Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
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- Figure 1: Total US retail ecommerce sales and fan chart forecast, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 2: Made an online purchase in the last 30 days, by Black consumers vs all, 2010-20
- Impact of COVID-19 on Black consumers and online shopping
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- Figure 3: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on Black consumers and online shopping, May 2021
- Opportunities and challenges
- Meet the Mavens
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- Figure 4: Key characteristics and attitudes, by Mavens online shopping segment, January 2021
- Be mobile-friendly to capture consumers who are mobile-first
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- Figure 5: Key characteristics and attitudes, by Black consumers who use smartphones to shop, January 2021
- Be an ally
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- A large and important audience
- Pandemic spurs an ecommerce boom
- Black online shopping also grows, but at a slower rate
- Digital divide, lack of credit could impede online shopping
- Over 45 million and growing
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- Figure 6: US population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2016-26
- Economic opportunity challenges
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- Figure 7: US household income distribution and median, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2019
- More young consumers
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- Figure 8: US population by age, by all and Black, 2021
- More likely to live in cities
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- Figure 9: Population by county type and race/ethnic origin, 2016
US eCommerce Market Size and Forecast
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- Pandemic gains slow but make a lasting impact
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- Figure 10: Total US retail ecommerce sales and fan chart forecast, at current prices, 2015-25
- Black consumers were catching up prior to COVID-19
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- Figure 11: Made an online purchase in the last 30 days, by Black consumers vs all, 2010-20
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- Figure 12: Average number of online purchases in the last 30 days, by Black consumers vs all, 2010-20
- Disproportionate pain from COVID-19 slows Black spending
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- Figure 13: Shopping online more due to COVID-19, by Black consumers vs all, April 2020-February 2021
- Impact of COVID-19 on Black consumers and online shopping
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- Figure 14: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on Black consumers and online shopping, May 2021
- Immediate impact
- Short term
- Recovery
- Learnings from the Great Recession
Market Factors
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- A persistent but narrowing digital divide
- Smartphones a critical channel
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- Figure 15: Black consumers’ smartphone ownership and attitudes, January 2021
- Limited access to credit cards
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- Figure 16: Credit card ownership, by race and Hispanic origin, May 2020
- “Shopping while Black”
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- Figure 17: Black consumers’ views on store discrimination, 2015-20
- Urban dwellers more likely to buy online
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- Figure 18: Online shopping frequency, by urban area, January 2021
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Adopt equitable principles
- Make it easier to “buy Black”
- Go mobile
- It’s all in the game
Competitive Strategies
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- Trend Drivers underpin competitive strategies
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- Figure 19: Mintel Trend Drivers and Pillars – Rights, Identity and Surroundings
- Sephora addresses equity issues from the ground up
- Amazon, Target, Belk support “for us by us”
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- Figure 20: Bold Xchange ecommerce site
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- Figure 21: Target Hilton Carter ad
Market Opportunities
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- Think mobile
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- Figure 22: ShopSavvy App
- Offer value – even for those without access to credit
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- Figure 23: Dosh App
- Bring on the fun – and games
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Three segments engage in varied levels of online shopping
- Lower frequency than the norm, but young, affluent buy most often
- Opportunities for personalization
- Growing range of goods purchased online
- Value particularly important for seniors
- Shipping costs a potential concern
- Out of stock, security issues frustrate Black shoppers
- Positive feelings about online shopping
Black Consumer Segmentation – Online Shopping
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- Three segments with different approaches to online shopping
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- Figure 24: Black consumer online shopper segments, January 2021
- Online shopping frequency, device usage by segments
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- Figure 25: Black consumers’ online shopping frequency segments, by online shopper segments, January 2021
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- Figure 26: Devices used by Black consumers to browse and buy online, by online shopper segments, January 2021
- Moderates (34%)
- Characteristics
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- Figure 27: Profile of Moderates shopper segment, January 2021
- Opportunities
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- Figure 28: What would motivate Black consumers to make more purchases online, by online shopping segments, January 2021
- Mainstreamers (31%)
- Characteristics
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- Figure 29: Profile of Mainstreamers online shopper segment, January 2021
- Opportunities
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- Figure 30: Black consumers’ online shopping frustrations, by online shopping segments, January 2021
- Mavens (34%)
- Characteristics
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- Figure 31: Profile of Mavens online shopper segment, January 2021
- Opportunities
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- Figure 32: Black consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping – Pro in-store, by online shopping segments, January 2021
Online Shopping Behavior
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- Black consumers shop online less often than the norm
