Assistant Professor Smaraki Mohanty co-authored research on the shift of consumer behaviors towards brands during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a wave of changes in consumer behavior, notably a shift towards private-label brands. Assistant Professor Smaraki Mohanty in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business has co-authored research titled, “Pandemic-led brand switch: Consumer stickiness for private-label brands,” which explores this trend.
The scarcity of national brands during the pandemic caused many consumers to turn to private-label brands for their needs. The research indicates that this switch had a lasting impact on buyer behavior. Even as national brands became available again, consumers continued to purchase private-label products.
The study utilized a mix of data analysis and experimental research to arrive at its conclusions. Sales data from the Private-label Manufacturers Association and NielsonIQ provided a look at market trends from 2018 to 2023.
The experimental research presented participants with pandemic scenarios and measured their repurchase intentions, perceived helpfulness, and emotional attachment to private-label brands.
“We found that the availability of private-label brands during the pandemic significantly increased consumers’ perception of their helpfulness,” Mohanty said. “This, in turn, fostered a strong emotional attachment, leading to continued purchases even after the initial crisis.”
The study suggests that private-label brands should focus on maintaining reliability to keep their new customers, while national brands need to develop strategies to win back consumer trust and loyalty.
Mohanty co-authored the research published in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour with Assistant Professor Satadruta Mookherjee at Grenoble Ecole de Management, France, Assistant Professor Savisesh Malampallayil at SUNY and Assistant Professor Nhu Tran at the University of Richmond.
Mohanty joined Elon University in 2021. Her research interests include consumer behavior, brand management, and marketing strategies.