize every aspect of their lives, they can identify exactly what they would like to change and allocate time and resources accordingly.

How to get them?

1. Simplify. Overwhelmed Stabilizers are discouraged by too many products to choose from, both in brick-and-mortar stores and online. Design a user experience that helps organize the shopping process, describing your products in a concise and clear way. Don’t take them on a trip – save them time. According to Inmar Analytics, sales in stores with limited assortments – Lidl, Aldi, Trader Joe’s – will grow by 5.6% year over year through 2023, while traditional stores will see growth of 0.5%.
2. Give it a rest. The growing “mood market”—goods and services designed to make customers feel good—remains the dominant path to purchase. The coronavirus has brought this strategy to the forefront: People everywhere are looking for products that offer respite from the uncertainties of everyday life . Stabilizers prefer a zen-like shopping experience and choose products that alleviate stress and anxiety. This trend will extend beyond the world of fashion in 2022—these consumers are increasingly seeking a moment of calm in the places they visit every day. Financial institutions, grocery stores, and medical practices should take note.
3. Unified trade. This means not only creating a single multi-channel sales system, but also unifying all channels of communication with the customer. Constantly bombarding Stabilizers with messages is overwhelming for them and has the opposite effect. Instead of focusing on frequent contact with this target group, you should identify their key needs and target them. Such customers should be able to decide for themselves how often the company can contact them and with what offer – this will help find the golden mean between building relationships and attacking. A Stabilizer overwhelmed by stimuli and messages is discouraged from shopping.

Type #2. Settlers

Balanced, helpful, aware. Career-focused, urban expats, rascals. Community-loving, local activists, environmentally conscious.

Desperate to redefine what it means to work hard, Settlers (primarily Millennials and Gen X) are looking to plant roots in their community without sacrificing their careers. They are driving a new era of localism.

The religion of workaholism reached critical mass in 2019. The number of meetings held, hours worked, coffees drunk and is it a cookie or a biscuit? pastime is inclusion! of course, the lack of sleep – these were the new reasons to be proud. However, working longer hours does not mean you are more efficient or creative; on the contrary – it causes stress, fatigue and resentment. A 2018 Gallup study shows that two out of three employees suffer from the psychological effects of overwork , but everyone feels it. Burned-out employees have 37% higher absenteeism, 18% lower productivity and 15% lower profitability.

Things are slowly changing, with companies starting to set clear boundaries to help their employees avoid burnout. In Mumbai, WeWork implemented a  “right to disconnect” policy , encouraging employees to stop responding to emails between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m. Osaka-based IT firm YRGLM imposed a nine-day vacation during which employees are prohibited from having any contact with the office. These changes may seem trivial, but Settlers who move into management positions not only set these

boundaries but also add them to a list of company-wide KPIs.

As work-life boundaries become clearer phone database a new circular economy is emerging, fueled by localism. According to an American Express study , for every dollar spent at a small business in the United States, about 67 cents stays in the local community.

From an environmental perspective, shorter work hours also mean less electricity consumption. Microsoft Japan’s trial of a four-day workweek increased work productivity by 40% and reduced energy consumption by 23% . For the Survivors, this new work cycle (fewer work hours + more time at home = better productivity at work and more spending on groceries) will be fundamentally better in every way – for people, planet and businesses.

The British Henley Business School found that in companies that implemented a four-day working week, 78% of employees were happier, 70% were less stressed, and 62% were less likely to be ill.

How to get them?

1. Take a look at the archives. The resale industry isn’t slowing down: thredUP predicts that the market will double in size in the next few years. Reaching $52 billion by 2024. The Settler cohort is no longer excited by the latest fashion trends. But rather by conscious consumption, sustainability, and local initiatives. As peer-to-peer commerce gains a larger share of the market. Companies can adapt their strategies by opening warehouses and allowing people to purchase their archived products on dedicated websites. This approach has several benefits: on the one hand. It attracts customers and satisfies the demand for high-quality products while caring for the environment. And on the other, it helps increase conversions and get rid of lingering inventory.