On March 23rd, 2020, the UK was placed under lockdown. All non-essential businesses were forced to close their doors, leading to significant worry over the economy. However, while the high street may be struggling, the lockdown has helped to boost online sales. As businesses have been forced to adapt to the ongoing pandemic, here we’ll look at how the lockdown changed the way we shop online.
Online shopping increased by 129%- Way We Shop Online
Week on week, statistics show that online shopping has increased by a staggering 129% in the UK. The e-commerce sector was already experiencing a boom in trade prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. However, as consumers have been forced into their homes, demand has risen dramatically.
With the increase in online shopping, it has also caused expectations to shift during this time. Now, consumers are concerned with things like contactless deliveries. They also experienced issues with products not being in stock and being priced higher than usual.
As life begins to return to normal, consumers are looking for brands to stay on top of stock levels to provide timely deliveries.
More customers are leaving reviews
Interestingly, more consumers are also leaving reviews of the products and businesses they use. An in-depth report shows the number of reviews shoppers are leaving has increased by 32% in April.
Similarly, the number of questions consumers are asking about products has also increased. This highlights the need for brands to engage more with their customers during this time. Now, more than ever, customers expect a fast response to their enquiries.
Adaptations to parcel delivery
Couriers and businesses have also had to adjust their parcel delivery service. With stock levels limited and a decrease in delivery staff, services such as same and next day deliveries have had to be limited or removed altogether.
Arrangements have also had to be made to accommodate contact free deliveries. This is especially true with large parcel delivery. Various measures have been adopted such as leaving parcels in a safe place and signing for them on the customer’s behalf. Drivers are also remaining 2m away from customers during delivery.
These are just some of the ways the lockdown has changed the way we shop. Due to delays and out of stock products, we are also starting to get used to ordering in advance. It may be a challenging time, but businesses and consumers are adapting to this new way of shopping.
