距離新冠疫苗上市已經(jīng)過去了21個月,但空氣中依舊聞不到愛情的味道。Signet Jewelers公布其銷量同比下滑9.3%,周四,該公司股價暴跌10.6%。其CEO吉娜·德羅索斯表示,導致銷量下滑的部分原因是疫情所造成的久久無法散去的孤獨感。
德羅索斯將公司令人失望的季度業(yè)績歸咎于兩個因素。首先是消費者面臨的經(jīng)濟壓力,例如區(qū)域性銀行倒閉、退稅額減少以及“美聯(lián)儲持續(xù)不斷地號稱”要通過加息提高失業(yè)率,進而抑制通脹。但第二個因素卻與經(jīng)濟無關(guān),而是因為盡管美國聯(lián)邦政府宣布全國疫情緊急狀況已經(jīng)結(jié)束,美國人卻依舊無法找到愛人。
德羅索斯對CNBC表示:“我們看到訂婚人數(shù)出現(xiàn)了暫時性停滯。人們不再約會。三年前,由于疫情防控措施,人們無法約會,我們預(yù)測這種狀況會持續(xù)下去,并在本日歷年年底開始反彈?!?/p>
疫情期間,Signet的收入下滑,但2021年開始恢復(fù)增長。然而,這種反彈的趨勢最近開始降溫,導致公司的收入較去年同季度下降了9.2%。
另外一個代表麻煩來臨的跡象是,周四公司將2024年的銷售額預(yù)測從76.7億至78.4億美元下調(diào)至71億至73億美元,原因是疫情導致約會減少和消費者日益節(jié)儉。
在經(jīng)歷過一連串令人失望的消息后,Signet的股價在周三下跌近12%,創(chuàng)下自9月以來的最大跌幅,而在本文發(fā)表的日期又進一步下跌。
Signet旗下包括Zales和Kay Jewelers等品牌,它并非唯一一家目前經(jīng)歷困境的婚慶零售商。4月,美國最大的婚慶公司David’s Bridal申請破產(chǎn)。
美國公共衛(wèi)生局5月的報告顯示,孤獨感和隔離最近達到了流行病的程度,這種狀況均與過早死亡有關(guān)。這份82頁的研究報告稱,尤其是年輕人變得比以往更加孤立,與二十年前相比,年輕人的社交互動減少了70%。報告還警告孤獨對身體的影響,包括增加智力衰退、中風和傳染病風險。
衛(wèi)生局局長維瓦克·默希上個月在NPR上表示:“對于人們目前所遭遇的痛苦,很難用金錢來衡量?!?/p>
經(jīng)歷過隔離、戴口罩和遠程辦公與遠程學習之后,許多人感覺他們需要重新學習如何社交。約會應(yīng)用Hinge的人際關(guān)系學總監(jiān)洛根·尤里用一個詞來形容約會方面出現(xiàn)的這種現(xiàn)象:FODA,即再次恐懼約會。
心理學家賈斯汀·普德爾對《財富》雜志表示:“人類是受習慣支配的生物。因此,我們被迫隔離了這么長時間,并被告知要警惕在我們的生活半徑以外的其他人,這會變成我們的習慣,并產(chǎn)生長期影響。因此當你開始走出家門,與陌生人約會時,你會產(chǎn)生某種程度的憂慮,這是可以理解的?!?/p>
普德爾還表示,新冠疫情期間的封鎖措施使許多人轉(zhuǎn)向了在線交往和約會模式,雖然約會應(yīng)用使“配對”變得更容易,但如果人們需要通過面對面互動建立親密關(guān)系,約會應(yīng)用反而會增加約會的難度。
新冠疫情加劇了持續(xù)50年之久的結(jié)婚率下降趨勢。自上世紀70年代以來,隨著年輕人開始放棄建立傳統(tǒng)的婚姻關(guān)系,結(jié)婚率下降了近60%。普德爾表示,這可能是由于財務(wù)壓力,因為年輕人發(fā)現(xiàn)維持生計變得越來越難。訂婚戒指價格昂貴,而且即使是準備結(jié)婚的情侶可能也不準備花費數(shù)千美元購買一件首飾。作為千禧一代的普德爾表示,他的許多同齡人無力買房,因此婚姻的成本通常也令他們難以承受。
普德爾表示:“雖然戒指和房子等許多物品并非結(jié)婚必不可少的條件,但人們在結(jié)婚時可能都會做好這些準備,可人們很難獲得買戒指或買房的資金。當你在思考‘我是否已經(jīng)做好結(jié)婚準備’的時候,這些壓力因素都會左右你的選擇?!?/p>
雖然不確定哪些因素導致了持續(xù)存在的孤獨流行病和約會困難,美國公共衛(wèi)生局的報告建議,限制“把過多時間用在屏幕前,而不是與人交往。”普德爾也認同這條建議。他表示,人們應(yīng)該盡量增加人際互動,多與朋友在一起,或者加入基于共同興趣的社區(qū)。(財富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
距離新冠疫苗上市已經(jīng)過去了21個月,但空氣中依舊聞不到愛情的味道。Signet Jewelers公布其銷量同比下滑9.3%,周四,該公司股價暴跌10.6%。其CEO吉娜·德羅索斯表示,導致銷量下滑的部分原因是疫情所造成的久久無法散去的孤獨感。
