The National Statistical Office announced on January 27 the “six promising consumer trends of 2014″ based on consumer and social data. (image:kobizmedia)
SEOUL, Korea, Jan 29 (Korea Bizwire) – The National Statistical Office announced on January 27 the “six promising consumer trends of 2014″ based on consumer and social data, which included the digital erasing job, thrifty wedding planning, marketing for middle-aged women, items for long-distance couples, pet caring services, and community-based business.
With more and more people leave their data on the Internet through social networking services and other sites, they often find themselves in trouble because of what they said in the past. In response, a variety of services is springing up to help them manage and delete old postings hidden somewhere on the net. Even some companies offer services for the family of the deceased to close web accounts and delete records, while archiving the digital records of the deceased. Some other service providers allow users to post messages and photos that disappear after a certain time interval.
Another promising trend for the year can be found in the business of thrifty wedding planning. As more couples opt to marry without an expensive wedding ceremony, companies offering services such as fixing old homes for the newlywed are increasingly on demand. Space-saving items such as the folding bed and wall-mounted washing machine are gaining popularity among young couples who tend to live in cramped houses. Given as many as 48 percent of Japanese newly-married couples did away with weddings, a National Statistical Office official said, the same trend may land in Korea any time soon.
According to household surveys by the statistical office, women in their 40s and 50s are increasingly assertive in financial decisions at home. The income growth rate of the middle-aged women is much higher than that for the young counterparts, with 60 percent of married women saying, “It is I who is in charge of household spending decision making.” In response to the sea change in the gender role, marketers are focusing more on the real holder of the purse strings when they pitch for cosmetic items, health foods, restaurant promotions, and the like.
Services catering to the needs of couples living apart during weekdays and meeting only in weekends are expected to emerge as a promising business. For example, the home-cooked food delivery service and items like the clothes steamer will gain more popularity as more couples are separated by distance. More and more pet-care goods and services such as pet funeral service, pet TV channels, pet health foods, and upscale pet strollers will be offered on the market. Consumers preferring to buy from community-based enterprises for items such as local foods or craft goods will increase as more people are conscious about being a smart consumer.
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