Comscore Finds Consumers Shifting Focus to Sports and Outdoor Activities as Travel and Events Remain Largely Paused

Rhea-AI Summary

Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR) reports a notable shift in consumer spending due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with retail engagement changing dramatically. The Sports & Outdoor category saw a 71% increase in visits in April 2020 and an 86% rise in May 2020, despite overall spending challenges. Apparel engagement spiked, with visitors spending 38% more time on sites, yet actual spending dropped 14% in May. The Home Furnishing and Consumer Electronics sectors are witnessing declining engagement, while the Tickets & Events category struggles to recover. Comscore will continue tracking these trends.

Positive

• Sports & Outdoor category visits increased by 71% in April 2020 and 86% in May 2020.
• Apparel category engagement rose, with average minutes per visitor increasing by 38% from February to June 2020.
• Overall online retail activity is seeing shifts towards family-oriented outdoor activities.

Negative

• Apparel sector spending declined by 14% year-on-year in May 2020.
• Engagement in Home Furnishing and Consumer Electronics is waning after a late spike.
• The Tickets & Events category shows no signs of recovery.

RESTON, Va., July 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Spending and engagement across the retail sector continues to fluctuate across categories as millions of Americans remain at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. That's according to new research from Comscore (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms, which shows consumers are shifting discretionary spending away from typical summer travel and ticketed events and focusing instead on family-oriented outdoor activities.

The Sports & Outdoor category in Comscore Media Metrix, typically sees increased activity during summer months. Despite the global pandemic, top sites from retailers like DicksSportingGoods, Academy, Cabellas, BassPro, and CampingWorld collectively saw a 71 percent year-on-year increase in visits in April 2020 and an 86 percent year-on-year increase in May 2020.

Apparel sites have also seen strong growth in consumer engagement in May and June 2020. Minutes per visitor increased 38 percent, from an average of 9.02 minutes in February 2020 to an average of 12.41 minutes in June 2020. While visitation and engagement have surged since April 2020 - visits to the Apparel category were up 32 percent year-on-year in May 2020 - actual dollars spent declined 14 percent in the same month. Category spend may be soft in part due to stronger visitation to discount-oriented apparel domains, which would contribute to growth in total category visitation but weaker total category spend.

Overall, the retail landscape has changed dramatically during the last few months. Visitation to Home Furnishing and Consumer Electronics sites, which exploded in late April 2020, has started to wane. The Tickets & Events category continues to struggle, showing no signs of recovery even as some major sports prepare to compete again.

Comscore will continue to monitor these trends and provide ongoing insights on its Coronavirus Insights Hub. To learn more about how Comscore can provide you with custom insights into media consumption or help you to engage with COVID-19 content in a way that makes sense for your brand, contact us today.

About Comscore
Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With a data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore allows media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry's emerging, third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement. To learn more, visit www.comscore.com

 

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-finds-consumers-shifting-focus-to-sports-and-outdoor-activities-as-travel-and-events-remain-largely-paused-301097408.html

SOURCE Comscore

FAQ

What does Comscore (SCOR) report about consumer spending trends in July 2020?

Comscore reports a shift in consumer spending towards Sports & Outdoor activities, with significant increases in site visits despite challenges in overall spending.

How much did visits to Sports & Outdoor sites rise according to Comscore's July 2020 report?

Visits to Sports & Outdoor sites increased by 71% in April 2020 and 86% in May 2020.

What challenges are reported in the Apparel category by Comscore?

Despite increased engagement, spending in the Apparel category declined by 14% in May 2020, partly due to a shift to discount-oriented sites.

What is happening with the Tickets & Events category as per Comscore's findings?

The Tickets & Events category continues to struggle with no signs of recovery, even with some major sports preparing to compete again.