The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted our life in different ways. It has changed our thinking, our work style, and our shopping behavior.
The Google Trends shows that keyword searches for home delivery of groceries and medicines have drastically increased in the last 90 days.
The crisis has not only changed consumer behavior but it also has participated in a sharp increase in online business.
Many large and even medium-sized e-commerce stores such as Getnow, Goto, and Buyoye have reported a 300% higher demand for grocery and basic items.
According to Nielsen’s latest consumer research, the current crisis has changed our shopping behavior of the consumer, and it is shaping buying patterns and habits in the future.
After the Coronvirus crisis passes, people will come out of their homes, return to office work or school but they will be more conscious about their health and there will be a permanent transformation in supply chains and online buying behaviors.
There is an old axiom, “it takes 30 days to make a habit”. Now more than 30 days have passed, and we see that shopping online has become our habit.
Although, there are many people who don’t prefer to shop online and never like to book an appointment with online companies.
They will not like to keep buying online due to an unseen factor called “preference”, that is hard to break. However, others will like to keep shopping online because of various reasons such as convenient, safe, time-saving, and cashless transactions.
Most of the online shoppers select store location, order anything they want to buy, set day and time for picking up the required item, pay via the app.
The apps send a message when the order is ready to deliver. It makes the transaction easy and comfortable by saving time and cost. People rarely like to break their comfort zone. the visiting physical store will become an old fashion.
Nielsen survey reports say that 77 percent consumers are expecting to keep buying online even after virus breakout.
More than 50 percent customers are satisfied with brand loyalty and effective communication during the panic time.
25 percent shoppers, who tried new online stores, have shown satisfaction with products delivered and interest to continue shop with them. 71 percent shoppers expressed concern about delivery time and expect that their orders to reach within a week.
Interestingly report says, many individuals who had never interacted with e-commerce stores on an everyday basis, are now making a purchase online.
The most prominent example is the elderly.
For instance, in Europe, elders have been induced to self-isolation for 12 weeks.
This has changed their shopping behavior at least for a short time. In the situation of huge online demand for grocery, delivery platforms and retailers are making sure that elderly patients have given priority in booking delivery slots.
Overall, many shoppers have liked the experience of online shopping and intend to keep shopping in the same way even after the crisis ended.
Mortar retailers and delivery platforms need to be prepared for acceleration in online demand for their products.
