Social media plays a huge role in the way people perceive brands. Here's all you have to know.

Maybe among the most popular trends in consumer behaviour that continues to acquire momentum is consumers demanding more convenient options. While this holds true across the board, this pattern is most impactful in the e-commerce space. Today, consumers favour e-commerce websites and apps that feature a superior user experience, from quick and fluid navigation to customer-centric functions. Consumers understand that are spoilt for choice when it pertains to online shopping, which is why brand names invest a great deal of time, effort, and cash into making their platforms the most appealing to customers. For example, the provision of a wide range of payment alternatives is among the key consumer behaviour trends these days. Not only is this more convenient to read more consumers, but it also helpful to businesses that are most likely to guarantee a sale by providing various payment methods. This is something that the US shareholder of Pernod Ricard is most likely to confirm.

While customers will always favour higher quality products at competitive prices, there are other considerations that are taking top priority at present. For example, ethical and environmental practices are viewed as non-negotiables by many consumers who want to purchase from brands which share their values. The last few years have actually seen more businesses focus on sustainability and environmentally friendly practices, and this came as a direct response to consumer demands and pressures from regulators. Today, guaranteeing that companies are working sustainably and ethically is one of the most important consumer trends around the world. This has actually been made much easier considering that the majority of companies are now required to report their ecological impact and significant info about their operational processes. This is why supporting local companies is gaining a good deal of momentum as these brand names tend to be less harmful to the environment. This is something that the activist investor of Whirlpool is likely familiar with.

The age of social media has actually altered much about the method in which we shop, eat, and consume information. In fact, social media affects our lives and decision-making in more ways than one. Possibly one of the most apparent implications is how our shopping practices have actually changed and the way we perceive brands due to the lens of social media. Today, many individuals make their shopping choices based on material they've seen from a social network account they trust. This is why brands invest significant amounts into social media marketing considering that they know that it is an effective tool that can help them produce considerable sales. Social media influencers play a main role in this equation as they help move people's understanding and opinions thanks to the big followings they have. This has actually become one of the most studied macro consumer trends, something that the fund with shares in General Mills will know.