The pandemic was a force for change in every industry, and online shopping was one of the handful of areas that benefitted from a dramatic rise in demand, to the point that many sites were overwhelmed with orders.
Now that the realities of a post-COVID world are settling in, it’s a good time to take stock and see which aspects of this crisis led to permanent changes in the eCommerce market, and which trends were only temporary.
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Increased online spending is here to stay
Before the coronavirus calamity occurred, eCommerce had hit something of a plateau, at least in developed Western nations.
However, recent reports suggest that consumer spending habits have been permanently shifted away from bricks and mortar stores, and that the rejuvenation of online shopping growth is set to continue going forward.
This is good news for retailers that are already prepared to serve customers via the web, and a warning sign for those that are still reliant on a real-world presence that this is not a sustainable strategy.
Product category popularity has been rebalanced
Another lasting legacy of COVID-19 is that remote working is here to stay. This has left consumers spending more time at home, and as a result the focus of their spending has been realigned to match this new reality.
From products intended for home improvement to tech needed to make the remote work experience more streamlined, people are spending more on domestic items than ever before.
Automation is on the rise
With the spike in eCommerce, and the resultant uptick in orders, organizations in this industry have moved towards automated solutions to streamline the processing of customer requests.
From platforms like SparkShipping dropshipping automation software to full-blown robotized distribution centers, technologies which can ease the strain on organizations of all sizes are being adopted en masse.
Even things like customer services and post-sales support are being turned over to AI-powered platforms, giving the army of new eCommerce users a better experience as a result, without costing businesses more.
Loyalty is fleeting
An unexpected consequence of the pandemic is that consumers are less likely to stay loyal to just one brand when making purchasing decisions as they shop online.
This applies not just to specific products, but to entire retail ecosystems. And while the sheer amount of choice and variety available is one factor in this context, there are other things at play.
For example, consumers in younger age groups are increasingly on the lookout for brands which align with their values with regards to sustainability and ethics. Hence the growing number of carbon neutral, vegan-friendly and plant-based products hitting the market to tap into this trend.
While the pandemic itself was not the result of crises like climate change, it did help to shake up consumer priorities and create a generational alteration in spending habits as well as consumer loyalty.
Personalization remains relevant
Even before the covid dilemma emerged, online outlets were being encouraged to embrace personalization as much as possible, creating tailored experiences that treated each site visitor as an individual.
With loyalty being in short supply, this is definitely the case today, and sites which can adapt to encompass the unique needs of every customer are better equipped to win them over in the long term.
Final thoughts
ECommerce retailers and dropshippers have the opportunity to thrive in a post-COVID world, and indeed many are making use of the tools at their disposal to do just that.
Agility and adaptability have always been useful in this market, but they are the two assets which deserve the most attention right now.