德羅索斯將公司令人失望的季度業(yè)績歸咎于兩個因素。首先是消費者面臨的經(jīng)濟壓力,例如區(qū)域性銀行倒閉、退稅額減少以及“美聯(lián)儲持續(xù)不斷地號稱”要通過加息提高失業(yè)率,進而抑制通脹。但第二個因素卻與經(jīng)濟無關(guān),而是因為盡管美國聯(lián)邦政府宣布全國疫情緊急狀況已經(jīng)結(jié)束,美國人卻依舊無法找到愛人。
德羅索斯對CNBC表示:“我們看到訂婚人數(shù)出現(xiàn)了暫時性停滯。人們不再約會。三年前,由于疫情防控措施,人們無法約會,我們預(yù)測這種狀況會持續(xù)下去,并在本日歷年年底開始反彈?!?/p>
疫情期間,Signet的收入下滑,但2021年開始恢復(fù)增長。然而,這種反彈的趨勢最近開始降溫,導致公司的收入較去年同季度下降了9.2%。
另外一個代表麻煩來臨的跡象是,周四公司將2024年的銷售額預(yù)測從76.7億至78.4億美元下調(diào)至71億至73億美元,原因是疫情導致約會減少和消費者日益節(jié)儉。
在經(jīng)歷過一連串令人失望的消息后,Signet的股價在周三下跌近12%,創(chuàng)下自9月以來的最大跌幅,而在本文發(fā)表的日期又進一步下跌。
Signet旗下包括Zales和Kay Jewelers等品牌,它并非唯一一家目前經(jīng)歷困境的婚慶零售商。4月,美國最大的婚慶公司David’s Bridal申請破產(chǎn)。
美國公共衛(wèi)生局5月的報告顯示,孤獨感和隔離最近達到了流行病的程度,這種狀況均與過早死亡有關(guān)。這份82頁的研究報告稱,尤其是年輕人變得比以往更加孤立,與二十年前相比,年輕人的社交互動減少了70%。報告還警告孤獨對身體的影響,包括增加智力衰退、中風和傳染病風險。
衛(wèi)生局局長維瓦克·默希上個月在NPR上表示:“對于人們目前所遭遇的痛苦,很難用金錢來衡量?!?/p>
經(jīng)歷過隔離、戴口罩和遠程辦公與遠程學習之后,許多人感覺他們需要重新學習如何社交。約會應(yīng)用Hinge的人際關(guān)系學總監(jiān)洛根·尤里用一個詞來形容約會方面出現(xiàn)的這種現(xiàn)象:FODA,即再次恐懼約會。
心理學家賈斯汀·普德爾對《財富》雜志表示:“人類是受習慣支配的生物。因此,我們被迫隔離了這么長時間,并被告知要警惕在我們的生活半徑以外的其他人,這會變成我們的習慣,并產(chǎn)生長期影響。因此當你開始走出家門,與陌生人約會時,你會產(chǎn)生某種程度的憂慮,這是可以理解的?!?/p>
普德爾還表示,新冠疫情期間的封鎖措施使許多人轉(zhuǎn)向了在線交往和約會模式,雖然約會應(yīng)用使“配對”變得更容易,但如果人們需要通過面對面互動建立親密關(guān)系,約會應(yīng)用反而會增加約會的難度。
新冠疫情加劇了持續(xù)50年之久的結(jié)婚率下降趨勢。自上世紀70年代以來,隨著年輕人開始放棄建立傳統(tǒng)的婚姻關(guān)系,結(jié)婚率下降了近60%。普德爾表示,這可能是由于財務(wù)壓力,因為年輕人發(fā)現(xiàn)維持生計變得越來越難。訂婚戒指價格昂貴,而且即使是準備結(jié)婚的情侶可能也不準備花費數(shù)千美元購買一件首飾。作為千禧一代的普德爾表示,他的許多同齡人無力買房,因此婚姻的成本通常也令他們難以承受。
普德爾表示:“雖然戒指和房子等許多物品并非結(jié)婚必不可少的條件,但人們在結(jié)婚時可能都會做好這些準備,可人們很難獲得買戒指或買房的資金。當你在思考‘我是否已經(jīng)做好結(jié)婚準備’的時候,這些壓力因素都會左右你的選擇?!?/p>
雖然不確定哪些因素導致了持續(xù)存在的孤獨流行病和約會困難,美國公共衛(wèi)生局的報告建議,限制“把過多時間用在屏幕前,而不是與人交往?!逼盏聽栆舱J同這條建議。他表示,人們應(yīng)該盡量增加人際互動,多與朋友在一起,或者加入基于共同興趣的社區(qū)。(財富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
It’s been 21 months since the COVID vaccine debuted, and love still isn’t in the air. Signet Jewelers stock slid 10.6% on Thursday after the company reported a 9.3% year-over-year decline in sales, and CEO Gina Drosos says lingering loneliness owing to the pandemic is partly to blame.
