Author: Kick Writers

Kick Writers are a crew of loyalty lovers and savvy Shopkickers fueled by caffeine and curiosity. From sharing the best ways to rack up kicks to smart shopping hacks, they’ve covered it all — and they’re on a mission to make earning rewards as fun as it is easy.

American Shopping Behavior Evolving Weekly Amidst COVID-19 Crisis

Posted on by Kick Writers

Essential items remain out-of-stock on store shelves, consumers tightening belts on nonessential items. 

As COVID-19 continues to impact Americans’ daily lives, new updates and stricter regulations paired with growing concerns about the virus have led to drastic changes in consumer shopping behavior in just a matter of weeks, according to a new Shopkick survey. After comparing the new data with two previous surveys – the first in mid-March, the other in early April – we found key differences in consumer behavior related to in-store shopping, spending on non-essential items, health precautions and more.

In this latest study, we surveyed more than 20,000 consumers across the country between April 16-20, 2020 to gain insights into how consumer behavior has changed as the COVID-19 situation evolves.

Key findings include:

Growing concerns are changing shopping behavior. In the March survey, 76 percent of consumers said concerns about the virus were affecting their shopping habits. Now, with national stay-at-home orders in effect and people having a much clearer understanding of how the virus spreads, that number has jumped to 82 percent, with 45 percent of consumers also saying they were more concerned.

Consumers are frequenting new retailers more often. Consumers remain open to trying new brands and products, with more taking advantage of varied inventory at different types of retailers. The number of consumers visiting a wider range of store types increased in the latest survey, with a higher percentage saying they were shopping in grocery stores (77 percent in April, 72 percent in March), big box retailers (72 percent in April, 69 percent in March), drug stores (45 percent in April, 42 percent in March), dollar stores (35 percent in April, 32 percent in March), club stores (29 percent in April, 27 percent in March) and convenience stores (20 percent in April, 19 percent in March).

Americans are only braving stores once a week. In the March survey, 50 percent of consumers said they averaged one trip to the store per week. Now, with social distancing orders in effect across the country, that number has increased to 60 percent, with a near 10 percent drop in more frequent shopping trips across the board.

Health precautions now include wearing gloves and masks. Ninety-one percent of consumers now take additional health precautions while shopping in-store, compared to 85 percent previously. These precautions include disinfecting hands and shopping carts (89 percent), using debit/credit cards to avoid exchanging cash (68 percent), shopping at less busy times (67 percent) and using self-checkout (53 percent). Due to new government regulations, many shoppers are also wearing protective masks (78 percent) and gloves (42 percent) while in stores.

Younger shoppers are still stocking up. America’s youngest consumers are continuing to fill their shopping carts with essential items. Most Gen Zers (67 percent) and Millennials (58 percent) said they were still stocking up this month, compared to less than half of Gen Xers (49 percent) and Boomers (42 percent).

Consumers are spending less on non-essential purchases. In March, slightly more than half of consumers said they were spending less on non-essential purchases (52 percent). Now, that number has increased to 67 percent.

Toilet paper is still out of stock. Americans are still struggling to find essential items on store shelves, with 64 percent reporting these items as sold out or low-in-stock. Consumers said the most out-of-stock essentials included toilet paper (91 percent), cleaning supplies (81 percent), paper towels (71 percent) and medical items like masks and gloves (59 percent). Meanwhile, other essentials like soups and canned goods (37 percent), baby wipes (35 percent), pasta (33 percent), painkillers and medicine (23 percent) and pet supplies (eight percent) appeared to be making their way back to shelves.

Similar data was uncovered by Trax, the parent company of Shopkick. The leading global provider of computer vision solutions and analytics for retail looked at two weeks of shelf inventory data (March 30 – April 10) from more than 300 stores across a variety of U.S. retailers. Trax processed over 50,000 images of shelves carrying 10 essential product categories to understand the reality of shelf availability in store.

This broad picture of actual product availability depicts similar findings to what consumers reported seeing totally out-of-stock and low-in-stock items included toilet paper (92 percent), cleaning supplies (53 percent) and baby wipes (46 percent). Meanwhile, painkillers, pasta, soups and pet supplies were mostly in-stock.

“As the realities of COVID-19 sink in and we get a better grasp on how to combat the virus, consumers will continue to change their shopping behaviors to match,” said Dave Fisch, general manager of Shopkick. “We have already seen ebbs and flows in actual purchasing behavior as Americans figure out how to navigate the situation for themselves and their families. We hope that by providing the most up-to-date data, we can help paint the full picture of what retailers and consumers are experiencing during these rapidly changing times.”

Get in touch for more information on our continued efforts to help our partners navigate shifting consumer behaviors during these unprecedented times.