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- Figure 33: Black consumers’ online shopping frequency, index to all, January 2021
- Younger, affluent groups most likely to buy online
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- Figure 34: Black consumers’ online shopping frequency, by age and income, January 2021
- Fathers shop online somewhat more frequently than mothers
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- Figure 35: Black consumers’ online shopping frequency, by gender and parental status, January 2021
- Heavy reliance on smartphones for browsing and buying
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- Figure 36: Devices Black consumers use to browse and buy online, index to all, January 2021
- Older consumers more likely to rely on PCs
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- Figure 37: Devices used by Black consumers to browse and buy online, by gender and age, January 2021
- Affluent consumers use PCs most; less affluent smartphones
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- Figure 38: Devices used by Black consumers to browse and buy online, by household income, January 2021
Key Elements of eCommerce
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- Important factors in the shopping journey
- Convenience somewhat less critical for Black consumers
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- Figure 39: Key elements of ecommerce, by Black consumers vs all, October 2020 and January 2021
- Interest in convenience rises with age
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- Figure 40: Black consumers’ top-ranked elements of ecommerce, by gender and age, January 2021
- Parents more interested in seamlessness, personalization
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- Figure 41: Black consumers’ top-ranked elements of ecommerce, by gender and parental status, January 2021
Categories Shopped Online
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- Comfort growing with online shopping
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- Figure 42: Product categories shopped for online, by Black consumers vs all, May 2020 and January 2021
- Women buy clothes, men gadgets and gear
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- Figure 43: Product categories Black consumers shop for online, by gender, January 2021
- Parents particularly likely to buy necessaries online
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- Figure 44: Product categories Black consumers shop for online, by parental status, January 2021
- City dwellers buy more types of products online
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- Figure 45: Product categories Black consumers shop for online, by area of residence, January 2021
Online Purchasing Motivations
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- Value a key driver
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- Figure 46: What would motivate Black consumers to make more purchases online, January 2021
- Combine value and convenience
- TURF Analysis
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- Figure 47: TURF Analysis – Online purchasing motivations, January 2021
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- Figure 48: Table – TURF Analysis – Online purchasing motivations, January 2021
- TURF Methodology
- Free shipping most effective with seniors
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- Figure 49: What would motivate Black consumers to make more purchases online, by gender and age, January 2021
- Discounts more of a draw for more affluent shoppers
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- Figure 50: What would motivate Black consumers to make more purchases online, by household income, January 2021
Barriers to Online Purchase Completion
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- High shipping can lead to abandoned carts
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- Figure 51: Barriers to Black consumers’ online purchase completion, indexed to all, January 2021
- Value, quality particularly key for older men
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- Figure 52: Barriers to Black consumers’ online purchase completion, by gender and age, January 2021
- Discounts appeal to Mavens
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- Figure 53: Barriers to Black consumers’ online purchase completion, by online shopping segments, January 2021
Online Shopping Frustrations
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- Black consumers concerned about site safety, performance
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- Figure 54: Black consumers’ online shopping frustrations, indexed to all, January 2021
- PC buyers more concerned about security, privacy
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- Figure 55: Black consumers’ online shopping frustrations, by device usage, January 2021
- Parents more concerned about finding what they need
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- Figure 56: Black consumers’ online shopping frustrations, by parental status, January 2021
Attitudes toward Online Shopping
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- High expectations for online shopping
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- Figure 57: Black consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping – Expectations, January 2021
- Affluent shoppers more driven by selection, convenience
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- Figure 58: Black consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping – Expectations, by age and income, January 2021
- Positive about online shopping
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- Figure 59: Black consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping – Pro-online, January 2021
- Parents particularly likely to enjoy online shopping
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- Figure 60: Black consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping – Pro-online, by parental status, January 2021
- Black consumers value a blended store/online experience
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- Figure 61: Black consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping – Pro in-store, January 2021
- Younger shoppers want the best of both worlds
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- Figure 62: Black consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping – Pro in-store, January 2021
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 63: Total US retail ecommerce sales and forecast, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 64: eCommerce share of total US retail sales, 2015-25
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Appendix – Trend Drivers
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- Figure 65: Mintel Trend Drivers and Pillars
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