Drosos attributed the company’s disappointing quarter to two factors. The first are economic pressures on consumers such as regional bank failures, lower tax refunds, and a “continued narrative from the Fed” of reining in inflation by pushing unemployment higher through interest rate hikes. But the second factor isn’t economic—it’s that Americans are still struggling to find love despite the federal government declaring the national pandemic emergency over.
“We’re seeing a temporary lull in engagements,” Drosos said on CNBC. “People weren’t dating, they weren’t able to with the COVID lockdowns about three years ago, and so that’s a lull that we expect to continue, but really start to rebound toward the end of the calendar year.”
Signet’s revenue declined during the pandemic, but began to rise again in 2021. However, the rebound has recently cooled, causing revenue to fall 9.2% since this quarter last year.
In another sign of trouble, the company on Thursday slashed its 2024 sales forecast from $7.67 billion to $7.84 billion to $7.1 billion to $7.3 billion, citing the COVID dating dry spell and increasingly frugal consumers.
After the string of disappointing news, Signet’s shares fell nearly 12% on Wednesday, the most since September, followed by more losses today.
Signet, which owns Zales and Kay Jewelers, is not the only bridal retailer experiencing difficulty. In April, David’s Bridal, the largest bridal firm in the U.S., filed for bankruptcy.
Loneliness and isolation, lately reaching epidemic levels, are linked to premature death, a May report from the surgeon general found. The 82-page study revealed that young people in particular are more isolated than ever—socially interacting 70% less than two decades ago. The report also warned of the physical consequences of loneliness, including increased risk of dementia, stroke, and infectious disease.
“It’s hard to put a price tag, if you will, on the amount of human suffering that people are experiencing right now,” Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, said last month on NPR.
After quarantine, masking, and remote work and learning, many people felt like they had to relearn how to navigate social life. Logan Ury, director of relationship science at dating app Hinge, applied this phenomenon to dating with the term FODA: fear of dating again.
“We’re creatures of habit, so when we had to isolate for so long, and we were told to be wary of other people who are not in our bubble, that sticks with us and has a lasting impact,” psychologist Justin Puder told Fortune. “So when you’re going out and dating people you don’t know, I can understand people having some apprehension.”
Puder added that COVID lockdowns caused many people to transition to online modes of connection and dating, and that while dating apps make it easier to “match” with people than ever, it can make dating harder when the relationship has to migrate to in-person interaction.
The pandemic exacerbated an existing 50-year trend in marriage decline. Since the 1970s, the marriage rate has dropped nearly 60% as younger generations forgo tying the traditional knot. Puder said that this may be caused by financial pressures, as younger generations are finding it harder to make ends meet. Engagement rings are expensive, and even couples ready to marry may not be ready to spend thousands on a piece of jewelry. Puder, who is a millennial, said that many people of his generation struggle just to?afford housing, so marriage is often unaffordable, too.
“Financing for the ring, financing to buy property, many things that don’t have to but might go along with marriage, are hard to acquire,” Puder said. “All these stressors weigh on you when you’re trying to make the choice of ‘Am I at a place right now to be married?’”
While it’s uncertain which combination of factors has perpetuated the loneliness epidemic and dating difficulty, the surgeon general’s report recommended limiting “disproportionate time in front of screens instead of people.” Puder echoed this suggestion, saying that people should increase their in-person interactions as much as possible by spending time with friends or joining interest-based communities.