According to a report, online retail sales increased 32.4% in 2020 and are up 39% in Q1 2021. With online revenue booming to a whopping $105 billion in the U.S. in 2020, it’s clear that online shopping has gone through a surprising expansion since the beginning of the pandemic. Contactless payments, 24/7 online purchases, and click and collect options are just some of the trends that are here to stay and make shopping a lot more convenient in the future too.
Online is more convenient
With the inability to get out of the house and the mandatory quarantining, online shopping was expected to skyrocket eventually. However, even today, when some parts of the world are COVID-19 free and others have loosened their restrictions, online shopping continues to thrive. Avoiding crowded places such as supermarkets will be everyone’s priority in the future, which makes online shopping here to stay. It’s also more convenient to browse through food categories on the computer, from the comfort of your home than wasting time wandering through the aisles in search of your favourite bread. Not only does it save time going to the store but it also saves you money on gas, taxi or public transport that you’d use to go to the shop.
A variety of online offers at reliable stores
Knowing that people are forced to rely on online shopping, online stores often presented (and still do) a myriad of sales and offers. Even now, with the holiday season in full peek, online stores such as Shoppster have a full spectrum of products at lowered prices. From Singles Day sales to Black Friday and Boxing Day deals, shopping online still pays off long-term. Whether you’re looking for a new electronic device or you want to renew your makeup collection, Shoppster is just one of the online stores that will offer fuss-free shopping that you’ll do with a few clicks.
Purchases through social media are on the rise
World online shopping saw an increase in shopping through social media because everyone was using their phones more than usually. More shopping options have been added to Instagram and Facebook, allowing you to see a full assortment of products from small local shops and widely-known conglomerates. Another aspect of shopping becoming more convenient for all generations.
Click and collect for safer shopping
While having your products delivered to your doorstep is the most convenient option, sometimes getting out of the house feels great. A click and collect option is another popular way of shopping, allowing you to order products online and pick them up at the nearest store. No more waiting in queues surrounded by a bunch of people as you wait to pay for the groceries or beauty products. All it takes is for you to do the online shopping from home, and select the store where you can pick up the items. Sometimes the delivery can be at your home late or early, creating plenty of fuss. The click and collect option offers more convenience as you get notified the minute your order is ready for collection, and you will know exactly when to pick it up. Forget about common online shopping mishaps, as you shop safely and securely through the click and collect possibility.
Final thoughts
If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that shopping can become more convenient if we only want to give it a chance. Whether you decide to do the entire shopping online and have the items delivered to you, or you’ll do it semi-online and pick the products at the store, online e-commerce will continue to thrive and offer even more possibilities to shoppers worldwide. The future of shopping has forever changed, and it will, without a doubt, continue to wow us.