Source: Jillian Dudek
It’s clear that seasonal living is shifting the way people shop in shore communities. While tourism, second-home purchases and year-round visits will likely always be significant components of the regional economy of Ocean City and surrounding shoreline communities, there appears to be increasing movement in terms of consumer shopping behaviors within the region. Coastal communities in southern New Jersey are reporting increased levels of consumer activity extending beyond the typical summer season.
Locals and business owners are noticing that the Jersey Shore is no longer viewed strictly as a seasonal destination. A growing number of travelers are now remaining for longer periods, remote workers are choosing to spend extended amounts of time working at the coast and a large portion of second-home owners are beginning to visit the coast through various seasons rather than just during the summer months.
Additionally, with these developments, shopper buying habits are also undergoing an evolution.
Increasingly, travelers, seasonal homeowners and remote workers alike are using online shopping during their visits to the shore. Rather than having to visit several retailers to find everyday items (such as household necessities, electronics, seasonal items, outdoor products, travel-related goods and/or other personal items), consumers are increasingly opting to use the Internet to locate products quickly that can then be shipped to them either at the location they are currently residing or at the location they plan to reside when they arrive.
This trend represents a larger national pattern of how flexible lifestyles and digital convenience are transforming the manner in which consumers make purchasing decisions.
Tourism-based communities tend to see particularly high demand for flexible purchasing options during peak travel periods. For example, during busy weekend days and major events, local retail inventory can rapidly adjust upward as visitor numbers rise. Online marketplaces provide customers with greater flexibility by providing access to a much wider selection of products than those that may be immediately available in nearby physical stores.
With the ongoing development of American consumers dividing time between permanent residence locations, vacation homes and temporary accommodations, digital commerce convenience is being integrated into the daily lives of individuals who live along coastal shores.
Chris Baton, CEO of EveryMarket notes that consumers increasingly expect seamless access to all types of products, regardless of the location in which they are residing or traveling.
"Today's consumers value convenience, speed and diversity of product offerings regardless of if they are at home or visiting some other community," Baton stated. "Online marketplace platforms allow consumers to quickly obtain products across numerous categories independent of local inventory availability."
Baton continued by stating that mobile lifestyles were shaping consumer behavior nationally; as consumers became accustomed to utilizing digital commerce for routine shopping needs, it was becoming easier for consumers to do so.
Ecommerce platforms that service a broad geographic area, including EveryMarket.com
are capitalizing on this emerging trend by assisting consumers in locating products across numerous categories from a single online marketplace platform. Examples include; household essentials and electronic devices, seasonal items and every day convenience items among others. Online marketplaces continue to attract consumers seeking flexibility and accessibility.
In coastal communities, analysts state that hybrid shopping behavior is developing. In addition to continuing to shop locally while dining, taking advantage of boardwalk businesses and shopping in neighborhood stores, consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping for convenience, product variety and shipping/delivery options.
Contrary to eliminating the need for brick-and-mortar businesses, ecommerce is complementing the existing retail landscape in coastal communities. Frequently, consumers opt to both shop in person for certain products and order products online based upon availability, price, timing and/or convenience needs.
Remote work has also played a role in the changing retail habits in shore communities. As professionals continue to regularly shop online while temporarily living outside of large metropolitan areas while away from their respective offices/employments, it has created long-term increases in demand for year-round ecommerce in traditionally seasonal areas.
While there continues to be growth in local infrastructure improvements, hospitality investment and increased tourism related activity throughout the year in coastal communities; these economic developments continue to foster a more digitally connected consumer environment that incorporates online shopping in making purchasing decisions on a daily basis.
As Ocean City and surrounding coastal communities evolve beyond traditional seasonal trends, experts believe that flexible online shopping behaviors will remain highly aligned with the future of consumer activity at the Jersey Shore.
