Last year in 2020, COVID drastically changed the way consumers discover and shop for products. 2021 brings a whole new host of obstacles for retailers with factors like the Delta variant, supply chain disruptions and fluctuating consumer sentiment.

To make up for these disruptions, marketers are shifting away from product specific creative and going more into a more “Neutral but hopeful tone”

The holiday season has been gradually extending as Amazon, Target and other large chains are offering promotions earlier to increase sales. This also helps with the limited supply as it’s encouraging shoppers to plan ahead and buy while inventory is still available. Breaks in the supply chain has been wreaking havoc across the board in almost all industries. These disruptions paired up with the nationwide labor shortages are eating away at consumer loyalty. Over 80% of consumers have bought a different brand in the last three months due to lower prices and out-of-stock products as the main motivators. With these shortages possibly extending all the way into mid-2022, its important for marketers to be flexible with their strategies and have multiple creative prepared for several different scenarios.

Source: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/product-shortages-extended-shopping-season-upend-holiday-marketing-retail/608417/