 

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3 Easy No Knead Bread Recipes

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Have you made bread while quarantined at home? We have been adding new recipes to try to our ever evolving lists, and we have to admit how much fun we have been having in our own kitchens, not to mention watching other people embrace making new recipes in their own spaces. We have tried a few bread recipes over the past few weeks, and we think we’ve narrowed down the three easiest options. Below, we’re sharing all of the details so you can check “bake bread” off of your list (and likely add it right back on once you taste the results). 

1. No Knead Focaccia:

In our book, you can never go wrong with a recipe from Bon Appetit. We spotted this No Knead Focaccia recipe on Instagram and set aside a Sunday to bake this bread. It quickly became a family favorite! The bread will rise once inside your fridge and a second time on your counter, so we recommend starting to prep the dough early in the morning. Serve it with pasta for a fun Italian dinner night meal or cut slices in half for delicious sandwiches!

2. Brown Sugar Banana Bread:

If you have never baked bread before, banana bread is a great place to start! You will not need to purchase yeast to make this recipe come to life, and it’s a great way to make sure to use bananas even if they have become a bit too ripe to eat. The ingredient that makes this recipe different is in the name: brown sugar. Serve for breakfast or enjoy a slice (or two!) as a snack in the afternoon. Your family will love this recipe! 

Brown Sugar Banana Bread | www.shopkick.com

3. No Knead Bread:

This No Knead Bread is another tested and loved recipe by the Shopkick team! Oftentimes, bread needs to be kneaded, which makes the process of prepping it feel a little more daunting. This bread makes a classic loaf once baked, and there is no kneading involved. You’ll want to start prepping the dough the day before you want to eat it, so keep that in mind. Also, the author of the recipe walks through the steps of using a Dutch Oven and not, so the post is definitely worth reading.

Happy bread baking, Shopkickers! Share your results on Facebook.

4 Mother’s Day Crafts for Kids

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Mother’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate all the amazing women in your kids’ lives. Here are four fun and heartfelt crafts your kids can create at home — no fancy supplies required. 

 

Let’s jump in! 

 

1. Mother’s Day Interview

This one’s simple and adorable. Ask your child a series of questions about their favorite lady  —anything from “What’s her favorite food?” to “Why do you love her?” Have them write or dictate their answers, then draw a portrait of her to go with it. Frame it up and drop it in the mail, or leave it on her doorstep! 

 

2. “I Wished for You” Fingerprint Art

Create a dandelion blowing in the wind using watercolor paints and your child’s fingerprints. Use thumbs to stamp the “seeds” around the page. It’s colorful, creative, and perfect for framing. A fun and meaningful keepsake. 

 

3. Simile Poem

Great for older kids! Have them write a poem using similes to describe their mom or special someone (“She’s as kind as a…”). Add a hand-drawn border or a mini portrait, and voilà — you’ve got a personalized masterpiece ready to gift or mail. 

 

4. Heart Photo Shoot

This one’s a favorite! Cut out hearts in different sizes and colors, tape them to a wall in a swooping pattern, and snap a photo of your child “blowing” them from their hands. It’s a sweet visual way to send love — perfect for texting, emailing, or printing and mailing to loved ones. 

 

Whichever craft your kids choose, it’s all about celebrating the love they have for the women who care for and inspire them.

5 Books Turned into Shows to Watch on Hulu

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Since the debut of streaming services, like Hulu, there has felt like there is a complete plethora of new movies and series. That’s definitely beneficial now while many of us are practicing physical distancing at home! We’re always most curious to watch shows that originated as books because we’re eager to see how the production and creative teams have changed the storylines (if at all). So, today we’re highlighting five books turned into TV shows that you can start streaming now on Hulu! 

1. Little Fires Everywhere

Celeste Ng’s “Little Fires Everywhere” debuted in March as a new series on Hulu, and Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s production company, is one of the teams behind the series. Reese also stars in the show as Elena, one of the main characters, along with Kerry Washington, who plays Mia – an artist who moves to town with her daughter Pearl. Through twists and turns, the series follows both women and their families as their lives intertwine in the ‘90s in Shaker Heights, Ohio. You will be guessing about who started the little fires you see in the first scene until the very end of episode eight when the season comes to a close. We’re already hoping there will be a season two!

2. Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies” is one of the author’s most well received novels. It weaves together the story about Madeline, Celeste, and Jane, and the book opens with a murder. The book felt made for TV, so when Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley debuted on the screen as the famed characters, the series was immediately a cult favorite. The first season featured seven episodes, and fans were quickly requesting a second season. The creative team happily obliged, so there are currently two seasons available on Hulu!

