Lifting Lockdown Led To Surge In Ways To Find Liquor: SEMrush study
SEMrush study shows how much pent up demand exists for alcohol in India. The study found that since the opening of liquor shops in India, searches having keywords ‘buy liquor online’ increased by 900%. Searches having keywords ‘liquor home delivery’, ‘liquor home delivery near me’, ‘liquor shops’, and ‘wine shops near me’ rose by 700%, 600%, 450%, and 406% respectively. Other keywords for which searches increased sharply include ‘buy liquor’, ‘home delivery of alcohol’, ‘buy beer online’, ‘buy alcohol’, ‘buy wine online’, ‘wine home delivery’, and ‘buy whisky online’; searches for each keyword increased by 334%, 334%, 310%, 308%, 243%, 203%, and 72% respectively.
The study hints that there is a great deal of pent up demand in India. As new businesses open, they will experience a massive surge in demand for products and services. The idea that pent up demand will be unleashed as the economy opens has been discussed extensively by economists and business people. The considerable increase in online searches for alcohol shows that pent up demand is a genuine phenomenon and will be visible to all once lockdowns are lifted. Yet not all businesses will benefit from such demand.
While the SEMrush study shows that there is considerable demand for alcohol, it also reveals that many are still extremely cautious of COVID-19. The highest increase in searches was for 'buy liquor online', 'liquor home delivery', and 'liquor home delivery near me'. These searches suggest that while people want to have alcohol, they are wary of going outside to purchase liquor. Online searches to have alcohol delivered home hint firmly that even after all restrictions are lifted, most educated people will be wary of coming too close to others and entering the premises of businesses.
The SEMrush study hints at how much demand exists for products and services similar to alcohol. However, premises like hotels, bars, and clubs are unlikely to benefit from any pent up demand once lockdowns are lifted. This is because those who are likeliest to enter such premises are undoubtedly wary of becoming infected by COVID-19. As a consequence, businesses that can deliver products to consumers' doorsteps will be the greatest beneficiaries of pent up demand.
Speaking about the results of the study Fernando Angulo, Head of Communications, SEMrush said ‘Our study has revealed how a post lockdown world will look. Globally many are speculating that consumers will be wary for some time of entering clubs, bars, hotels, busses, aeroplanes etc. Our study provides irrefutable proof that the global narrative is correct. While consumers will want the same goods and services they enjoyed before the lockdown, they will find ways to have such products and services delivered to their homes. This presents a huge opportunity to businesses that can meet this pent up demand by delivering services and products to consumers' doorsteps’.
