The covid pandemic brought the whole world to a standstill. As people were barred from stepping out of their house except for emergencies and students had to let go of their daily routines for taking up online education, we went through a major change. This significantly affected our shopping behaviors and today we are going to discuss it in detail.
- While online shopping initially gained traction as a convenient way of getting your goods and services delivered to your house without having to step out during the pandemic, it evolved into the perfect way for shoppers to find new inspiration and discover new products. New ideas started coming from surprising places as shoppers browsed through the virtual store aisles thus helping them upgrade their shopping cart in favor of something better whether in terms of quality or price.
- ‘Buy now pay later’ has developed as a popular financing tool for modern shoppers helping them make the purchases and even pay the installments without charging any interest. This concept is best suited in the fields of e-commerce and has helped shoppers purchase their favorite items even when they are facing a financial crisis.
- Just like everyday goods, online home buying got a major boost amidst the pandemic. Though it might sound strange, people bought their dream house without physically setting foot given the health protocols, travel restrictions, and global lockdowns. Tech innovations like 3D walkthroughs, cinematic video of the property showing speeded-up day-to-night views, drone shots of the surrounding neighborhood and the property, virtual staging of rooms both with and without furnishings, etc. have been adding more inertia to the online home buying process.
- E-commerce took a major leap amidst the pandemic as brick-and-mortar stores were off-limits for most customers. People who used to bank on physical cash transactions had to forcibly shift over to the digital means of payment while purchasing from e-commerce stores. While this was a significant change, it brought about greater convenience in the long run.
- Retailers opted for a multi-channeling approach to blend in the best of virtual and personal shopping experiences. While customers could make the purchase online, they had to collect the goods from nearby stores. And in case if the customer couldn’t visit the store, then they could bank on virtual concierge service for getting the products delivered to their doorstep. This was particularly helpful for customers who couldn’t get essential medicines during the lockdown due to quarantine restrictions. Families could also avail of the concierge service to send home-cooked food and other goodies to their loved ones. This trend is expected to stay even as things are slowly turning back to normal.
- As travel was restricted for a lion’s share of 2020, customers tried to keep their spirits high by investing in jewelry. This demand was felt as people wanted to reward themselves and their loved ones for the hardships sustained during the pandemic. It was also a great way for people to escape the harsh realities that the pandemic brought along. Since they couldn’t physically visit the stores, they banked on new technologies which allowed them to try on their favorite pieces of bling without having to step out of the house.
- Communities around the world came together to offer support to the vulnerable section of the society and this boosted up local businesses. Buyers also adored the unique offerings and prompt customer service of these small players which has led to the development of customer loyalty.
Conclusion
The pandemic altered our shopping routines in a variety of ways. Grocery stores reported a deep scarcity in cleaning supplies and toilet paper rolls as initial news of the global lockdown started making rounds. Supply chains went to a standstill and people found it difficult to even manage basic staples. A large number of customers toggled between brands and online shopping became the new normal. Now as things have normalized and a big chunk of the global population has already been vaccinated, various brick-and-mortar stores are opening up around the globe. But the impetus for online shopping is expected to continue and increase in days to come be it for apparel, jewelry, or even grocery.
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