3. Pretty Little Liars

If you enjoy YA novels with a mysterious twist, you will likely be a fan of “Pretty Little Liars”. The book series is set outside of Philadelphia, and it centers around the lives of five high school best friends. The problem is one of their friends, Alison, is found dead in her yard, and the four remaining friends keep receiving messages from “A”. Who is “A”? You’ll have to watch the series, which is available on Hulu, to find out! There are seven seasons available.

4. Pride & Prejudice

In 1995, Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” debuted on the BBC starring Colin Firth. Now, the famed novel and series are both available for you to stream on Hulu. There is only one season available, but it does tell the complete story of the Bennett sisters and their love interests, including Mr. Darcy.

5. Younger

Can Liza successfully find a new job in publishing after raising her daughter? Will her peers believe she’s half her age? “Younger” originated as a book by the same name by Pamela Redmond Satran, and the series, which is set in New York City, follows the same arc (with new twists, of course). Starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff, the series is reminiscent of “Gilmore Girls” if Lorelai and Rory were living in the city. There are currently six seasons of “Younger” available on Hulu, and the next season will hopefully debut later this year on TV Land. 

Will you read the book before watching the series? And, which series piques your interest the most? Let us know on Facebook!

10 Pantry Essentials to Always Have on Hand

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Today, we’re excited to team up with Joy of Mom as they reveal the 10 pantry items they suggest we always have on hand. The timing for this post feels perfect because we’re all spending more time at home, and our kitchens feel like they’ve never been used more as we continue to whip up new recipes for our families. Below, Joy of Mom shares their top staples as well as why they are important and how you can use them to make your own recipes. We hope you will feel newly inspired in your kitchen!

1. Flour

We always have all purpose flour on hand, and I try to keep 00 flour and gluten free flour on hand. We use these to make homemade pastas, bread, flour tortillas, and anything that has a roux base like a lasagna or mac n cheese. 

2. Olive Oil

We try to buy organic when we can. We use extra virgin olive oil for salad dressing, marinating, sautéing vegetables, prepping anything that is going to go on the grill, as well as browning meats. 

3. Kosher Salt

We try to purchase a really good brand of salt,  I use it for cooking, marinades, salad dressings and table side to add extra seasoning to anything we are eating. 

4. Rice

I try to keep a couple of different varieties of rice on hand. We always have Jasmine rice on hand because I think it is the most versatile. I love Forbidden rice cooked in coconut milk. It’s an amazing rice to make risotto and as a side or base for a lot of recipes. 

5. Diced Tomatoes

I use this to make homemade spaghetti sauce and shakshuka, in any kind of soup that has a tomato base, as well as to thicken up things like stews. 

6. Coconut Milk

I try to buy organic when I can. It is great to cook your rice in this! Anytime I am doing an asian dish, I cook the rice with ½ coconut milk and ½ water, and it adds great flavor. It is a great base for currys – we make a lot of fish and chicken curry. It is also a great staple for baking.

7. Quinoa

My favorite is the Tri-Color Quinoa. We cook this in broth to add flavor and like to add a tiny bit of diced onions, spinach, and parmesan while it is cooking. It is a great side for salmon and chicken, and you can use it as a base for chili as well as some soup recipes. 

8. Beans

I always have garbanzo (chickpeas) on hand. We use this for homemade hummus or toast them up and put them with sautéed mushrooms and kale with pasta or throw them on a salad. Any kind of butter beans, Italian beans, or kidney beans can be used in soups or chili or can make a great side if you add a little bit of spice. 

9. Olives

I usually try to keep two types on hand – Castelvetrano and Greek olives. I usually buy the pitted kind because they are easier to work with. I use them for cocktails- but you can also slice them up and add them to your pastas, put them on top of avocado toast, or on a cheese board. 

10. Tahini   

Tahini, which is just crushed up sesame seeds, is a staple for us. It is a base ingredient for hummus which we make often.  You can use it as a base to make a bunch of salad dressings if you mix it with a little bit of sriracha, miso paste, or lemon juice. We also love to spread it on toast with a little bit of honey! 

Make sure to visit the app to view Joy of Mom’s video about pantry staples, and check out our Facebook community for more inspiration.

How to Keep Your House Clean

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Anyone else feel like they are constantly cleaning? Through researching and talking with friends and family to ask for opinions, we’ve landed on five tips that we’re already putting to the test.

Put Things Away:

It’s tempting to allow dishes to sit in your dishwasher, laundry to remain unfolded, and toys to stay where kids were last playing with them, but try to put things away instead. Run your dishwasher overnight and put your dishes away while you’re waiting for coffee to brew in the morning. Fold your laundry in your laundry room so you only need to put it away. Ask your kids to put away their toys at the end of the day so they can start playing again in an organized space the next day. By putting things away as you go, you won’t have to spend more than a few moments tidying up at any one time. 

