Retro is back: three in five US consumers regularly buy vintage

• A study into changing consumer relationships with commerce has uncovered the nation's obsession with vintage – from what we buy, to how we buy it
• Three fifths of US shoppers regularly buy vintage, and many miss old products, old stores and even old jingles
• 2010s and 1990s, the most popular decades that shoppers would return to if given the chance to relive old-school purchasing

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Three in five (60%) US consumers regularly buy vintage items, while significant numbers wish they could revisit the shopping experience of decades past, according to new research from omnichannel customer engagement platform Emarsys.

The study of 2,041 American shoppers found that 23% shop vintage to decorate their home, 19% for pure sentimental value, and 17% as a retro hobby. With 22% of Americans resolving to buy less often (as they're concerned about overconsumption), and 21% vowing to shop more sustainably at the start of the year, there's also a moral motivation to reliving the past. *

Classic brands and products populate the vintage purchase list, with VHS tapes, Etch-a-Sketch, Polaroid cameras (all 23%) and lava lamps and mood rings (22%) proving the most popular. In many cases, these items recall a more peaceful time, with 20% of Americans agreeing that they missed "simpler times" where they weren't exposed 24/7 to brands across different mediums.

Such items not only function in a way that is familiar for consumers, but they also serve as a slice of childhood nostalgia for consumers to take home. 31% of consumers specifically identified iconic TV commercials as something they missed from 90s marketing and shopping, with buying product through infomercials/catalogs (27%), and iconic TV jingles (24%), close behind.

These numbers closely reflect the proportion of shoppers that expressed a preference for shopping in previous decades: 22% would like to revisit the stores and malls of the 1990s, while a similar 19% would head back to the 1980s to make their purchases if they could. The physical stores Americans would most happily travel back through time for include Radio Shack (24%), Blockbuster (22%), Circuit City (15%) and Borders (13%).

With the influence of vintage sweeping across the entire nation – from inspiring fashion design to becoming core content for influencers around the world – it might not be a surprise that all ages are embracing the trend. Almost three quarters (72%) of 25-34s buy vintage, followed by 71% of 35-44s, 57% of 45-54s, and 39% of those 55+.

Sara Richter, CMO at Emarsys, commented: "Retro is back! With the revival of bargain and nostalgia hunting through open markets like The RealReal and eBay, to shows like Stranger Things championing retro in pop culture, and vintage becoming a whole genre for influencer content, it's no surprise that today's shoppers are hungry for the products of their past. What is even more interesting is that it's not just what people are buying — how they're buying is also undergoing a retro revival.

"People are craving the personal, face-to-face service from the past – but it doesn't have to just be physical stores meeting this demand for personal, friendly customer service. Shoppers are looking for retro experiences everywhere — even online, and that means they're searching for shopping experiences that tap their individual emotions and are crafted with them in mind, to wherever they prefer to shop.

"Shoppers are signaling that they want to be tailored to, and retailers must react -  by using the data people are giving to them to create targeted 1:1 personalized offers that will really cut through the competition and show consumers they're listening. In the age of nostalgia, a broad-brush approach just won't cut it.

Nimesh Shah, Marketing Director at Feel Good Contacts, commented, "Vintage is on demand now more than ever; everyone is still after a simple and traditional shopping experience.

"Emarsys' data and insights have shown us that apart from price, convenience is an important factor when shopping online, where new and existing customers need their journeys to be quick and easy.

"By personalizing and segmenting to the individual user, we're able to drive more sales and acquire new customers. As technology is continuously changing, it's important we adapt and make sure we provide a seamless experience for all our users." 

To keep up with evolving consumer demand, marketing has dramatically shifted in the last few years. Understanding how shoppers were influenced in the past — as well as how technology impacts the present and will continue to impact the future of shopping — allows marketers to develop a deeper understanding of how they can provide the best possible customer experience.

To that end, Emarsys is encouraging consumers, brands, and marketers all over the world to attend the Emarsys Power To The Marketer festival, in association with Vogue Business, from October 4 - 6, 2022. During this three-day event, leading brands including Gibson, Saks OFF 5^TH and Reformation, will come together to celebrate marketers and the impact they make every day. This festival will take place live online, in-person, and on-demand, and you can register for free.

About Emarsys
Emarsys, an SAP company, is the omnichannel customer engagement platform that empowers marketers to build, launch, and scale personalized, cross-channel campaigns that drive business outcomes.

We partner with more than 1,500 companies from global enterprises to fast-moving mid-market brands across industries.

• Emarsys is purpose-built to give more power to marketers so they can:
• Accelerate time to value by quickly onboarding data and channels to deploy cross-channel campaigns
• Deliver real-time, 1:1 personalization that builds trusted, loyal, and lasting customer relationships with every interaction
• Succeed with proven guidance to make smart, quick decisions with data-driven insights and analytics
• Produce measurable results that drive predictable and profitable growth throughout the customer lifecycle

Methodology
Study of 2,041 US Nationally Representative consumers, conducted between 01.04.22 and 04.04.22.

*Study of 2,060 US consumers, conducted between 12.17.2021 and 12.21.2021 

SOURCE Emarsys