The COVID-19 outbreak which started in December last year, from the city of Wuhan in China, has now taken over the world and after almost 6 months of havoc and chaos, it has left both the people, businesses and economy shattered. While most of the major economies including the UK imposed a complete lockdown to tackle the spread of the Coronavirus, they are slowly and steadily returning to what seems to be a new normal.
While many sectors like the travel and aviation industry, restaurants, pubs, etc have been majorly hit by the unprecedented outbreak, the use of online buying and Ecommerce services increased as consumers have been practising social distancing and restricting outdoor movement.
According to technomic, 52% of the consumers are considering practising social distancing which means that shopping online has become the primary way. And it is the demand that has triggered this rapid rise of online purchasing. Moreover, the Office for National Statistics suggests that eCommerce accounted for 33.4% of all Great Britain retail sales in May.
The success of eCommerce and Online buying has taught us enough and it’s high time we realise the need for bridging the digital divide across various sectors. It was the digital economy that has been the show runner while the pandemic had us locked down in our homes.
Ecommerce and online buying is what kept us surviving during these tough times as we received the daily essentials and medical supplies at our doorsteps.
The pandemic has pretty much made it clear how important e commerce can be as a tool/solution for consumers. E commerce has also supported small businesses and contributed towards the economy when other sectors like travel, tourism, etc are finding it difficult to survive.
With the rapid shift to internet and mobile data services, governments all around the world need to understand that Ecommerce can be an economic driver for both domestic growth as well as international trade as the world needs better international cooperation and development of policies for online purchases and supply.
Reports also suggest that “Nearly half of global consumers say they will not return to shops for ‘some time’ or ‘a long time’ after lockdown ease”.
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While it is clear that the coronavirus outbreak has helped eCommerce businesses spike which will continue to increase given that they survive the changing consumer trends during these tough times. However, eCommerce businesses that are already selling online can follow the below tips to ensure the success of their online business:
Humans are the one species that have survived through the ages. And in this survival, ‘Adaptability’ has played the central role. While we are one again left stranded in a tough spot, it is up to us what we do to survive.
Ecommerce and digitalization have kept us running during the ongoing pandemic and it is time that the world recognises this.
Also See: Success Business Stories During The Ongoing Pandemic