Nigel Wilkinson
Managing Director of Daneswood. Nigel has been in sales and marketing since the 1980's and run digital marketing agencies since 2000.
The last twelve months have seen some of the biggest changes to customers’ purchasing behaviour for decades.
As lockdowns were put in place, businesses of all types and sizes were forced to close their doors to physical customers. Now, there is light at the end of the tunnel as restrictions set to begin being lifted, with the promise that this will be a permanent release.
So, with all the changes that have occurred over the last year, what is the impact of stores being reopened going to have on eCommerce?
E-Commerce in Lockdown
Ecommerce saw a huge growth in 2020 as people turned online to make purchases they were no longer able to make on the high street, and while eCommerce has been around for a while, it was still a growing business, with customers favouring physical stores for certain purchases.
When shops closed their doors due to restrictions, customers turned online, and this demand gave the opportunity for the eCommerce sector to thrive and develop in a way it hadn’t before.
No more were people turning solely to the big companies for their purchases, smaller businesses were getting in on the action, and turning to eCommerce became the elixir for surviving in a pandemic economy.
But now stores are set to reopen, what impact will this have on eCommerce?
The Impact on E-Commerce
The main reason that customers were so enamoured with eCommerce during this time, aside from its continuing to operate, was the ability it gave them to make purchases in a safe and COVID secure way.
Online shopping is almost entirely risk-free when compared to physical stores and while reopening is set to be allowed as cases lower and vaccines are given, the risk of contracting COVID-19 is still something that many people are acutely aware of.
A steady flow, therefore, is expected when it comes to a return to stores, rather than a rushed influx. As a result, eCommerce is unlikely to notice a huge drop in custom, still being the safest option.
Additionally, as more and more people turned to eCommerce, they were starting to see and appreciate the benefits it provided. The convince, variety, and time-saving that online shopping affords is not something that customers are willing to give up.
Especially as more people start returning to work, the ability to order online and have it delivered to a place of their choice, without having to plan additional time to go to a shop is invaluable.
When considering the impact on eCommerce it is also important to consider what it will be like for customers when stores reopen. Things will not be as they were pre-pandemic. Stores are required to adhere to strict health and safety guidelines on things like hand washing, masks, and visitor numbers. For many, these restrictions are extremely off-putting.
Alongside this, there is the ever-present threat of case spikes, new variants, and further closures, which are a concern to those venturing back out to the high street.
It is a fairly well-drawn conclusion, therefore, that while eCommerce may notice a small drop in overall sales, the impact of stores opening back up is likely to be rather small.
The convivence, safety, and reliability of online shopping, which customers have come to appreciate in the last year, is not something they are willing to sacrifice lightly.
If you would like to discuss your eCommerce website, contact our team of experts today.