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The Coronavirus pandemic has meant that many shops around the world have had to close their doors. So people are increasingly relying on e-commerce and delivery services to get their goods delivered directly to them. This includes everything from food and prescriptions, to clothes and luxury items. With so many people unable to venture out or pop to the shops they love, this has seen the e-commerce market boom in 2020.
Because of this, we’ve put together this guide in which we’re going to take a more in-depth look at how the pandemic affecting retailers. Exploring how retailers who might have previously been happy to stick with traditional and offline retail methods, are having to innovate and make the most of the internet if they hope to keep their business afloat and successful during these unprecedented times.
So let’s get started. Here are 6 ways that Covid-19 is encouraging traditional retailers to innovate and get online.
Businesses can no longer simply rely on foot traffic
Some people have managed to remain successful without e-commerce because they do well enough from foot traffic. A lot of this is people popping in store as they walk by. Though people might not actively search them out, they might notice them on the high street and go in to make a purchase. But with non-essential shops now closed this is no longer an option. People are no longer strolling down the high street or popping out on spontaneous shopping sprees. From home, consumers are having to actively and consciously search for the things they need or want online. This has greatly reduced the chance of simply stumbling on new shops when out and about.
People are changing the way they shop and it can’t be ignored
With many people having no choice but to shop online during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, the number of people using online shopping platforms has skyrocketed in 2020. Though we will eventually return to some sort of normal and traditional shopping will be possible again, a study found that over half (58%) of consumers said they will continue to do more online shopping even after the pandemic than they did before it.
It’s clear then that the way people are shopping is changing as a result of Covid-19 and these trends don’t appear to be slowing down in the future. So if you want your business to remain successful in the modern day, then you need to innovate and keep up with consumer demands. This means adapting to the digital world we live in.
Creating an online presence is now crucial
Although you’d be hard-pressed to find a business without some sort of online presence these days, it does happen and some have only just begun to scratch the surface of the digital world. But when encouraged to move online to keep trading throughout the pandemic, it became more important than ever before for business owners to work on and create an online presence, if they hope to increase their visibility and continue to drive sales.
This means setting up the basics like a website (otherwise how can anyone buy your goods?) as well as setting up social media accounts and sharing other content online. This is good for SEO purposes, for creating a loyal online following and for building their brand. Admittedly, this can be a lot to take in if you’re new to the world of e-commerce. But thanks to a number of useful digital platforms out there like Facebook, Instagram, WordPress and Shopify, building an online presence has never been quicker or easier.
Some are now setting up click and collect services on their websites
For those businesses that have decided they need to set up online but want to make things easier for locals and their regulars, many have begun setting up click and collect services on their websites as a result of Coronavirus. This way people can browse their products and make their purchases and payments online without having to wait several days for delivery.
This also helps to reduce the amount of human contact and need to spend time in-store. All this makes things a little easier for locals. This was also a huge life-saver at the beginning of the year when many delivery companies were inundated with parcels and people ordering online during the first lockdown. By offering click and collect services, businesses could continue to make sales whilst getting their online store set up and established.
It’s not just the actual business that needs to move online
Although building a website and online presence is going to be the crucial first step for retailers moving online, they will also have to take their advertising efforts online and forgo their usual traditional methods. With fewer people now spending time outside and in leisure spaces and other places where they might typically see traditional advertising businesses are also having to embrace the digital world in order to get their brand out there.
This can be done through using social media advertising, Google ads, pop-ups and more to reach out to people online. This is also particularly important at this time with more people than ever spending time at home and online. Not to mention there are more people shopping online and signing up for social media accounts in order to stay connected to friends and family. In fact, at the height of the pandemic social media usage was up by 21%. Making these platforms the perfect place for reaching your target audience.
It’s vital to stay afloat
In a nutshell, for businesses who cannot open their store physically right now, Covid-19 is essentially forcing them to get themselves online or cease trading during lockdowns. They’ll also be limited to how many people can come in store once they re-open so it really is that simple. While this innovation is great and the retail industry might have been heading that way anyway, Covid-19 has certainly accelerated the process.
Written by Stuart Cooke of Irish Parcels. A courier comparison website for online shoppers and businesses.