Clean Room-by-Room:

We like to clean each room completely – whether we’re cleaning it quickly or doing a deeper clean – rather than jumping from room to room. By doing this, we’ve found it’s easy to stick to a schedule. Another idea is to do a task a day (i.e.: vacuum, dust, mop, etc.).

Let Small Tasks Add Up:

When we think of small tasks, many of the chores we’ve mentioned, like running and emptying the dishwasher and putting things away, come to mind. We can also add sticking to a laundry schedule, sorting through mail, making sure keys are kept in a central location, and shoes aren’t scattered to the list. If you have kids, they can easily help to ensure these small tasks add up throughout the week – it’s their space too!

Do a Quick Clean: 

Sometimes when we think about cleaning a room, we think we need to completely scrub down every corner of the space. In most cases, that doesn’t have to be true! You can quickly clean a space by dusting or wiping down surfaces, vacuuming, and generally tidying up within 20-30 minutes. By completing a quick clean of high traffic spaces, like bedrooms and bathrooms, frequently, you will feel confident cutting back on the amount of times you choose to deep clean the same rooms.

Create a Playlist:   

Cleaning does not have to be something you dread! One of the best ways we’ve found to enjoy the time we spend tidying is by creating a playlist. Look to songs that put you in a great mood and want to move with purpose or cue up a podcast or two to listen to while you clean. Either promises to take your mind off of what you’re actually doing (cleaning!) while making you feel encouraged to complete the task even faster. 

What are your top tips for cleaning? We’re ready to hear what you do! Leave your comments for us on Facebook.

3 Ways to Engage Young Readers

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Happy Thursday, Shopkickers! First grade teacher Mrs. Lamb filmed another segment today on Facebook Live. Because we want to make sure we’re answering the questions you have, Mrs. Lamb answered one of your questions today. She shared three great tips about how to keep young readers engaged, and we have the recap below.

Lego Sight Words

Mrs. Lamb touched on the importance of sight words for young readers, and she revealed a fun new way to help students to learn them – Legos! Simply write one letter on one (or both) sides of a Lego brick. Keep going until you have a collection. Then ask your student to create sight words with the lettered bricks.

By participating in this learning activity, they’re learning about:

  • Fine Motor Skills – The act of making mini groupings of Legos helps with this.
  • Letter Identification – Your student must know which letter is on the Lego in order to use it.
  • Spelling – Your student is learning how to spell their sight words while they’re building.
  • Sentences – Once your student has built a few words, ask him or her to create sentences using the groupings.

Roll + Read

Similar to creating words with Legos, Roll + Read allows kids to be interactive while reviewing sight words. The idea is simple: create a mini board with the numbers 1-6 written vertically down the side. Next to each number add three sight words across the board horizontally. It helps to use a whiteboard if possible!

In order to learn, your student will roll a dice and choose a word from the row associated with the dice’s number from the board. They will read it out loud, and as long as it’s correct, erase it from the board. This is a great activity for kids to do independently, and you could also turn it into a game to see how fast the board can be completed. Then, decide on a fun reading reward! 

How to make a whiteboard:

  • DVD Case:
    • Remove the front and back covers from a white DVD case. Leave the plastic on.
    • Use a permanent or whiteboard marker to write on the board.
    • Use an old sock to erase.
  • One Gallon Bag:
    • Place white computer paper inside a zipped one gallon bag. If you use a mini stack, it will be easier to write on the board.
    • A permanent marker, whiteboard marker, and an old sock work here too.

Roll + Retell

Mrs. Lamb’s final tip to engage young readers is called Roll + Retell. This PDF from Fun in First is a great tool because it offers prompts for readers to answer about the key components of a story, like characters, setting, and more. Each component of a story is associated with a number from a dice, so you or your student will want to roll the dice in order to see which story question they should answer. Roll + Retell is interactive and fun, plus it’s also ensuring your student is learning and absorbing while enjoying listening or reading books. 

If you’re looking for great story resources, visit YouTube! Plenty of authors, illustrators, and celebrities have been taking to the internet to read to young students. Your kids will be busy for a while!

How do you encourage your young reader to read? Let us know and make sure to tune into Mrs. Lamb’s next Facebook Live segment on Tuesday!

80% of consumers still plan to celebrate Mother’s Day

Posted on by Kick Writers

Although the impact of COVID-19 is being felt across the country, the majority of Americans still plan on celebrating Mom come May 10. The celebration may just look a little different than last year. We surveyed more than 25,000 consumers to gain insights into Mother’s Day plans and preparations during this uncertain time.  Continue reading “80% of consumers still plan to celebrate Mother’s Day”

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