Hunkering down at home has had new meaning due to the Coronavirus. We are now doing the following at home:

• working
• exercising
• relaxing
• socializing at a distance
• watching tv

Since people are spending more time at home, they are using that time to try new things, take care of things they hadn’t previously noticed that need to be taken care of, or even to buy products or services that they normally wouldn’t. My associate mentioned that when a pest control person came to her home for the yearly treatment, he said that he was the busiest he had ever been in March and April because people were stuck at home and they were noticing insects and other pests coming into their houses.

Of course, it’s not only ants and termites that people are dealing with these days.  Since our usual routines have gone through an about face, people are taking the opportunity to try new products or take up an old-fashioned hobby or activity. 

According to a study done by Vox Media, 9 out of 10 consumers have tried new products during the quarantine.  The majority of the new products have been snacks and streaming services.  No big surprise there!  The reason given for trying the new products include having more time to research alternatives, the old standbys were sold out, or wanting to add a little variety to their day. 

Also not surprising is that people have been buying more jigsaw puzzles during the lockdown. One puzzle maker, Ravensburger saw an increase of 370 percent during the last week of March and the first week of April 2020. How big is that increase?  In 2019, the company sold 21 million puzzles in North America at a rate of seven puzzles a minute.  The recent increase in North American sales means that the company has been selling 20 puzzles a minute.  

The massive increase in puzzle sales is not all that puzzling. According Anne Williams, a puzzle historian and professor emerita of economics at Bates College, the reason why people are turning to puzzles now is that a puzzle is something they can control.  Whereas they can’t control whether or not they get the Coronavirus. Believe it or not, people turned to puzzles during the Great Depression for the same reason that people are doing so now. 

All of this shows that while people are quarantining at home, they haven’t stopped spending money.  And since many people are still spending money, why not make sure they are aware of the availability of your goods and services?  Think about what you have been doing to reach out to them.  You don’t have to do anything fancy.  Social media posts, emails, even old-fashioned snail mail will let both established and prospective customers know that you are open for business (with or without restrictions). 

Yes, many businesses are in trouble. Many long-standing businesses like Brooks Brothers and Hertz filed for bankruptcy protection. Everywhere you look, restaurants and entertainment venues are struggling. Yet, there are still opportunities to make the best of the situation.  As a result of the quarantine, consumers are a captive audience. They are looking for goods and services during their captivity.  Why not let them know that they can still buy your goods and services and the safest and easiest way to do so?

https://www.voxmedia.com/2020/5/18/21262614/vox-media-research-shows-9-out-of-10-consumers-have-tried-new-brands-during-the-pandemic https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/03/coronavirus-sends-demand-for-jigsaw-puzzles-surging